FINITE RESOURCES
Scratching the surface of migration mazeBy John W. Nkhalamba
It mystifies me when I hear from politicians and anti-migration commentators in rich countries regarding methods of controlling migration. The methods being rehashed are mean, misplaced, too little and probably too late to solve the surging problem of migration. Migration has grown to become a contentious issue that is causing political headaches in rich countries where people migrate to. Because of brain drain, it is on the other hand a headache for poor countries where migrants migrate from.
Usually blame is squared on the migrants themselves and the countries the migrants migrate from. But I see it differently, as most people do. I see what the rich world’s leaders do in order to prevent migrants entering their countries as a deliberate act of circumventing responsibility to unravel the real cause of migration from poor to rich countries. But for how long will those who have resources to deal with the problem evade this burgeoning problem of migration?
May be the current migration problem can be explained through the following African folk story to better understand what lies ahead: When African elders want to explain something to youngsters, they do so in riddles, adages or folk stories in the hope that whatever they are warning against or teaching a youngster will make more sense to facilitate wider understanding of things ahead in their societies. Relevant to the current surge in migration from poor to rich countries is a folk story about a lion that had a big house in the forest. The house was surrounded by beautiful, landscaped gardens. The lion was the strongest animal and became the king of the forest. No wonder he was the richest animal in the forest. Because of his riches, it meant he had many workers to tend the grounds around his house. He also made sure his big house was well stocked with food to the roof of his food store.
But the lion king had a problem that he tended to advise other animals the opposite of what he practiced himself. For example, each time he went to visit other animals in the forest, he advised them not to leave their grounds clear around their houses. This is because bushes would give them places to hide when the ferocious rival leopard came around. Because he was king of the forest, he also forced other animals to give the lion king part of what they had, including food and money as tax. Many animals were bullied with a loud roar into surrendering quickly what they had at the time of demand. As a result, other animals became poor as their houses deteriorated with surrounding bushes. Some of the friends that visited the lion king admired his house and how much food he had stocked for lean time.
But one day a fire broke out in the forest. The forest animals had nowhere to run to but remembered the lion king’s house that had grounds and a big house to keep them safe from fire. With no protection around their houses, there was only one place to run to that could keep them safe from the fire. It was the lion king's house and its clear big grounds, and where there was also plenty of food to go round. Then there was a commotion from all directions of the forest. The strong lion king couldn’t contain the stampede of animals to his clear grounds and his house. The roar that would normally frighten any animal during rounds of tax collections and get them running was now a kitten’s roar. The lion king was overrun and there was nothing he could do anymore but abandon the house into the forest when the fire abated.
Of course, there has always been migration of people to wealthy countries, but this level of surge is a new phenomenon rather than a constant during the past decades. The new phenomenon seems to correspond to increased deterioration of the situation in poorer countries which in turn relates to the worsening weather and environmental conditions due to global warming and climate change. It also corresponds to an increase in the level of conflicts around the world.
The rich world of course has played a part in stirring up the current chaos. These include driving global warming through burning of fossil fuels than poor regions that has altered the climate and the environment for the worst. This is while the worst is yet to come. Misleading and exploitative policies surrounding the use of natural resources and in agriculture has led to dwindling of resources and land deterioration that it can no longer produce enough food. This also means an inability to create enough jobs for young people.
An increased surge in migrants into Europe and across the English Channel into Britain since Brexit, for example, is still related to the continuing deterioration of conditions in poor regions. This is either because of direct effect of global warming through storms and droughts or indirectly by fomented political turmoil that cause conflicts, that are in turn caused by the scramble for diminishing resources and a rise of dictatorship rules. Richer countries have taken sides to have people fight each other in proxy wars in these poor regions by supplying arms to rebels for profit while at the same time pretending to be on governments’ side. Meddling through the Iraqi war, for example has set the Middle East region on fire with a series of wars being fought. All these have flushed out populations and set them on the move in search of safer places. There has been a corresponding surge in migration across the Mexican border from poorer Latin America to richer North America because of similar deteriorating conditions as other regions.
Of course, it takes a lot of courage for anyone to leave their lands, homes, communities and societies to head somewhere and hope that all will be well. Instead, there are always doubts about what might happen to them. However, when their land is burning and there is an ounce of hope somewhere, they will run to where they can find tranquility and safety. Basically, it is an instinct to save their lives that pushes migrants out of their lands.
To restrict the flow of migrants to rich countries, some are classified as economic migrants and therefore illegible for entry while others as asylum seekers. But as much as chaos creates economic refugees, more refugees seeking asylum increases too. Therefore, the line between them becomes blurry. Where hope is lost because their land is burning, instinctively everyone would love to move, such that even economic migrants would want to move too to where opportunities can be found. For economic refugees, the feeling of eventual failure and darkness ahead as the economic situation worsens in their countries is the driving factor. For those who can afford it, the richer global north including Europe and North America have been the targets, despite others knowing full well that they will be unloved by the people in the spaces they wish to occupy. They reason that if they can put food on the table and have their children go to school, the rest will be taken care of.
And of course, economic migrants didn’t leave their homes in masses until recently when environmental and economic conditions have worsened further in their countries. If it is African migration, it started worsening since the 1990. This is partly because some countries that enjoyed better economic management earlier are no longer able to do so as destructive effects of climate change have not given respite for governments to sort themselves out economically. Many times, each time they try to sort out one side, the other bigger side is damaged by the effects of either climate change or conflict, generally causing a net negative economic growth. Meanwhile there is an increase in the young population that is looking for jobs that their countries no longer can offer. That leaves them without an option but to emigrate to where they can find work.
As for rich countries, migration into their countries is not a problem that is going to reduce or stop any time soon because of tough migration policies. Instead, it will increase unless problems that cause people to emigrate are to be resolved in the countries where migrants originate. Short term tough policies like deportations to ‘‘scarecrow’’ countries, separating children from their parents or detaining people are not going deter people from migrating and stop them knocking on the doors of richer countries. Otherwise, such measures will just make people dig deeper to find other means of opening back doors into rich countries.
However, there are simple solutions to this ‘‘puzzle’’ of migration which rich nations deliberately chose not to use. These will be crucial too to resolving problems of adaptation by restoring capacity to deal with climate and their other problems too, than opening palms all the time asking for help. If migrants are such irritants and rich countries have resources, one solution would be to help the would-be migrants in their countries before they decide to move. There are always problems of giving aid through governments because of corruption involved. That being the case, why not bypass government leadership and engage direct investment in those problem countries through private companies, by using business models that contribute rather than exploit? In my opinion, that is a sure way of creating jobs that economic migrants will not find a good reason to emigrate to rich countries.
Armed with resources, rich countries can be more useful by leading in conflict resolution and negotiations before conflicts break out, than remaining on the fence, and cheer when a fight is about to break out. Encouraging growth of adaptive multi-party-political systems that encourage unity than division is another step. And instead of profiteering from arms sales, desisting from taking sides of potential warring factions and supplying arms to rebel groups is another important step rich countries can take in order to slow down migration of people from poor countries.
And there is a problem of creaming out the best talent from poor countries. If rich countries continue to encourage this brain drain and beat their chests for retaining the best from poor countries, then this migration ‘‘puzzle’’ is bound to continue for a very long time. This of course will be at the expense of further deterioration as poor countries are denied enough economic managers to enable their economies to grow and retain people. Instead of minimizing the problem of migration, this will just perpetuate irritation and more political headaches in rich countries because of the continued presence of unwanted migrants.
I have listened to many political debates on migration. It is a fallacy to believe that migrants chose to come to the UK, for example, because of the generous benefit system it offers. But contrary to this view many Africans, for example, of which I am certain, have no idea that the UK gives benefits to its citizens. Many discover the benefit system when they are already in the UK, rather than setting out on a long journey just to fleece out. Even when they discovered the benefit system when they arrive, it becomes a secondary matter than primary. For many migrants, finding a job and earning is primary. The reason why many migrants are attracted to Britain, for example, is because Britain colonized many countries in Africa and around the world. Britain left a legacy out there and the name Britain looms large in the ears of many. Therefore, migrants have an idea about the British culture. Many speak English, and therefore think they can integrate easily.
Migration is a growing problem because in May 2023 there were thousands of people amassing at the border of the United States of America with numbers than have never been seen before, with many heading towards European borders. This is driven by the fact that the ferocity of the fires that the rich world has taken part in setting is too much to bear that many don’t even mind to cross the dangerous Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel and drown in them. As the environmental situation continues to worsen and violence around the world continues to destabilize and set more people on the move, I fear when one day we will wake up just to see larger fleets of boats heading our way across the English Channel, and countries in Latin America emptying and heading northwards. Is anyone going to be able to control that level of surge? Therefore, is it not wiser to put out the fires where they are burning than let everyone run in commotion to the crowded richer world. Is the rich world going to give up like the lion king did as every animal crashed into and around his house?
*John W Nkhalamba is author of A Concrete Bridge on Wooden Pillars: Opinions and Wishes of the Marginalised
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