Showing posts with label Somalia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somalia. Show all posts

Friday, August 21, 2015

EU Immigration - The solution

The European Union is facing an unprecedented invasion, right now.

Hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East are swarming into the EU, or are poised to do so.  Germany is said to be facing an influx of more than 800,000, this year.

This solution might work for some of them.

Many of these migrants are Muslims, fleeing war in Syria and Iraq or in Somalia or Eritrea or Ethiopia or Afghanistan.

Surely it would be far, far better for these migrants to be re-housed in a culture that is more in keeping with their own?

So why don't the EU authorities turn these people around and send them to Saudi Arabia or Iran - depending upon which Islamic sect, they follow.

Both are rich countries, both are strongly religious and won't persecute the migrants for practicing their religion - so long as they chose the right country.  Both are large countries with plenty of room for settling large numbers.  Saudi Arabia has a large population of immigrants from the Indian sub-continent - mainly Pakistan, it could simply replace these with the immigrants that are most in need.

This solution would reduce the burden on European countries and stop the indigenous people from feeling swamped and for their ailing economies being even more strained.  Plus, it gives the Saudis and the Iranians the opportunity to show charity and compassion to their co-religionists.  Win/Win really!

This would also take away the opportunity of those in Europe to say that these are merely economic migrants - just looking for a better life in Europe, than they can achieve at home.

If this is successful and these masses of Muslims could be accommodated within these two stalwarts of the Muslim community, then perhaps those Muslims that have migrated to Europe, during previous upheavals, could also leave and settle there, as well.

Too simplistic?  Consider how many Greeks and Turks moved in opposite directions when those nations moved apart in the 1920's.  Consider how many Muslims moved from what was to become India to what was to become Pakistan, in 1947 (and Hindus in the opposite direction.)  Mass migration can work, indeed has worked but has been most successful, when the people moving, move to an area with which they are culturally familiar.

Maybe the Americans could try this with their non-Mexican immigrants?  Let them stay in Mexico rather than take them into the USA and put them, (in an effort to disperse the large numbers) into alien environments.

If something isn't done though, watch for the further rise of far Right parties in Europe.  The French National Front is already in the ascendancy and will only be stopped from taking the French presidency by a coalition of Socialists, Communists and Conservatives.  We see, in Spain, Greece and Germany, a backlash building.  Even in my beloved UK, the UK Independence Party garnered a lot of support, in the last General Election, because of it's anti-immigration policies.

Doing nothing, isn't really an option!

Friday, February 3, 2012

UK Foreign Aid

A couple of recent news stories force me to return to this subject.

India, is a significant recipient of UK overseas aid or 'development aid' as UK Aid minister Alan Duncan chooses to call it.
 
William Hague has just completed a visit to Somalia and will shortly chair an international summit on that country, in London.

India first!
Consider, the UK is giving aid to India of something like £295 Million a year  and Alan Duncan insists that in three Indian states, there is more people in poverty and poor health, than in the whole of Sub Sahara Africa.  I won't dispute this 'statistic'. 

I do wonder though why, the priorities of the Indian Government include spending money on
  • Nuclear arms 
  • An Indian space programme 
  • Somewhere between £6- 10 billion on jet fighters (probably from France, who give around £18 million a year in aid!)
  • Etc.
Clearly, India, as it has become the 10th largest economy in the world,  is in some kind of transition from a poor country to a rich one (someone said it has more billionaires than the UK) and being independent are free to set their own priorities.

Somalia
This is a failed state.  They have not had anything resembling a functioning government for many years, following yet more years of civil war.  The country has a well funded militant Islamic organisation which wants to create some kind of caliphate and Sharia rule in that country.  Additionally, 'pirates' operate as a threat to international shipping lanes.

The UK, working with NATO, patrols offshore waters and is addressing the 'pirate' issue.

My expectation of the upcoming summit is that fine words will be spoken and then more aid promised ( doubt to be spent, if and when paid over,  on Presidential palaces and jets) and then the various ministers will head back to their own countries and tell their own people, what wonderful people they are because they think of the poor Somalis!

Summary

Why then is the UK getting involved in this part of Africa?   Where is the strategic interest to the UK.?  Would we consider sending in troops to bolster the fledgling 'national' government or maybe arming them? 

Take note that the USA, which got a very 'bloody nose' when it tried to intervene in Somalia is very much on the sidelines.  Maybe they have no stomach to see more US blood and lives lost in a country that doesn't want or like them?  Or maybe their view is, we have problems of our own and we will concentrate on those!

Why do we send money to India, when it seems well able, if it were to adjust its priorities, to meet the UK aid value, many times over?

Alan Duncan says that it is right to not link Aid and Trade but doesn't bother to explain why.  Why shouldn't we expect some quid pro quo?  We help them as a friend, so why wouldn't they do business with us, as a friend?  Why wouldn't they look at who helps them MOST and say, these are our better friends?


He goes on to say (on biased BBC Question Time) something to the effect " UK overseas aid represents around 1% of government spending (or GDP, he wasn't clear).   (To the audience he says) If you were down to your last  £100 surely you would spare a £1 for the poor and starving? 

Most people reasonably can see and agree to passing over that £1

However, change the question a little and say 

If you were down to your last  £100 , would you spare a £1 for the poor and needy in the UK or those Overseas?  I would expect that the answer would be heavily in favour of  spending it at home.

At a time when the UK is in economic crisis, the major focus of this government should be on increasing growth and employment, in the UK.  Not subsidizing French arms exports or India's Space race aspirations nor getting involved in countries where we are not liked and are only tolerated so long as we hand over money! 

Focus on the Economy and Growth! 

Not worrying about an erroneous knighthood or a bankers bonus

Focus on the Economy and Growth!