IOM Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration workshop 29-30th

I will soon submit the a report on the workshop on the main topics covered and issues raised.

In the mean time here is the project background and agenda:

http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/climate-change-environmental-degradation-and-migration/cache/offonce/lang/en

Plus I will add a reading list of the products offered at the workshop.

AQM

Interesting feeds

Underneath are a few interesting articles, interviews and events that I have noticed recently and thought are worth sharing!
And please remember to check out my article on Libya, revolution and migration!

The price of putting oil before principles - A European learning curve

1) Libya crisis: Thousands of migrant workers 'trapped'  

2) UN sends mission to Tripoli  

6) Which countries are most 'welcoming' to asylum seekers?

7) Climate change set to cause migrant surge

3) Noam Chomsky and Jeremy Paxman Interview in Full. 

4) The Globalisation Paradox – Why Global Markets, States, and Democracy Can't Coexist 

5) Hard times as Ukraine recovers

6) CNN migration IReport

 

 

Tiken Jah Fakoly - Africain a Paris

A fantastic cover of Stings 'English-man in New York'.
Tiken Jah Fakoly's 'Africain a Paris' has discusses African migrants residing in France, discussing remittances, home-sickness and difficulties of gaining their documents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATtFpc7N-js

'Africain A Paris'

Maman je pense à toi, je t'écris

D’un trois étoiles à Cachan.

Tu vois faut pas que tu trembles ici

J'ai un toit et un peu d'argent.

On vit là tous ensemble, on survit

On n'y manque presque de rien.

C'est pas l'enfer ni le paradis

D’être un Africain à Paris.

Oh oh

Un peu en exil

Etranger dans votre ville

Je suis africain à Paris

Sais-tu qu'ils nous ont promis des places

Mais c’est par la voie des airs

Elles ne sont pas en première classe

C'est un oiseau nommé charter

En attendant que l'oiseau s'envole

Des mains noires aux doigts de fée

Font tourner autour des casseroles

Un soleil au goût de mafé

Oh oh

Un peu en exil

Etranger dans votre ville

Je suis africain à Paris

Et du dimanche au dimanche aussi

Je ne fais que travailler

Tu vois j'en ai de la chance ici

J'aurais bientôt mes papiers

Maman, j’sais que tu as l'habitude

De trop vite t’affoler

Surtout n'aie pas d'inquiétudes

Si un hôtel a brûlé

Oh oh

Un peu en exil

Etranger dans votre ville

Je suis africain à Paris

Migrants end Greek hunger strike after government offer

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12694104


BBC article regarding migrant workers in Greece discussing their past six weeks of hunger strike fighting to gain resident permits.

The price of putting oil before principles - A European learning curve.

The Cost of putting Oil before principles, is an article examining the current revolutions in North Africa and how the changing of regimes in these areas will affect international migration. 

Following the world’s  awakening to the 23-year long suppressed angry voices of the Tunisian men and women, the 29-year old suppressed and now unyielding voices of the Egyptian people, the world is now turning to hurling voices of Libya.

The Mohamed Bouazizi inspired revolution has come thumping on Europe’s migrant repelling and oil friendly partner Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

The State propaganda posters plastered around Libya, reiterating quotes extracted from the dictator's little Green Book - "People’s rule" (sultat al-sha’ab) - are finally materialising. 

Throughout Gaddafi's rule, Libyans have been flooded with emblematic images, posters, stories and tales brandishing the Colonel as a majestic saviour who  selflessly brought freedom and stability. However, forty two years later and Libya and the Gaddafi regime seems to have more in common with its colonial past rather than a revolutionary success story. 

The regimes use of air raids, private militia, house to house raids and mass civilian assassinations is revealing Gaddafi dictatorship for what it truly is -  a ruthless network reinforced through violent authority. Its corrupt and violent rule over the Libyan people is facing all that which it has sown - civil unrest, mass exodus, terror, bloodshed and a potential civil war. 

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         As Gaddafi has lavishly disbursed money into foreign adventurism Libya and Libyans have been associated to all forms of regimes, government and terrorist organizations. The Colonel has managed to implement Libya in all kind of global events from the 1972 Black September killings of Israeli athletes in Germany, the 1978 disappearance in Libya of Shia Imam Musa Al-Sadr, the 1984 murder of British police officer Yvonne Fletcher, the 1986 bombing of Berlin’s La Belle Discotheque, the 1987 arms vessel destined to the Irish Republican Army and to the hijacking of Pan Am flight 73 in 1986 and the 1988 Pan Am flight 103 bombing.

The colonel’s ability to re-invent himself and sell Libya foreign policy to diverse groups around the world and over the years seems to be more on par with the marketing abilities of an American popstar. 
Gaddafi 42 year rule has made him a master of disguise, a political chameleon drawing in organisations and governments of all stripes and colours - with his latest conquest being the European Union.

  
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          On the 11th of October 2004 the eight-year arms embargo on Libya was lifted, since then the West has not been shy in forming alliances and partnerships with Gaddafi.  

European energy firms were quick to invest following Tony Blair's signing of the 2004 ‘Deal in the Desert’. Shell was the first to sign a 1bn dollar contract paving the way for the United State’s Occidental Petroleum Corp, Austria’s OMV AG, Italy’s Eni SpA to establish relations.

Since then Europe, with primarily Italy's Berlusconi leading, has vigorously pursued  political and migration related policies and partnerships with the Gaddafi administration.

Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the general sensation in increase of global insecurity Europe has justified draconian immigration controls and extreme migration policies with Libya upon the premises  a need for immediate and urgent security reforms.

Europe’s political language towards migrants arriving at its borders has been described as an ‘assault’ – Berlusconi government 2000 – creating distorted popular opinions of outsiders.  In the recent years Europe rather than echoing its support and protection for Human Rights has been engulfed in sensationalised right-wing parties reinforcing nationality complexions and a racist-orientated rhetoric , suppressing and forcing a division of opinions of Europe's belief in multi-multiculturalism. 

In turn, extreme measures in coping with migration, such as mass deportation and the founding of detention centres in countries such Libya have become acceptable deterrents in protecting Europe’s national security and cultural heritage.

Under the Convention Plus, Europe financed ‘reception camps’ in neighbouring emigration countries, making Libya a first country of asylum. The goal in harmonising EU asylum policies was to produce regions that allowed for migrants to claim asylum without having to travel to Europe, otherwise known as transit processing centers (TPCs). As the rational as the policy may seem on the surface, it  is essential to remember that Libya is not a signatory of the 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 protocol. It therefore has no legal bounding legislation to uphold the Human Rights of asylum-seekers deported from Europe.

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           Italy has been at the vanguard in funding deportation flights, financing and constructing detention centres in Libya whilst supporting or/and turning a blind eye to the abuse of Human Rights. Italy has repeatedly found, if not created loopholes in International, European or its own national judicial system in order to expel, isolate and disperse migrants with little regard for Human Rights.

Berlusconi and Gaddafi relations have involved the training border guard, the financing of charter deportation flights and the construction of detention centers in Libya an increase of €37 million to €70 million to the 2008 Frontex budget. Furthermore Libya submitted a detailed itinerary of: 12 reconnaissance aircraft, 14 helicopters, 240 off-road vehicles, 86 lorries, 80 pick-ups, 70 buses, 28 ambulances, 12 radar systems, 10 ships, 28 patrol boats, 100 rubber dinghies, 400 night-time viewers, 14 fingerprinting scanning systems, as well as radio and navigational equipment. One wonders to what use this European artillery is being put to now?

Europe’s flamboyant showman, Berlusconi in his typical brash manner has claimed that “the model of Italian-Libyan cooperation for fighting illegal migration should be an example for relations between Europe and Africa” (Espresso 17 March 2005).  In fact he has gone as far as saying that,

“Mu’ammar Gaddafi is a great friend of mine and of Italy, he is a leader of freedom. I am

proud that Italy is the leading country in terms of imports and exports with Libya” (Grande

2007: 4).

Yet, as the Libyan revolution is showing the world and especially Europe that we should not be fooled by a dictator’s change of costume or agenda. It matters little how much a dictator’s spectacle changes,  for what lies behind any authoritarian regime camouflaged with a clownish façade are powers that functions with little restraint and ruthless and despotic means.  

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             An international migration emergency is now developing in the region. With a mass exodus of African and International migrant workers fleeing the country and Libyans crossing the border in search of political asylum. The UNHCR declared that on Tuesday the 1^st of October “the situation at the Libya-Tunisia border is at crisis point, with 14,000 people crossing the day before from Libya. It was the highest number of crossings in a single day since anti-government protests turned violent in mid-February. A further 10,000-15,000 are expected.”

Furthermore, following Europe’s increased migration controls thousands of European-sent asylum seekers are still detained in European funded detention centers in Libya. The abuses of migrants in these detention centers have been significantly documented with many reports producing evidence of migrants being driven out to the desert and left to die. (http://www. statewatch. org/news/2007/nov/fortress-europelibya-report. pdf.)

Europe should not and must not forget that it has a responsibility to these asylum-seekers it has sent to Libyan detention centers. In its evacuation of its nationals it must attend to these migrants!

Europe also must prepare itself for a potential increase in migration from North Africa to Europe. It cannot rely its agreements formed with Gaddafi and its migrant repelling forces such as Frontex to keep its borders migrant-proof. Italy has already witnessed around 5000 Tunisian migrants arriving to its borders on 17^th of February following the collapse of Ben Ali and more will come. Europe must now, without a bat of eye lid abide to so heavily proclaimed and discussed Human Right principles and provide support to these vulnerable individuals.

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With cities like Al-Baida, Derna, Ijdadia, Benghazi, not beholden to Gaddafi and now leading the revolution Europe must learn that it may not prop up dictators for immediate gains. As De Hass discussed in his 2007 paper – Turning the Tide - the restrictive immigration policies and the militarisation of external border controls by EU have failed to significantly curb immigration and will continue to do so. 

Europe must be aware that is pursuing these policies and propping up Gaddafi, it will aggravate the humanitarian emergency developing on the Libya –Tunisia border.

If Europe does not act quickly and  withdraw its support for Gaddafi and immediately implement migration friendly policies that respect Human Rights and abandon the Berlusconi-Gedaffi led policies it will witness a drastic increase potential human trafficking and smuggling, conflict and a potentially long-lasting humanitarian problem.