Refugees, Migration and the Need for the Emergence of an Appropriate Moral Vision

In this essay I will discuss the problems that refugees and people who migrate. I will typically focus on South Africa and its people and in addition I will be supporting my suggestion that a new moral vision has to emerge by drawing on articles from various sources. First it is imperative that we have a clear understanding of what a Refugee is. â€Å"A Refugee by definition is a person who is outside their country of origin or habitual residence because they have suffered or fear persecution on account of race, religion, nationality† (Wikpedia).Now in South Africa one could say that we are basically the ‘Homeless Shelter’ of the African continent because of the high number of refugees and migrants that come to our shores annually. Local citizens however are far from pleased about this situation though. There is obviously a fear that along with the refugees come an increase in crime, job demands and they feel as if the refugees are steeling opportunities from them etc. This would be quite understandable if it were entirely true though.When refugees flee their home countries for various reasons, they do it with a hope, with a genuine belief that they will make a better life for not just themselves but for their families too. That to me sounds like they carry with them a vision for a good society, a vision that WE ALL should share. A new moral vision has to be brought forth. Refugees are people too. They deserve a chance at a better life, a chance to make something more of themselves, it is a basic human right and we as humans have to ensure that this is carried out.I envision a society where equal access to services and opportunities should be given, irrespective of where you’ve been or come from. I think what we need to see from government is a sort of reshuffling of ideas and strategies. They need to rethink the old ones and at the same time implement some new ones so refugees and migrants alike can have a fair shot at bettering thei r lives. The current situation is unacceptable and much is always said about wanting to build a good and equal society but too little has been done up until this point.We need to see some empathy and understanding from the local communities towards our African brothers and sisters. How would we feel if we were in their position? What would we do if we were exiled or had to flee for our lives? We as a people, as humans need to show compassion towards one another and not be the first to judge and point fingers. Refugees leave one hostile environment only to encounter another when they settle down here. It needs to be understood that these refugees and particularly migrants contribute to the economic growth and human development.As an added bonus they also enrich societies through cultural diversity, which helps create empathy and understanding amongst the communities. In a way migration helps some to realize their basic human rights. For example there is a group of Pakistani barbers i n my area, they make an honest living cutting hair, they pay rent and taxes just like every other South African and they are the nicest people you will ever meet. Their only intention in this country is to make enough money to send back to their poorer family members back home.Migrants can often be found doing the hard strenuous and often dangerous labor that the locals often try and avoid. Fact of the matter is that these migrants and refugees work much harder than the local citizens who blame apartheid for everything and expect everything to be handed to them as a result of it. We as a society, as humans need to catch a wake up. Rome wasn’t built in a day yes, but surely we can do something to change our train of thought towards this particular situation. Our sense of humanity needs to be EXPANDED.For some, migration is a positive and empowering experience, but for many they only face a life of discrimination, exploitation and even human rights violations. In order for this new moral vision for a good society to succeed the government and its citizens have to make promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants one of its priorities. â€Å"Governments have obligations to ensure that xenophobic violence, racism and related intolerance against migrants and their communities have no place in their societies† (Navi Pillay) The way forward as I see it is to include these Migrants and refugees in elevant national action plans and strategies, like housing implementation and measures to counteract discriminatory and unfair treatment like xenophobia. Special committees and unions should also be set up specifically for migrant, migrant workers and refugees. Migration can be managed and tolerated by all whilst respecting human rights laws, ensuring a peaceful and better society for all. In conclusion I would like to end off with the statement that, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, and that everyone is entitled to a ll the rights and freedoms set forth therein, without distinction of any kind.And therefore it is only through ourselves that we can make the necessary changes to successfully implement the new vision(s) of a good society. Bibliography 1) Wikipedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Refugee 2) High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay: http://www. ohchr. org/EN/Issues/Migration/Pages/MigrationAndHumanRightsIndex. aspx 3) Conradie, E. M. (2006). Chapter 2: Pp. 19. In: Morality as a Way of Life: An Introduction to Ethical Theory. Stellenbosch: SUN PreSS.