
Some 50 nations are gathered in Berlin for the VIth European
Conference.
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Red Cross defiant on migration
16 April 2002
By John Sparrow, in Berlin
The fear of losing public support - and funding - should not deter
the Red Cross and Red Crescent from speaking out on the rights of
migrants. Failing to stand up for its principles held far greater
perils, conference delegates agreed yesterday in Berlin.
Despite controversy already surrounding Red Cross provision of humanitarian
assistance to so-called illegal immigrants, a concensus was emerging
at the 6th European Regional Red Cross and Red Crescent Conference
that ad hoc response to migrant needs must be replaced by a comprehensive
and coherent plan of action. Calls from leading international organisations
to forge partnerships with them bolstered resolve among delegates
from some 50 nations gathered in the German capital to counter growing
human abuse, vulnerability and discrimination.
"The biggest danger," said Kari Tapiola, Executive Director
of the International Labour Organization (ILO), "is that we all
go on working in our own little worlds. We all have different strengths
and yours is humanitarian engagement. We must combine them."
Other calls for collaboration came from the Stability Pact for South
Eastern Europe, the International Organization for Migration (IOM),
and the United Nations Population Division.
It was a day of perspective at the conference which runs to April
19. Warned Jean-Pierre Gonnot of the UN Population Division, "Migration
has become an increasingly visible phenomenon and, in many parts of
the world, a highly politicized and controversial issue. Migration
is viewed through a variety of polarized lenses that makes it often
difficult to hold a rational debate. Getting the facts right about
international migration is in itself a challenge."
The statistics on migration flows and changes that would provide governments
with a solid basis for policy were often lacking, and many irregular
flows remained undocumented, he said. One popular notion was laid
firmly to rest. "The analysis of migration trends since the late
1960s leads to the unambiguous conclusion that, up until now, the
developing countries experiencing the fastest population growth have
not been the main sources of migrants to the developed world, nor
have those with the largest populations."
Despite an increase in south-to-north migration, movement still occurred
mostly within a regional context, he said. As a consequence, the majority
of international migrants live in developing countries. Over one third
live in Asia while, in comparison, North America and Europe make up
about 20 per cent each of the total stock.
But, he said, immigration from countries of rapidly growing populations
could be a solution to the declining and ageing populations of the
developed world. By mid-century, the populations of Japan and virtually
all European countries would most likely decline. Some countries,
like Italy, could lose up to a fifth of their numbers.
"The perspective of a pervasive ageing has raised serious concerns
for the future of developed countries: the decrease in the supply
of labour, the increase in the economic burden put on the working-age
population, and the long term prospect of population decline and demise."
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