Let my people go!

Volume 2,  Issue 3 - January 14-20, 2011

International Tribune

Since the dawn of time, when men were able to leave their native homeland in search of better life, they emigrated.  Immigration is not a new social phenomenon.  It has been happening for ages- since the first Viking ships left for the unknown or when Moses parted the Red Sea and said, “Let my people go!”  Security and survival is our primal instinct, and we will move elsewhere or anywhere for the proverbial greener pastures.  If this is the case, why is our society still intolerant and opposed to opening borders to newcomers?

Immigration seems to be making more headlines in recent years especially in Europe and the United States.  Last week, a shooting spree that took place in Arizona leaving thirteen seriously injured, six killed including one federal judge dead, and a US Congresswoman in coma was immigration-policy related.  This atrocity many say is a sleeping giant that has been festering Arizona’s society within the last year on its anti-immigration policy mixed with racial prejudice predominantly against its Latino community.  Or immigration became a social/political excuse, where racism can be used to exploit the feelings and current woes of the marginalized.  On the other side of the Atlantic, last year, the expulsion of thousands of Roma gypsies in France is one of President Sarkozy’s tough stance on illegal immigration and integration.  Human rights activist and critics of Sarkozy’s would say it was one of his political maneuverings to keep his popularity from further declining. 

Globalization opened the world to unlimited flow of goods in terms of nations’ economies.  Trade and investments opened up borders for “freer” access of goods and products.  People are supposedly freer to move around the world, too.  There has been an estimated 191 million immigrants worldwide within the last fifty years.  Statistics shows that twenty percent live in the United States which makes up thirteen percent of its population and thirty tree percent live in Europe.  Despite what appears to be large population movements, people are still not able to move as freely as commodities.  There are even some places around the world, where additional restrictions are being erected as virtual walls to further restrain people’s movements.

Overall, immigration is a hot and inevitable topic.  It is here to stay unless borders are erased but that will be another miracle.  Where there is a perception that immigrants and refugees appear to get more benefits than local poor people, tensions and hostilities can inevitably rear their ugly heads.  It is a social and political debate that is very sensitive at every level of our society.  Unfortunately in some parts of the world, it is still used as a tool to fuel more hatred and bigotry.  This is a wake-up call to everyone especially to policy makers.