By VK
Today more than 73 million people in the world are forced migrants. It is one in hundred planet’s residents. They left their homes because of military conflicts, political disturbances, violence and disasters, changing of climate, and implementation of infrastructural projects. This number is growing year by year. The majority of migrants is in the situation of ongoing resettlement or has been forced to leave their homes forever. These data is reported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Sergey Kobets, the head of the International Department of Russian Red Cross
Global disasters, either man-caused or natural, become more and more acute. Nobody can be sure today that a natural or a man-caused disaster will pass this or that country by. We are in a certain risk zone, and we have to be prepared for reacting on such risks, challenges, and possible natural catastrophes and incidents. The topic of the current report is forced migration and population shift as any emergency situation directly influences population migration.
Yeugeny Parfenov, the head of humanitarian operations of IFRCRCS in Europe
Russia became a shelter for the second large Diaspora of internal migrants in the world. 80% of all migration flows in the former Soviet countries are taking place in this territory. The International Federation was involved into settlement of these problems in December 1989, i.e. after the Spitak earthquake in Armenia which caused mass resettlement of population.
Davron Mukhamadiyev, the head of the regional government of IFRCRCS
73 million people are forced migrants. The structure of migration includes 42 million forced migrants because of military conflicts, 15 million – because of disasters and man-caused catastrophes, and 17 million – because of negative consequences of infrastructural development. Speaking about disasters, we have to mention conflicts: these are well-known regions, trouble spots. First of all, these are Meddle East, Iraq, Syria, North Africa, Somali, Congo, West Africa, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, and Columbia. These trouble spots are being discussed permanently by the mass media. At the same time, the number of people suffering in these situations is not always voiced. All in all it is more than 43 million people. Around $9 billion have been spent by the international society for refugees’ necessities, including direct humanitarian support, governmental help in reconstruction, and security measures. Money which is allocated from the budget and could be spent on other needs today is spent on support of forced migrants. Suffering of forced migrants is a price which is paid by states for avoiding contradictions on political, ecological, and other issues. When we discuss approaches of settling these problems, it becomes obvious we have no lack of innovative ideas. Many international organizations develop new technologies. At the same time, our common task is not in searching ways out, but in prevention of growing of the problems.
In November 2011 164 governments agreed with Red Cross and Red Crescent’s urging to treat migrants respectfully and provide them any necessary help, notwithstanding their legal status.
Vladimir Rucheikov, the head of the department on the Russian FMS shelter issues
The dissolution of the Soviet Union caused a big flow of forced migrants to the Russian Federation. Moreover, the well-known developments in the North Caucasus led to flows of refugees to other regions of Russia. In 1992 the Russian Federation joined the Convention on Refugee Status of 1951 and the protocol to it of 1967. Thus, Russia took international responsibilities on support of people who seek for asylum or refugees. Several thousand foreign citizens from various states come to Russia in search for asylum. In the period since 2007 to 2012 more than 13 thousand foreign citizens from 79 countries tried to find asylum in Russia. More than 6.5 thousand foreign citizens, i.e. almost a half of them, got asylum in Russia, the status of refugees was gained by a thousand of foreign citizens, the rest got timely asylum. These people are victims of global disasters. The geographic location of the Russian Federation leads to the fact that main negative events happen far from the Russian borders, however, Russia is neighboring some states against which threats are voiced often, including using military force. Sometimes it is said that nuclear armament might be used. That is why the Russian Federation Migration Service is preparing for possible consequences of negative events on the territory of neighboring countries, which might cause a mass inflow of foreign citizens to Russia.
Russia establishes infrastructure for working with people who are in search for asylum, centers of timely settlement. Russia has three such centers, trains experts who are able to work with these people. A foreign citizen who comes to Russia in search for asylum has to undergo a certain procedure of recognition a refugee. The procedure is individual and involves translators. Before giving asylum, we have to make sure that this person really needs asylum, the person has found himself in the situation which enables him being a refugee in the Russian territory. According to the international laws and the Russian laws, a refugee is a foreign citizen or a person without citizenship who appears to be a victim of illegal politically-motivated repressions by his state. Political motives include various aspects: religious beliefs, political views, belonging to a certain ethnic-group or race, belonging to a certain social group. Moreover, Russia provides a person with asylum on humanitarian grounds. It is an additional form of giving asylum. It is provided to those who is under threat of being tortured at home or to victims of military conflicts.
