Joseph Carens, who specializes in immigration and lectures at the University of Toronto, told Al-Monitor, “The measures that were recently taken by Germany and some European countries are not in line with the massive crisis the world is facing with the current immigration waves. The humanitarian responsibility is not limited to European countries. All rich countries that are susceptible to welcome immigrants are also concerned. Societies in general have a huge moral responsibility facing this catastrophic humanitarian situation.”
The recent immigration waves stirred the concerns of political officials and religious authorities in Iraq. Minister of Immigration Jasem Mohamad issued a statement Sept. 5 warning against the repercussions of the departure of Iraqis from their country, especially the dispersion of the most important age group: youths.
Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalai, the spokesman for Ali al-Sistani, the supreme religious authority in Iraq, called on the emigrating youths in his Friday sermon Aug. 28 to “reconsider their choices and think about their country and people. The immigration wave threatens to empty the country of its young, cultured and academic minds.”
He asked officials to “realize the extent of the crisis and its repercussions on the country" and to "work seriously on reforming the situation.” He also called on them to “set up a conclusive development plan in the economic, industrial, agricultural and services sectors and to seek to replenish the private sector and provide jobs for as many unemployed as possible.”
The bottom line is that in the absence of serious and intensive international cooperation to solve the Syrian and Iraqi crises, emigration is expected to increase further. The unending wave is likely to have negative effects on Iraq and Syria, as well as on the countries welcoming refugees.
(Bible image via Shutterstock)
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