Squaring the extremist circle (Immigration in Europe)

[pampango]

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110506/opinion/Squaring-the-extremist-circle.363858

No one denies that most European countries are civic nations that celebrate the value of cultural diversity and allow citizens to live together in harmony. It is equally true that the persistent increase of migrants in many European nations, be they legal or not, is increasingly rocking the fundamental architecture that binds Jean Monnet’s ambitious European project of the peaceful integration of nations and cultures. This pressure has soured the social and political climate especially for immigrants and rather than reducing tension, national governments are increasingly considering the tightening of security and even the abrupt closure of borders.

The list of the latter comes in many shapes and flavours. Popular right-wing parties such as Austria’s Austrian Freedom Party, France’s Front National, Netherland’s Pim Fortuyn List, the UK’s British National Party and the recently successful True Finns (Malta too has its distinct brand in Imperium Europa) have candidly expressed their total dislike for migrants and their perceived “evils” for European identity and culture. For them immigration equates to unemployment, overcrowding, increased levels of crime, non-integration and added pressures on already creaking welfare states. This has raised the levels of antagonism and many have come to equate social and political identity and economic insecurity with the ever-increasing number of migrants in their communities.

This week’s sudden EU announcement regarding the special conference to flesh out concrete proposals for effective burden sharing is a significant step forward. It is the culmination of years of patient diplomatic efforts on the part of our government. This conference, a first of its kind, is a clear signal that a massive shift in attitudes may be on the cards. It would be foolhardy to believe this conference will resolve our immigration issues. Any effective gestures from the major member states will at least mitigate some of Malta’s pressure and will go a long way in silencing some of the cynics’ rhetoric and open-ended statements.

Indeed these are very testing times for all of us, especially for those countries that sit on the borders of the Union. More squabbling and foot dragging are corrosive at the least. Immigration is a collective issue and simply invoking nationalism will stimulate discord and barely resolve pressing challenges that are staring us in the face. Whether we like it or not and for a myriad of reasons, it will be probably impossible to completely arrest the phenomenon of migration. Rather it would serve us better if our political leaders demonstrate more maturity in seeking lasting and sustainable solutions to this predicament.

[whathehell]

1. Good article for keeping things in perspective

regarding similar problems in America.