The ubiquitous refugee

Below is a post that my son made on Facebook a while back and I saw when my wife brought my attention to it. My life membership of the dinosaur club prohibits me from participating directly, although I am allowed to co-habit with a person connected to Facebook: For the moment anyway :wink: .

Any how I found this report both moving and distinctly disturbing. You may agree or not.

"You’re 29 years old with a wife, two children and a job. You have enough money, and can afford a few nice things, and you live in a small house in the city.
Suddenly the political situation in your country changes and a few months later soldiers are gathered in front of your house. And in front of your neighbours’ houses.
They say that if you don’t fight for them, they will shoot you.
Your neighbour refuses.
One shot. That’s it.
You overhear one of the soldiers telling your wife to spread her legs.
Somehow you get rid of the soldiers and spend the night deep in thought.
Suddenly you hear an explosion. Your house no longer has a living room.
You run outside and see that the whole street is destroyed.
Nothing is left standing.
You take your family back into the house, and then you run to your parents' house.
It is no longer there. Nor are your parents.
You look around and find an arm with your Mother’s ring on its finger. You can’t find any other sign of your parents.
~~~~~
"But asylum seekers have so many luxury goods! Smartphones, and designer clothes!"
~~~~~
You immediately forget it. You rush home, and tell your wife to get the children dressed. You grab a small bag, because anything bigger will be impossible to carry for a long time, and in it you pack essentials. Only 2 pieces of clothing each can fit in the bag.
What do you take?
You will probably never see your home country again.
Not your family, not your neighbours, your workmates…
But how can you stay in contact?
You hastily throw your smartphone and the charger in the bag.
Along with the few clothes, some bread and your small daughters favourite teddy.
~~~~~
"They can easily afford to get away. They aren’t poor!"
~~~~~
Because you could see the emergency coming, you have already scraped all your money together.
You managed to save some money because of your well paid job.
The kind people smuggler in the neighbourhood charges 5,000 euros per person.
You have 15,000 euros. With a bit of luck, you’ll all be able to go. If not, you will have to let your wife go.
You love her and pray that you the smugglers will take you all.
By now you are totally wiped out and have nothing else. Just your family and the bag.
The journey to the border takes two weeks on foot.
You are hungry and for the last week have barely eaten. You are weak, as is your wife. But at least the children have enough.
They have cried for the whole 2 weeks.
Half the time you have to carry your younger daughter. She is only 21 months old.
A further 2 weeks and you arrive at the sea.
In the middle of the night you’re loaded onto a ship with other refugees.
You are lucky: your whole family can travel.
The ship is so full that it threatens to capsize. You pray that you don’t drown.
The people around you are crying and screaming.
A few small children have died of thirst.
The smugglers throw them overboard.
Your wife sits, vacantly, in a corner. She hasn’t had anything to drink for 2 days.
When the coast is in sight, you are loaded onto small boats.
Your wife and the younger child are on one, you and your older child are on another.
You are warned to stay silent so that nobody knows you’re there.
Your older daughter understands.
But your younger one in the other boat doesn’t. She doesn’t stop crying.
The other refugees are getting nervous. They demand that your wife keeps the child quiet.
She doesn’t manage it.
One of the men grabs your daughter, rips her away from your wife and throws her overboard.
You jump in after her, but you can’t find her again.
Never again.
In 3 months she would have turned 2 years old.
Isn’t that enough for you? They still have it too good here and have everything handed to them on a plate?
You don’t know how you, your wife and your older daughter manage to get to the country that takes you in.
It’s as though everything is all foggy. Your wife hasn’t spoken a word since your daughter died.
Your older daughter hasn’t let go of her sister’s teddy and is totally apathetic.
But you have to keep going. You are just about to arrive at the emergency accommodation.
It is 10pm. A man whose language you don’t understand takes you to a hall with camp beds. There are 500 beds all very close together.
In the hall it’s stuffy and loud.
You try to get your bearings. To understand what the people there want from you.
But in reality you can barely stand up. You nearly wish that they had shot you.
Instead you unpack your meagre possessions:
Two items of clothing each and your smartphone.
Then you spend your first night in a safe country.
The next morning you’re given some clothes.
Among the donated clothes are even branded ‘label’ clothes. And a toy for your daughter.
You are given 140 euros. For the whole month.
~~~~~
"They’re safe here. Therefore they should be happy!"
~~~~~
Outside in the yard, dressed in your new clothes, you hold your smartphone high in the air and hope to have some reception.
You need to know if anyone from your city is still alive.
Then a 'concerned citizen‘ comes by and abuses you.
You don’t know why. You don’t understand “Go back to your own country!"
You understand some things like “smartphone” and “handed everything on a plate.”
Somebody translates it for you.
~~~~~
And now tell me how you feel and what you own?
The answer to both parts of that is “Nothing.” "

However after showing me this post my wife posted a reply to my son asking why if this scenario is true, an overwhelming majority of refugees appear to be men. Where, she asked, are the women and children.

Her contention is that the proportion of male refugees and asylum seekers should represent about 25% of the refugees, not greater than 50%. If life is so bad in their own country (think Syria for example) why do the men flee and leave their family behind to the ravages of inhumanity and oppression? Would they not make every effort to take the family with them?

One answer is possibly contained in the story in that the men are forced to join the army and fight. However, I don't think it would take much imagination to surmise the fate of the women left behind in a regime dominated by the military.

Your thoughts?

Regards
Paul

Deleted by me because of a light-hearted comment being perceived as possibly political rather than as a simple simile.

Hey, hows about them new Milwaukee drills, then? Bet they are hard to find in Syria at the moment! That alone is a good enough reason to leave the country, let alone a shortage of tek screws!!

Actually, no, here is the original comment, rendered in what I think is a politically neutral tone...


From: http://www.factcheck.org/2015/09/str...rian-refugees/

"The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees — which refers refugees for resettlement in other countries — says there are more than 4 million registered Syrian refugees. Its figures on the demographic makeup of refugees is based on available data on the 2.1 million who were registered by the UNHCR in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. (Another 1.9 million Syrian refugees were registered by the Government of Turkey, and more than 24,000 were registered in North Africa.)
UNHCR’s data show that 50.5 percent of refugees are women. Females age 18 to 59 make up 23.9 percent of the refugees, while males in that age group make up 21.8 percent.
Even younger males — age 12 to 17 — represent 6.5 percent of refugees, while females that age are 6.1 percent. The majority of refugees — 51.1 percent — are under age 17, including 38.5 percent who are younger than 12 years old. These numbers were as of Sept. 6."


On top of that, the political situation in Syria is not what you'd call conducive to creating a country you'd consider worth fighting for - you'd be thinking to yourself "Do I really want to go and get shot at to support the Assad regime* that's been in power for the last 60 years".

*In an Australian context, that would be like having (choose one - Gough Whitlam/Tony Abbot/Pauline Hanson/Don Chipp/Bob Brown) as your serving PM for 60 years.

Over the last few weeks, the History Channel has been featuring the end of WWII in Europe. All of the people around that area have been bombed to the brink of extinction. Their worldly possessions may have been non existent due to the on going battles. What stuck me was that it is no wonder why, when they could, they became migrants here in Australia.
To be able to live a life in a quiet environment must be pure heaven to them.

We will leave this running as long it doesn't turn in to a political thread, one poster already couldn't help himself.

The forum Terms of Use are quite specific about political thread, so read them.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...32#post1895132

My parents emigrated from post WWII Holland. I am grateful that they had the opportunity and courage to leave their homeland and families to start a new life here in Australia. It was not easy for them, but staying would not have been easy either. They too lost a child during the journey. They have worked extremely hard throughout their lives to assimilate to Australian culture and have become valuable members of the community. They very quickly took on Australian citizenship, learnt the language, and have developed a very strong allegiance to this nation.

Paul, your son is clearly intelligent (a chip off the old block I suspect) and has a very healthy sensitivity to the plight of others. A trait that is sadly lacking in so many here in Australia today. Australians should be less worried about what they could loose through increased immigration and instead develop a broader understanding of the new world we live in and then focus on initiatives that unite all Australians to build a better nation. Racism, bigotry, elitism, segregation and stupidity just don't cut it anymore.

Pete.

Pete

My son is in fact a chippy :rolleyes::D, but he takes more after his mother with his sensitivities.

I think he was prompted to make the post on Facebook after he stayed at a refugee camp in Belgium. He had been walking through Europe towing his capsule, which he calls the Siipod. He was allowed sanctuary in the camp, he sat down and played his didgeridoos for the residents and the camp director contacted the local media.

I think he was moved by the plight of these people and he found them welcoming. I guess it was a welcome distraction from a demoralising situation. I think it was rather ironic that these people without a home let him into their life. The son has temporarily stopped his epic walk as a chronic knee injury has called a halt to his adventure. He is holed up in Slovakia for the winter while he recuperates.

Regards
Paul

Yes, I also find it interesting that those with the least are prepared, and happy, to share whatever little they do have with others, even total strangers.
I wish your boy a very speedy recovery.
Pete.


Pittwater Pete
Living the dream.

You often have thought provoking comments and posts.

Interesting observation of your wife. I forgot your son was on this trip. Hope he recovers soon without long term issues.

I believe there are legitimate refugees who are desperate for a better life and ones who have no particular care or loayalty to the people that render aid. To discern which is which is no easy task.

Many refer to Australia as a great country or the lucky country. One thing I know - it would not he what it is today if it were not for imigrants.

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

I agree with what Dave said "Many refer to Australia as a great country or the lucky country. One thing I know - it would not be what it is today if it were not for immigrants". If you can't tell from the name, I came to Australia from Holland in 1953, so I know what others are referring too.
Unfortunately, it's like a lot of situations, minorities (in this case radicals) making a bad name for others.
Kryn (Krijn)

Its not skin colour or accent, its how you embrace a culture and interact within it. Some of the best people we know are immigrants and some of the worst are not.

I have spent a lot of time overseas doing humanitarian work and have seen the worst possible living conditions and to be accepted into their culture means getting down and dirty in their daily life and routine. I haven't been in active conflict areas but been close to one and its not good.
Working with ex child soldiers who were forced into insurgent activities by militia that shoot their parents in front of them and rape their sisters and brothers is not easy, no more family except for memories. To have a parent beg you to take their daughter with you back home so they can have a better life, to share a meal with them when you know that was going to feed them for the next 2 or 3 days.

Yes there are refugees that don't have a fair dinkum reason but the greater majority do.

Ray

I think it is very easy for us to have a preconceived idea of what a type of person is and very difficult for us to accept that we might have got it wrong. We do it all the time to some extent and, to our discredit, we do this partly to bolster up our own standing in the community.

It is good to hear from somebody who has had direct experience with these types of conflict.

Regards
Paul

Do not judge a person unless you have walked in their shoes.

Many came to Australia for a better life, so who are we to say no to someone else trying to do the same?

It get's worse.

Summer 2013 & 2014, we had a lot of children (Or as the airlines call them, 'Unaccompanied Minors') crossing our southern border from Mexico. When I say children I mean some as young as 10 and very few older than 16. Usually a 14 or 15 year old sibling is guiding the younger ones.

Parents in Central America are sending their children to the United States, alone. They are being sent in hope for a better life. Most of the children have a relative (Probably an earlier but successful illegal border crosser.) living here in the US. The children are being sent to the US to get away from the corruption, crime, drugs and the gangs of Central America.

Ponder that for a moment. Children, alone, on a journey of several thousand kilometers. A journey with no guarantees of arrival at the destination, safe or otherwise. As a parent, could you do that? As a parent of a 10 year old, would you allow the child to take public transportation across the city alone?

As a country, what are we to do? (Without getting political) Some are saying to prosecute these children. Some are saying to send them back by air. Some say to incarcerate the children. (To what end?)

It's even worse. Some children were brought, illegally, to the US as toddlers (2 or 3 YO) by their parents 15 or 20 years ago. Now the children have grown and been educated through the public system. Some have college degrees. These children can't do anything because of the lack of documentation as to their citizenship.

It is an ugly problem, not just in Europe or North America but world wide. I wish that I was smart enough to offer a solution.

Rich

It is most distressing.

Regards
Paul

Unfortunately, it is a world wide problem, not just a local one. There probably is an answer but at what cost, monetary wise. There is so much unusable land that could be turned into an oasis, given funds to set up, that people could live and farm on, growing food for the rest of the world.
Kryn

When I started this thread I particularly had in mind the European situation, but as we can see and you have all pointed out, almost everybody can relate to the problem as it is on our doorsteps. It is also something of an indictment of the human race that this so frequently rears it's head.

Are there really so many tyrants, despots and fanatics out there? Apparently so.....

Regards
Paul