Be unafraid, do the right, moral thing - Europe’s response to refugees

THE United Nations’ special envoy on migration Peter Sutherland pulled no punches when he spoke about Europe’s “ruinously selfish” behaviour towards refugees.

In a no-holds-barred attack on Europe’s — our — failures on migration and social integration, Mr Sutherland was scathing: “paralysis and ambivalence” was threatening the future of the EU, promoting xenophobia and encouraging racist political parties, he warned.

Mr Sutherland argued that the EU, with a population of just under 510m, should be able to welcome a million refugees — “had the political leadership of the member states wanted to do so and had the effort been properly organised . . . but instead, ruinously selfish behaviour by some members has brought the EU to its knees.” There were several “honourable exceptions”, most notably German chancellor Angela Merkel, who he described as “a heroine”.

An example of that deep generosity was seen this weekend when Germany recruited 8,500 people to teach German to child refugees, as the country expects the number of arrivals to pass the million mark in 2016. About 196,000 children fleeing war and poverty will enter the German school system this year, and 8,264 special classes have been set up to help them catch up with their peers. How may refugee children have places in our schools? How easy is it for them to catch up with their peers? Do they have to be baptised?

At the other end of the spectrum, the one that will certainly be on the wrong side of history and is already on the wrong side of the moral equation, is the Czech president, Milos Zeman. Mr Zeman called the movement of refugees into Europe “an organised invasion” and declared young men from Syria and Iraq should stay in their countries to “take up arms” against Isis. “I am profoundly convinced that we are facing an organised invasion,” he said in a Christmas message to the Czech Republic.

It may be an over-simplification to wonder which position — Mr Sutherland’s or President Zeman’s — best reflects the Irish response. We would, rightly, reject charges of xenophobia or racism but can we so easily discount Mr Sutherland’s charges of inaction bordering on indifference? An indifference that condemns many of those fleeing war and barbarism to a life of struggle, hardship and rejection in forlorn refugee camps on the fringes of Europe?

There are few, if any, themes as constant in Irish life as emigration — or if we are to be uncharacteristically honest, migration. We expect that our children be welcomed and protected when they land on a foreign shore, that they be welcomed with open arms into work, education and health services. We constantly seek preferential treatment for Irish people who have ignored America’s immigration laws as if our immigration story was exceptional. This is of course hypocrisy of the worst kind. Let 2016 be the year we, the Irish, who thrive in every corner of the world, behave like the rich country we are and the Christian country we pretend to be. Let us be unafraid and offer refuge and sanctuary to many, many more of those who need it. Do unto others . . .