Mussie Zerai

Who was not shocked by the images of the lifeless little body of Alan Kurdî (initially misreported as Aylan Kurdi),1 that washed ashore on the beach in Bodrum, Turkey? Little Alan, drowned in a sinking boat that was supposed to reach Kos, a Greek island of the Aegean, is dead because no one wanted to listen to the cry of pain from his parents, who fled a miserable situation in Syria. Tens, hundreds, thousands like little Alan – Eritreans, Afghans, Somalis, Iraqis, Sudanese, sub-Saharan Africans, Palestinians, Kurds, Yemenis, and Burmese Rohingya – have died in similar circumstances: at sea, in the desert, under bombs, in the fields they sought for refuge – without any knowledge or care from others. Those images have finally aroused a wave of grief and shame, breaking the wall of indifference, cynicism, hostility, and absurd fears toward migrants. As a result, there came a light of hope when Fortress Europe decided to open up to accommodate and help the refugees who for years have knocked at its doors, asking for fundamental rights to life, to liberty, and to building a peaceful future. These rights – denied, trampled and disregarded by the reality from which these refugees have fled – can be found in the democracies of the world.

This reawakening of the world’s collective conscience lasted only for a minute: the indifference, conformism, opportunism, and prejudice surrounding the reality of migrants’ struggles soon returned, and the conversation once again reverted to the familiar – talk of building walls and fortifying detention centers.

Why was the collective introspection prompted by the terrible death of little Alan short lived? My explanation is that we are faced with a serious crisis of human rights, which raises questions about the principles and core values that freer people hold about those others whose lives have been overshadowed by centuries of struggle and strife.

It may seem strange. Human rights are enshrined in international laws and are accepted as the fundamental element of many European constitutions. In the constitution of my second country, Italy, Article 2 reads, "The Republic recognizes and guarantees the inviolable rights of the person, both as an individual and in the social groups where human personality is expressed. The Republic expects that the fundamental duties of political, economic and social solidarity be fulfilled.” 2 Furthermore, the international community has reaffirmed human rights in a number of international treaties and conventions, including the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.3 These important works are, in essence, the foundation of democratic governments based on the principle that all men are born equal and are equal regardless of race, religion, or political views – a principle that is the essential premise of values ??such as freedom, equality and social justice, solidarity, and the right to a better future.

These fundamental rights comprise the essence of life itself. Yet, we are facing a crisis concerning human rights. The ongoing plight of refugees highlights this crisis and embodies it in the form of millions of men, women, and children like Alan.

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR)4 current estimates, the world has more than 60 million refugees. Not since World War II has so many refugees existed. The critical difference between the current crisis and the situation the world faced in 1945 is that then the cause for disruption and mass refugees (namely, war) was over and a solution lay ahead. Perhaps a complex and difficult solution, but a solution nonetheless. Now, however, we are only at the beginning of our current migration phenomenon. Since 2014, the number of refugees has increased by almost 8 million, a consequence of such endemic factors as war, persecution, dictatorships, famine, and poverty.

Read the rest and more in the latest issue of  International Affairs Forum, focusing on migration and statelessness, by clicking HERE.