Economic refugees - Island Editorial

http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=26435

Economic refugees - Island Editorial
22 Aug 2010 - 10:00
Despite public opinion in Canada, by and large, supporting the point of view that the Sri Lankan boat people who docked in that country on board a Thai-flagged cargo freighter, MV Sun Sea, be sent packing regardless of whether any of the ship's nearly 500 passenger had legitimate asylum claims or not, a section of the Canadian public and press has been sympathetic to these boat people. The Toronto Star, in a recent editorial commented that ``Canada does not have a Tamil `problem' whatever critics of our refuges system may say about the arrival here of the cargo freighter.........We processed 34,000 refugee claims last year; these arrivals won't overtax the system.''
These sentiments, no doubt, are a reflection of Canada's traditional liberal immigration policies and the view that wherever possible, genuine refugees and asylum-seekers must be accommodated. Nobody would, or should, quarrel with such generosity which is a diminishing commodity in a world in which material values gain precedence by the day. But the question is how genuine are these asylum seekers? They would certainly be economic refugees in the sense that they can validly aspire to a more prosperous lifestyle in Canada than would be possible for them in Sri Lanka. Or for that matter, as suggested in a news report published in yesterday's issue of The Island, they could be hardcore LTTEers who had already fled Sri Lanka and were living in some South East Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand who, believing that conditions following KP's arrest in Malaysia would be less hospitable, decided to try and get into Canada.
From the early days of our ethnic crisis, post-July 1983 in particular, conditions were created for particularly Tamils to seek refuge in western countries. While some of those who fled Sri Lanka did so for reasons of safety, or as a result of traumatic experiences they had suffered, many took advantage of the situation to better their economic condition. They were more economic refugees than political refugees. Most of them, whatever their reason for leaving, have done well for themselves in their adopted countries. We in Sri Lanka have good reason to be happy about that. While political refugees, including journalists forced to flee the country as a result of being savaged by yet unidentified white van riders who viciously tortured and beat them up, murdering some like Lasantha Wickrematunga, are one cup of tea, economic refugees like those on board the MV Sun Sea are another.
There are hundreds and thousands of under-privileged people belonging to all communities in this country who will certainly be able to find themselves and their families better lives in developed societies. But they don't pay big money - indeed they do not have that kind of bucks - to people smugglers to land them in countries they aspire to enter. They soldier on as best as they can in the land of their birth. Some, including professionals and people with skills acquired here at taxpayer expense through our free education system, seek legitimate entry to countries where the grass is greener. While we are sorry to lose skills that are desperately needed here, we have to accept the fact that in today's world national boundaries are getting increasingly blurred and people will go where they can do best for themselves. That is an inescapable reality. So also the driving desire of most of our educated youth to find careers for themselves overseas, most often in the west, because they are not happy with conditions that prevail here. That's something our leaders must urgently note.
``It is Sri Lanka that has a problem,'' pontificated the Toronto Star editorial. ``President Mahinda Rajapaksa's triumphalist government has failed to make the country's large Tamil minority feel secure after crushing the Tiger insurgency last year. Until he does, people will continue to flee.'' It would have been useful if such sweeping statements were reserved until the Canadian authorities themselves have established who those on board the ship really are and whether or not they had been living outside Sri Lanka for several months after the LTTE was defeated in May last year. Claiming that Canada is ``anything but `soft' on terror, nor should we be,'' the editorial makes clear that any Tiger leader of the ship should not expect asylum. But it faults High Commissioner Chitranganee Wagiswara in Ottawa urging Canada to turn away the MV Sun Sea ``with its women and children to prevent the Tigers from regrouping here.''
However this does not seem to be the thinking of leaders of the Canadian government. Pubic Safety Minister Vic Toews is on record saying he believes the MV Sun Sea to be a ``test boat'' warning that the situation is being observed by others ``who may have similar intentions.'' He was unequivocal that Canada should deal with the matter in a ``clear and decisive way....I don't believe this is an isolated independent act.'' Prime Minister Stephen Harper too has spoken words of caution. The boat people, as he has rightly pointed out, have tried to enter Canada not through a normal application process or a normal arrival channel. They simply landed in British Columbia in a people running rogue ship. Any softness in this instance, whatever the prodding by the formidable lobby of Canadians of Sri Lankan origin comfortably settled there, would not augur well for Canada. Anybody applying for a visa to enter that country legitimately would know all about the hassle that entails, no doubt because too many Lankans have fouled the atmosphere by disappearing after entering not only Canada but the U.S. and many European countries as well.