Day 3 of the webinar started with the keynote address byDr.Parivelan K.M. who is the chairperson and associate professor, Centre for Statelessness and Refugee Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai on the topic “Forced Migration and Refugee Protection Challenges Amid COVID-19”.
He started the presentation with a very important note that it is important to have a clear understanding of categories of migrants and the terminologies used for them, since various terms have overlapping meanings. Awareness, advocacy and actions are the way forward to help migrants.
CHALLENGES IN COVID-19
Refugees migrate to escape inhumane conditions, but due to COVID-19, the mobility has been stopped. This has led to erosion of their legal rights, with limited access to protection under international human rights and refugee law, as well as established practices and norms around mobility. It has also led to the reduction of beneficial impacts of migration on the home and the host countries.
FORCED MIGRATION
There are about 80 million people (recorded) who have been victims of forced migration, and these include almost all categories of migrants. West Asian countries are the flash points of this type of migration. The NRC process in India left 4 million as stateless and there are many more such people globally who do not have a national identity. Reasons for forced migration range from natural disasters to developmental displacement to discrimination to human rights violation.
85% of refugees are hosted by the developing countries. 73% are hosted by each other’s neighbouring countries. Some countries have historically hosted refugees and in recent years, giving refuge to those seeking has developed into a tradition.
The Burden is on the global south. Global North offers tokenism i.e. symbolic support, with exceptions like Germany and Canada. Bangladesh, which is grappling with its own internal problems, is now required to handle millions of stateless Rohingya refugees stationed in parts of the country. The UN has stepped forward to help only in the last two years. He further discussed some important global conflicts.
PROTECTION FOR THE REFUGEES
South Asia has been reeling under the refugee crisis since the partition of India in 1947. Countries like India have been a welcoming land for refugees from Tibet (Dalai Lama), Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka. Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan host Afghan refugees, and Afghanistan host the Iranians, and so the trend of hosting refugees has continued across South Asia.
He also described and distinguished among various migrants. The distinguishing of migrants varies among nations. These are common in countries who have not signed the UN Charter on Migration and do not adhere to international standards. However, he said that the protocols should be standardized throughout the world. India has an interesting track record of taking care of refugees, but different categories of refugees in India have been treated differently.
SOLUTION
He further said that a durable solution has to be found for refugees settled in various countries for years. He identified three viable solutions namely repatriation, naturalizations as citizens, or third country resettlement. “Whichever country of origin they might be from, the need for humanitarian diplomacy is very important.” He further provided statistics of incoming refugees in India, of which only Sri-Lankans (Indian Origin Sri-Lankans, who were denied citizenship and declared stateless), and Tibetans are recognized by the Govt. of India. The Shastri Pact in 1964 entitled India to take 2/3 of the Sri-Lankans as citizens. He had also conducted a study on the challenges faced by the Sri-Lankans in the refugee camps.
It is important to include the legal paradigm in the plight of migrants and refugees along with Accademia, civil societies, UNHRC, the government and bring about a connection between them and be organized, sensitive, humbled and humane towards their suffering. “We need to become a part of the solution.”- Dr.Parivelan K.M
Report by Tejaswinee Jog, she is an avid reader, fond of history, mythology and religion. She is from an army background, and travelling is her passion, especially if the place is historical. She is a fourth-year undergraduate student of International relations and Economics and wishes to make a future as a diplomat or work in the sector of defense, strategy and national security or maybe, RAW.