Refugees: Myth vs Fact

Refugees can choose to stay home, they are just moving for better jobs overseas

Refugees leave their homes because they have no other choice. They flee to escape violent conflict or persecution in their own country, to protect their lives and those of their families. There is also no option for them to safely return home as their governments will not or cannot protect them from human-rights abuses. People who choose to leave their homes for opportunities abroad fall under the broader category of migrants.

Refugees and migrants are the same thing

Refugees have been forced to flee their home countries because of war, persecution, or violence. They cannot safely return home.
 

Migrants, on the other hand, may leave their country for any reason, such as employment or education. They continue to be protected by their own government even after leaving their home country, and can return home.

Refugees are terrorists & extremists

Grouping refugees as terrorists or extremists is a false and inaccurate generalisation. Just as how innocent people are victims of terrorist attacks, refugees are also victims of terror in their own countries. 

According to a 2016 UNHCR report, any perceptions that link terrorists and refugees are “analytically and statistically unfounded, and must change”.

To quote UN Secretary-General António Guterres, “it is not the refugee outflows that cause terrorism, it is terrorism, tyranny and war that create refugees.”

Refugees flee their country out of fear and in hopes of survival, not because of economic intentions.  

Moreover, countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia do not have legislation for the granting of asylum or refugee status. Refugees do not have basic rights to employment, education and healthcare. 

Refugees rely on non-profit organisations for assistance, or in some cases, have started their own programmes — such as learning centres — to support themselves and others.

But others desperate to make ends meet may end up being exploited in the informal work sector, or trafficked into sex work. 

For refugees who have successfully resettled and attained asylum, their involvement in the economy has been reported to grow the domestic market and create new jobs, according to an OECD research study.

By providing them with avenues and subsequently rights to work, to health, and to education, refugees can start productive lives in their host countries. The faster they can integrate into the labour force, the faster they can become productive members of society.

Less than one per cent of refugees are resettled each year. Resettlement depends on the number of places offered by third countries, and it is prioritised for highly vulnerable refugees and those in need of urgent protection. The screening processes are strict and highly controlled.

Politics in third countries can influence how many places are offered. In addition, resettlement departures to third countries decreased dramatically in 2020 due to COVID-19's impact on international travel.

Refugees can spend years in limbo while seeking resettlement, among them children who have never known a permanent home. 

When it comes to any form of cross-border travel - travel for leisure or refugee migration - health is a legitimate concern. 

The issue of hygiene and sanitation is all the more pertinent in light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Most refugees live in areas with limited sanitation systems and health facilities, and are a group who’s at risk during this outbreak. The UNHCR is currently working with governments to step up health, water, sanitation services to protect refugees. Read more on what UNHCR is doing here.

Just as how many of us did not choose the pandemic, refugees likewise did not choose to live in areas with low sanitation where they would be more vulnerable to contracting the virus. To think that refugees are health hazards merely because of their status, has more to do with existing prejudice rather than facts.

Only when locals are willing to put perceived differences aside and accept refugees, can they integrate and be part of the local community. 

To be accepted and included in the local community is something refugees truly appreciate. Some refugees have shown this gratitude by giving back however they can to refugees and non-refugees alike. 

By accepting refugees, communities are protecting the most precious right of all: the right to live.

The 1951 Geneva Convention and its 1967 Protocol are the global legal documents on which the laws and rights of refugees are enshrined. 

Under the 1951 Convention, refugees should have access to medical care, schooling and the right to work. But not all countries are signatories or have ratified the convention. 

Under the rule of customary law, no country can forcibly return refugees to a territory where they face danger even if they are not signatories to the 1951 Convention, provided it is supported by the country's domestic legislature. 

Given the scale and extent of the refugee crisis, it may seem like your individual effort is but a drop in the ocean. This is not true.  Any attention or effort we dedicate to the cause can do a lot to help. 

We can start by accepting refugees and speaking up on behalf of our marginalised friends. By accepting refugees, we are protecting the most precious rights of all: the right to live. We can also support various organisations who are committed in protecting and helping refugees as they navigate through this crisis.