Reaching Out to Migrants
As many prepare to take to the roads during the summer holidays, hundreds of thousands of migrants face into a different, less certain journey. Famine in East Africa, political uncertainty in Ivory Coast and continued Boko Haram activity in north east Nigeria are among the current ongoing global ‘situations’ according to the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (UNHCR) which are leading to forced migration. While large numbers continue to cross the Mediterranean Sea, the European response appears to be improving.
Image courtesy of the Irish Defence Forces Flickr account.
Nigeria
In Nigeria, Boko Haram is targeting public spaces where people congregate in large numbers. According to the Sally Hayden of The Irish Times, the majority of the suicide bombers are female. She reports that some of these women ‘may not know what they’re carrying, as the devices are detonated by militants from a distance’. Over 1.8 million people have been displaced due to the Boko Haram insurgency. The UNHCR estimates that 80% of those displaced have moved elsewhere within Nigeria.
Ivory Coast
After ten years of turmoil and the 2011 civil war, Ivory Coast appeared to be moving towards stability. However, IRIN News last week noted that ‘violence has again become worryingly routine in Ivory Coast’. The UNHCR warns that while 60,000 refugees have returned home, another 30,000 remain in neighbouring countries, such as Ghana. It also reports that over 8,600 nationals from Ivory Coast have arrived in Italy in the first six months of 2017 – the third most common nationality after citizens from Nigeria and Guinea.
Crossing the Mediterranean
Migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. Image Courtesy of www.huffingtonpost.com.
The total numbers of men, women and children making the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing continues to lag behind last year’s figures. This is partly due to an agreement reached between the European Union and Turkey which has resulted in a dramatic drop in numbers of migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey.
In 2016, almost 363,000 made the Mediterranean Sea crossing. As of July 26, the UNHCR estimate 112,000 have made the journey thus far in 2017. Of these, over 84% arrived to Italy, a further 10% to Greece, 5% to Spain with a small number also reaching Cyrus. A further 2,378 set out on the journey to a ‘new beginning’, but sadly, never arrived.
In a RTE news report aired on July 25th, many migrants expressed great delight in arriving to Europe. Some migrants also shared about the dangers that currently exist in Libya, which has been in a state of turmoil for a number of years. Many injustices are reported to have been carried out on migrants who arrive in Libya in their attempt to reach Europe.
European response
The LÉ Eithne watches on as naval crew rescue 183 migrants off the Coast of Libya on June 25th. Image courtesy of the Irish Defence Forces Flickr account.
While there may be much gloom, there are also many signs of hope. A special church collection was taken-up across Ireland last weekend to help Trocaire’s work East Africa where it is estimated that 25 million people face starvation. According to the Irish Times, a severe drought has led to failed harvests and death of livestock in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan. War is also compounding matters in the latter two countries resulting in large numbers fleeing to neighbouring lands.
Many humanitarian missions are now in place for those who cross the Mediterranean Sea.
The LÉ Eithne arrived back in Cork last Saturday, July 22. During its two month stint in the Mediterranean, the crew rescued 1,187 men, women and children from the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. It has been replaced by another Irish Naval vessel, the LÉ WB Yeats.
OLA Sisters Supporting Migrants
The OLA Sisters in Nigeria continue to respond to the large numbers of Internally Displaced People (IDP) within the country with initiaitve such as the Maria Centre in Abuja. The centre offers women an opportunity to learn skills to enable them to earn an income.
The OLA Sisters in Italy are also collaborating with many organisations to assist migrants. In Genoa they work with Caritas while they also support migrants at parish level.
In city of Marino, just south of Rome, the OLA Sisters have provided a building where migrants live while waiting for their documents to be processed.
In Ireland, the OLA Sisters continue to support migrants in places such as Cork, Dublin and Monaghan.
Some of the Mosney Accommodation Centre residents during a recent 'Open Day'. Image courtesy of www.rte.ie.
Elsewhere in Ireland, the Mosney Accommodation Centre in Co. Meath currently has 700 asylum seekers from 39 countries. It’s facilities have been recently upgraded. The food hall has replaced the former canteen and allows residents to acquire their own food, through a points system, which they can then cook in their own homes rather than having to eat in a central canteen.
Speaking to RTÉ, Dr Bryan McMahon, a retired High Court Judge and Chair of an asylum seekers expert panel, remarked that Mosney has now set the standard for other accommodation centres in Ireland.
“When we visited in 2014, one of the most common complaints from residents was that they couldn't cook for themselves and that all their meals had to be taken in a central canteen.
"It was served up to them and they didn't have any choice. Just walking around today and speaking to the residents they seem to be a different people to those we visited. They seem to be much happier. They feel they have some independence regained and they have dignity...I think this is the model that other centres have to follow now."
The new food hall in Mosney Accommodation Centre. Image courtesy of www.rte.ie.
- Links
- Click here to visit the website of the Italian OLA Province or here to read the June edition of their 'Regina Apostolorum' magazine.
- Click here for RTÉ's report from Mosney and here for their report from Italy.
- Click here to read the recent Irish Times Article on Boko Haram.
- Click here to read a report by Sr. Mary Crowley on the 'Welcome English' programme in Cork.
- Click here for the latest UNHCR migrants statistics from the 15 current 'situations' across the globe.
- Click here to visit the website of the Nigerian OLA Province or here for more on the Maria Centre.
- Click here to find out more about the OLA Women's Centre in Abijan, Ivory Coast.
