by Kohei Nomura

Today, many people come and go across borders. Some of them move to other countries to go sightseeing or study. These aims are based on the people’s free decision. On the other hand, there are people who necessarily migrate to other countries to escape suppression of idea or racial discrimination–refugees

According to The United Nation Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 43.7 million people were forced to move in 2010 (n.d., 2012). This number of displacement includes migration as refugees to other countries and in fact, 15.4 millions of people moved to other countries as refugees in the year. This statistic specifies that the number of refugees is much more than that we thought.

Unlike other kinds of immigrants, normally refugees have social protections of the host countries (Brown, 2011). The liberal countries think that the protection of refugees is their moral obligation. They can get support to get a job, and the way to live in the new country. However, the protections only save their legal status as the people living in the country, and of course their economy or identity are the things refugees must protect by their own efforts. According to Brown (2011), refugees do not make claims to economic discrimination. Their social and economic position of host countries’ society tends to be extremely low. Therefore, if refugees secure their existence by being immigrants, it does not always mean fulfillment or satisfaction of their lives. After they migrate, they should seek what they are and what their pleasant of life is.

The situation of undocumented refugees is more severe. UNHCR describes that in 2010, there are about 12 millions of stateless people (n.d.). They cannot be served any kind of social protections unlike normal citizen. Moreover, it is easily assumed that 12 millions of stateless people include many undocumented immigrants. They can never make claims and get protections even if they are terribly discriminated and violated. We should know the reality that in this world, there are many exposed lives as undocumented refugees.

In conclusion, as this blog post suggests, the situation of refugees are severe. Their social and economic status is very low, and undocumented immigrants can never get protections by any countries. We need to examine the reality of refugees more, and try to create the world that all people can fairly seek satisfaction of their lives.

References

Hana. E. Brown., (2011), Refugee, Right, and Race, Retrieved from http://static.lore.com/89ca074b416742f7b4e692ed65f85cf4/Brown2011Refugees%20Rights%20and%20Race%20How%20Legal%20Status%20Shapes%20Liberian%20Immigrants’%20Relationship%20with%20the%20State.pdf

The United Nation Refugee Agency (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.unhcr.or.jp/ref_unhcr/statistics/index.html