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Concepts such as refugee, immigration and asylum seekers have entered the world agenda as a result of violence and oppression during the wars and violence processes, in which the human spirit and social conscience were injured. Especially after the World War II, people fleeing from oppression and violence went to other countries as refugees, asylum seekers or immigrants. In this context, the issue of immigrant crisis, which has become the source of crime and violence today, needs to be analyzed. This problem affects many different issues, from the social problems it creates in societies to the far-right issues that come to the fore in the world agenda with the European Parliament elections.
At this point, it should be noted that it is time for the world’s superpowers and international institutions to come together and solve the immigrant crisis. If a solution to this problem is not found, this problem spreading from the Middle East will deepen towards western countries and cause greater social and political problems. After stating these risks, let’s now talk about some definitions that almost everyone confuses on this subject.
Arab Spring and Asylum-Seekers
What are the differences between these phenomenons will serve at least to the beginning of the solution of the problem. First, let’s go back to the beginning of the problem and then look at the solutions together.
As a result of the social and political events that started in North Africa within the scope of the Arab Spring that started in the Middle East after 2011, these concepts entered the world agenda again. The situation of people who have to leave their country and past is very difficult. They need to get used to and adapt to different countries and cultures. However, in the last 20 years, when the world has been struggling with crises, the situation of the countries and communities receiving these migration movements and their adaptation to the newly arrived communities are also becoming increasingly difficult. In this context, it is important to establish relationships based on mutual respect and love for on both sides. Now it’s time for definitions.
What is Refugee?
Before moving on to these relationships, it is necessary to understand some concepts with details. Let’s briefly talk about who are immigrants and il–legal immigrants and what are the differences between these concepts. In addition, it is necessary to think deeply about how to solve the refugee crisis which causes thousands of innocent people to lose their lives on the Mediterranean migration routes every year.
Before we get to the definition, let us state that our focus is on whether this journey situation is “legal” and whether it is a “forced” migration. Let’s not forget that these definitions are based on past events and are based on United Nations laws and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
According to international law, a refugee is defined as a person “who has a justified fear of being persecuted or subjected to violence because of her nationality, belonging to a certain social community, race, political views or religious beliefs” and therefore wants to leave (or does not want to return again) her country”. We have underlined the word justified here because there is no voluntary request in the case of a refugee. In line with their situation these persons are given special status and legal protection under international law.
What is an Asylum Seeker?
Asylum seeker, on the other hand, is a person who is in the same situation as a refugee but does not yet have the rights of a legal migrant and whose proceedings are still ongoing. The difference between a refugee and an asylum seeker is that the migrant is now under legal protection. As for the asylum seeker, there is no legal protection yet and the research and investigation process continue in the state she applied for. There is no guarantee that you will get this right yet. On the other hand, even though their processes are still ongoing, according to United Nations Law, asylum seekers cannot be forcibly returned from their country of asylum. (In order to learn with details, look at United Nations 1951 Refugees Convention and 1967 Protocol Please)
What is an immigrant?
As we have just stated, we should focus on the issue of “obligation” while defining the immigrant. An immigrant could be defined as a person who leaves her country voluntarily and goes to another country in order to increase her own or her family’s financial or social level and welfare level or for other reasons while answering the question.
The critical word here is “voluntarily”. Being forced to leave the country after oppression, violence or persecution in the definitions of refugees or asylum seekers is not included in the definition of immigrant. The most fundamental difference between the definitions of refugee, asylum seeker and immigrant is this optional or compulsory difference situation. An il-legal immigrant is a person who goes that country without complying with the legal immigration laws of the country she goes to as an immigrant. In other words, the person who goes to the relevant country without fulfilling the legal requirements in accordance with international law and stays or works there illegally is called an il-legal immigrant.
Refugee crisis resolved?
The first and most definitive answer to this question would be “with the sincere intention of really wanting to resolve it“. In other words, it will be very difficult to resolve the refugee flow or crisis before the war and conflicts in the world and especially in the Middle East are over. On the other hand, the solution to the border, wall and refugee crisis, which the America is facing especially on the Mexican border and became quite controversial during the first Trump era, is actually clear. If the United States ends the conflicts and debates that it has started or is indirectly a party to, the crisis will also be resolved by itself. Isn’t it?
People who go to sea in boats to seek asylum in Europe almost every day in the Mediterranean struggle to pass through Greece and step into Europe. If the conflict conditions and economic situation of these people in their own countries can be improved, it will be possible to make a significant contribution to the solution of the problem. In this context, it should not be forgotten that in countries with large people influxes, adaptation problems and conflicts between refugees and citizens are increasing day by day. At this point, it should not be forgotten that even though we do not want to enter politics or we are not a party to any party, the moves made by big countries to achieve their imperialist goals have caused great refugee and asylum seeker crises.
Imperialism and Refugee
These issues are as important as, and perhaps even more so, the differences between immigrants and il-legal immigrants.
In other words, the moves made by countries with big and imperial intentions such as the USA, Russia and European countries, thinking only of their own interests, can be against other countries and refugees. The solution to the problem is precisely at this point that these great countries come together and come to terms and really want the solution of this problem. It should not be forgotten that more than 100 million people are currently displaced around the world because of wars and conflicts.
