From time immemorial
people have involuntarily moved from their home countries to
neighboring ones and beyond because of political and economic hard
times. Some obtain asylum as refugees or work permit status but many
stay illegally.
The current massive
illegal migrations by Africans into Europe and Latin Americans and
Haitians into the United States of America are creating serious
political, economic, social and cultural problems.
A former president
of France likened African illegal mobility to Europe as a ‘flood’
and warned that Africans will ‘inundate’ the world unless
something is done to develop Africa’s economy to absorb its
population. Patrick Buchanana (2006), an American author, has written
that African, Asian, Islamic and Hispanic people that the West once
ruled are coming to repopulate the mother countries. As Rome had
conquered the barbarians, the barbarians, in turn, conquered Rome and
the Dark Ages descended. As Rome passed away, so the West is passing
away from the same causes and in much the same way. He added that
from Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania and the old French
colonies of Sub-Sahara, they cross the Mediterranean. He called this
human mobility an ‘invasion’ in history with 90 percent of all
immigrants now coming from continents and countries whose peoples
have never been assimilated fully into any Western country.
Immigrants are being
accused of bringing with them all sorts of problems including
malaria, polio, tuberculosis and bedbugs etc. They are producing more
children and replacing native Europeans in schools etc causing
resentment.
The United Nations
and regional bodies such as African Union have taken measures to
address migration issues. The Right to asylum is embodied in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948. The United Nations
General Assembly adopted in 1951 a Convention relating to the Status
of Refugees which was modified in 1967 in a Protocol to improve
conditions for refugees and to promote a humanitarian approach for
solving problems in this field. Granting of asylum is to be
considered a peaceful and humanitarian act. However, states are
obliged to prevent refugees residing in their territories from
carrying out acts – political, economic, social, cultural and
environmental etc – that may cause tensions.
There are situations
where tensions between refugees and nationals have occurred in part
because refugees get better treatment from the United Nations than
governments provide services to the citizens such as food, water,
health and education facilities. Refugees are sometimes settled on
local communities’ land without consultations leading to conflict.
Environmental degradation has been a source of tension. In search of
building materials and wood fuel, pasture and water for their
animals, refugees damage the environment and cause shortages that
lead to conflicts with local communities.
There are cases
where refugees get jobs in local and central government
establishments at the expense of citizens and get involved in local
and national politics with serious repercussions.
Uganda’s
geographic location in a region that has experienced political
instability and economic hardship has caused it to attract many
people seeking work and political asylum. Reports show that as early
as the 1920s, Uganda has been attracting people from neighboring
countries particularly Rwanda first in search of work as cultivators
and herders and later political asylum.
The shortage of jobs
in the 1960s forced the Uganda government to expel Kenyan workers. At
the moment there are complaints that foreigners are taking jobs which
should be occupied by Ugandans. This is a serious economic, social
and potentially political problem given that some 50 percent of
Uganda university graduates cannot find work. These are issues that
cannot be left to the market forces.
The involvement of
foreigners in economic, political and security matters since
independence has not gone down well with Uganda citizens who are
increasingly becoming resentful.
As we negotiate the
East African Federation, Ugandans must understand clearly their net
gains in economic, demographic, social, cultural and political terms.
The issue of land must receive the closest scrutiny. Land is life and
the basic asset for peasants amounting to 90 percent right now. With
an education that has limited functional value, land remains the only
last resort. Temptations to sell land and move to towns should be
treated with utmost care.
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