What Difference: Refugee Vs. Economic Migrant

by Eze Eluchie 

What really is the difference between a ‘Refugee’ and an ‘Economic Migrant’?

A close look at all who are forced for one reason or the other, be it civil or military strife, kleptomaniac and brutally draconian rulership, natural and climate change-linked disasters or whatsoever, to leave their homelands, family friends and all, will reveal an uncanny resemblance, making distinction near impossible except to those who already have preconceived mindsets and a ready-made mind on who they would like to see in their territories and who they would not want anywhere near their territories.

Some of these similarities include:
1. Circumstances in the home countries of the Refugee/Economic migrant had made life precarious;
2. The Refugee/Economic migrant left people behind in his home country – there are always those who stayed back;
3. The Refugee/Economic migrant had made up his/her (their) minds to leave their home countries;
4. The Refugee/Economic migrant basically leave their home countries to safeguard their lives and that of their families.
5. The Refugee/Economic migrant looks forward to making a better life for self and family at whatever new country settled in;
6. The Refugee/Economic migrant took great risk in leaving own homeland;

The difference in the reception for the 'Refugee' and so-called ‘Economic migrant’ is however stark, particularly in Europe.  For starters, whilst the former is entitled to being welcome, provided with accommodation and a near-red carpet reception spiced with rallies and marches-of-support for those forced to leave their countries of origin, the later is forcefully kept out of public glare and the media, dumped in compartments that would make animal right advocates rile in disgust, and deported back to the very region (no one really cares to be sure of the specific country) from which the ‘economic migrant’ was escaping from, to a certain likelihood of persecution, incarceration and likely death.

The dichotomy being displayed in the ongoing differences in treatment of ‘refugees’ from conflict ridden Arabia, some of who arrive loaded with cash, equipped with sophisticated mobile phones with which they send out GPS coordinates to be rescued by relevant agencies in their targeted destinations of choice and how ‘economic migrants’ who arrive stripped of all possessions and dignity from excruciating sojourns across hostile deserts and having to slave their way through perilous routes casts a shadow on humanity.

Why the emphasis on differentiating between a ‘Refugee’ and ‘Economic Migrant’? A differentiation the European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini, and the European Union member states, has gone to great extent in stressing in the wake of the overwhelming influx of persons from Arabia into Europe in the past few weeks and of persons from sub-Sahara Africa across the Mediterranean. Excuses such as economic costs, lack of facilities and so on will likely be rendered, but the real answer to this question is disgraceful as it diminishes and erodes from the notion of the collectivity of humanity.

What are the consequences of this differentiation? Quite a lot! For starters, the death of one makes headlines across the world whilst the death of thousands of the other goes unsung, unannounced, unpublished and unfactored and does not give rise to popular clamor to open up the borders for more.

The continuing differentiation and segregation between ‘refugees’ and ‘economic migrants’, playing out globally, is uncalled for and ought to be discontinued. At the very least, continuing such segregation amounts to outright large-scale and widespread discrimination against identifiable peoples - a crime against humanity under appropriate international laws.


Picture: Spot the difference between the death of a 'refugee' child and an 'economic migrant' child.  

The Migrant Crisis: An Indictment on Rich Arab States.

by Eze Eluchie

The greatest indictment on the practice of the Shari’a by some Arab countries, as a way of life, is the fact that pushed to a point of hopelessness and destitution, millions of Arabs {overwhelmingly Muslims} who have become refugees have shunned looking up to incredulously wealthy Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Gulf Emirates (despite their proximity to these countries) and would rather risk all in their quest to traverse continents and oceans to get to Europe and the US.

These mega-rich Arab countries have remained wickedly mute to the plight of millions of fellow Arabs (overwhelmingly fellow Muslims}, pretending that the unfolding carnage is of no moment. In a bid to rationalize the inhumane posture of these Arab States, some have posited that the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council are not signatories to the International Convention on Refugees and so are not obligated to take in refugees. This excuse is hurtful to these Arab States – you do not need any agreements, domestic or international, to do good, to save lives, to be human!

It is hoped that the stance of these rich Arab states who are quite ‘generous’ in dishing out funds to ‘support’ Islamization causes across the world, particularly in emerging countries, and yet refuse to as much as open their doors to Muslims in extreme distress will not be lost on the several peoples and countries of sub-Sahara Africa where such largesse’s have served to foster and fuel internal ethno-religious conflict and disturbances – the lesson learnt ought to be: If they cannot step in when it mattered most to their immediate neighbors who also happen to share same faith, the motive for their ‘generosity’ is clearly not pure.



Picture: Some Arab refugees trying to enter European Union territory

Release Kim Davis: U.S. PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE

by Eze Eluchie

When the United States Supreme Court accepted to delve into strictly personal affairs that bother on religious doctrine and personal beliefs and conscience, it was clear that the United States was descending into a realm that will, sooner than later, find it in the sorry state where it will have to use the instrumentality of the State and Justice processes to try to influence personal conscience, religion and beliefs.

Ms. Kim Davis, an elected official of Rowan County, Kentucky State, charged with issuing Certificates of Marriage has repeatedly stated that her faith does not permit her to sign Marriage certificates for marriages that are not between a man and a woman.  The Kentucky State Court Clerk refused to issue marriage certificate to homosexual couples purely on grounds that her conscience and religious believes negates such marriages becomes a prisoner of conscience!

By ordering that Kim Davis be sent to prison for merely abiding and sticking to her conscience and the dictates of her faith, US District Judge David Bunning has elevated Kim Davis to the status of a Prisoner of Conscience.

In his words at the sentencing, Justice Bunning asserted that "Her good faith belief is simply not a viable defense".

Is there any difference with what transpired against Ms. Kim Davis and the persecution of Christians and other ethno-religious minorities in those jurisdictions notorious for having ‘prisoners of conscience’? Whether it be in China, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, or wheresoever, the presence of Prisoners of Conscience in any jurisdiction is an afront against humanity.

The United States authorities are enjoined to release Kim Davis, a Prisoner of Conscience, IMMEDIATELY!



Picture: Kim Davis, Rowan County, Kentucky.