Sudanese Refugees – photo by ACT Alliance/Paul Jeffrey
According to the Independent (15-06-15),’The world’s humanitarian community has “reached its limit” and is no longer able to cope with a massive rise in the number of refugees being forced out of their homes by global conflicts, a top UN official has warned. Antonio Guterres, the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees, said the spike in the number of people being displaced by wars indicated that global peace and security was facing “the worst crisis of the last decades”. Already overstretched aid agencies will soon be “totally unable even to provide the minimum support to the victims”, he warned.
Mr Guterres said the world was facing an unprecedented “multiplication of conflicts” which had overwhelmed aid agencies, citing the situations in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, South Sudan and the Central African Republic as examples. “I think it’s fair to say that the humanitarian community has reached its limit,” he said. “The funding available is no longer enough, the capacity to respond is completely overstretched. If you combine these [conflicts] with the impacts of climate change, with the multiplication of natural disasters, population growth, food insecurity, water scarcity – all this is creating a situation where humanitarian needs are growing exponentially and the capacity to respond is not able to match.”
Also, according to a recent poll, the British public is less willing to accept refugees from conflict zones such as Syria. This is, to some extent, a perceived view that many of these people are Muslims which many British are now becoming less tolerant of.
Though I can understand these attitudes to some extent, especially for us in Britain, a small country with limited space and resources, I believe we should at least play our part in assisting to save lives. Beyond that there have to be international agreements to solve the political problems causing the conflicts. Of course, solutions may take many years as there are no easy answers – indeed, the situations in the Middle East and Africa could get a lot worse before they get better.
My song addresses the humanitarian angle only – the causes and solutions are far too complex and far-reaching to put a tune to. Though, as it says, maybe in the end the problems can only be solved when we recognise those things we have in common rather than those which divide us. I know that’s simplistic but usually the truth is.
NOBODY WANTS THE REFUGEE
Nobody wants the refugee, drifting on a restless sea, Hopes and dreams are sinking fast – a better life is all he asks. No one hears his desperate cry, As the ship goes down and many die. But who can point the finger of blame, At a hungry man calling out in vain?
Nobody wants the refugee, Though he’s no different to you or me. Skin and bone – heart and soul, Head hung down with a begging bowl. Maybe tonight he can rest his head, Away from those who would see him dead. But in the morning – anything goes. Gotta keep on moving, down a lonesome road. Nobody wants the refugee, in no-man’s land on live TV. Or at the gates fighting to get in, With his stranger’s ways and weather beaten skin. But one of these days – gonna have to face, We’re all a part of one human race. And you never know, maybe you or me, Could be a-drifting on a restless sea. You never know, maybe you or me, Could be a-drifting as a refugee. MB – 2015