Human rights violations causing refugee flight

THE treatment of refugees must be grounded in respect for basic human rights. This is the view of Elizabeth Solomon, coordinator of the International Human Rights Clinic Course in the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies, who spoke on refugee rights at the Hall of Justice on Wednesday evening.

She said while many are quick to comment and even quicker to criticise, they are slow to take action towards change and implementation. Solomon said no one wants to leave their homeland. It was only because of conflict or natural disaster that refugees or asylum seekers flee and try to eke out an existence in a foreign land, where they are often abused and taken advantage of.

"World Refugee Day honours the strength and courage of refugees, people who have fled their homes because of conflict and natural disaster. Refugees are vulnerable and in need who are often misunderstood and have very little or nothing in their possession, not even documents to prove their identities.

"They suffer from lack of housing, trauma, despair, health problems compounded with no access to care, violence and abuse," Solomon said. Quoting United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres, Solomon added "their story is one of resilience, perseverance and courage. Ours in TT must be of solidarity, compassion and action."

Solomon said most of the discrimination is fuelled by a lot of fear that refugees were coming to take over people's jobs. "I think that has a lot to do with the number of people who are here and xenophobia towards others. People do not want to leave their homes.

"We wouldn't want to leave. It would take a lot for a Trinidadian to say, I am running with little or nothing that I have. We are trying to change the way people look at this problem. There is a real fear and people in leadership positions need to challenge that fear," Solomon said.

Attorney Devvon Williams said Trinis have an obligation to assist refugees and asylum seekers. "Police and immigration officers are supposed to be trained to treat with refugees and asylum seekers but they are charging them for illegal entry and taking them before the courts and fined.

"Most of these people are not in any position to even pay a fine. When these people are fined, more often than not, they find themselves behind bars for months. They do not leave their homes because TT is the best place on earth, it is because of conflict and persecution that leaves them with no other choice but to leave," he said.

Williams also said the 40,000 figure for Venezuelan refugees in TT being bandied about in public is incorrect and the figure is much lower. "This is raising a fear factor in TT. Because of the economic downturn a lot of people are fearful that migrants would come and work for less money and Trinis would be out of a job. Most of the time, migrants contribute meaningfully to a country and its economy," Williams said.