“As doors close to refugees, Ethiopia’s stay open,” reads a 2017 article ReliefWeb, a specialized digital service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), published. Yet, as many doors remain wide open here the developed country slammed every door on refugees.
Yesterday, the world marked the international refugee Day—‘Take a step on World Refugee Day’ being this year’s theme.
The steps must be opening doors to refugees. But doing so is the first step. There are many more steps that should be taken to protect the rights and benefits of these people. For Ethiopia, taking steps has not been difficult. It has taken steps and it has opened many doors open to refugees.
Which doors are open? The world clearly knows the doors Ethiopia left open. Its open door policy has helped nearly a million refugees to escape war, persecution and democratic rights stifling.
Unlike many other countries, Ethiopia as well put to practice out of the camp policy. Many refugee youths have benefited from it. It contributed a lot to their self-reliance. As its citizens do, refugees are also entitled to register vital events such as birth, death, and marriage. They get a certificate in recognition of the events. The registrations impact on their lives is immense.
On 17 January 2019, Ethiopia introduced to the world a law that many described as “one of the most progressive refugee law”. The law enables the country better fulfill its commitments to the respect of human rights of refugees and avail basic life services to them, as per the pledges of September 2016—which refers us to the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants that all the 193 member states have adopted.
Hence, the refugee communities of neighboring Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan, among others, have started to benefit out of the schemes.
Most amazingly, most developed countries are turning their back to refugees let alone fulfilling commitments. Some resort to building detention center to refugees while others plan to deport them without the refugees’ consents. Ethiopia, despite piles of internal problems, maintained its age-long culture.
Offering safe-havens to humanity in need is not what the people learned in recent times. It has practiced it for ages. Followers of Prophet Mohammed were warmly embraced here back in the seventh century.
Ethiopia’s age-long tradition of giving due respect to humanity should not only be commended it must also be supported. This is a contribution to regional and international peace and order.
Now Ethiopia has shown unflinching commitment to refugees’ integration to host communities. The endeavor is to make them self-reliant. The endeavor is to help them unleash their potentials.
Most hopefully, the international community has reaffirmed commitment on this year’s marking.
What governments and other national and international bodies do today would surely pay off tomorrow. The refugees can contribute to host countries’ socio-economic development in addition to helping themselves. The burden on the international community will also be eventually relieved. But if ignored, the repercussion is devastating both on host countries, regions and the international community in general.
To this end, the encouraging steps countries like Ethiopia take should be supported sustainably.
The Ethiopian Herald June 21/2019
