It would be ‘hopelessly unrealistic’ to expect the Isle of Man to take in thousands of Syrian refugees.
Chief Minister Allan Bell has responded to calls from the One World Centre, the Bishop and the Celtic League for the island to do its bit to help tackle the humanitarian crisis engulfing the borders of Europe.
One World Centre chairman Phil Craine said we should welcome refugees to our shores, and cited the figure of 15,000 by which the Chamber of Commerce has argued we should be increasing our working population.
And Celtic League director of information Bernard Moffatt has written to the Chief Minister urging his government to give ‘real thought to how best the Isle of Man can assist both financially and physically’.
Mr Bell said this was the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War but the Isle of Man was bound by UK immigration policy and could not take the sort of numbers Mr Craine was talking about.
He said ‘We can’t absorb thousands of refugees – that’s hopelessly unrealistic.
‘There’s no way we could contemplate that level of external disruption and the cost that would follow from that.
He pointed out that even a city the size of Liverpool had offered to take in only 100 refugees.
The Chief Minister explained that the island is not an independent state and when it comes to immigration, policy is determined by the UK which controls our external borders.
He said if the UK relaxed its controls and allowed in more refugees these people would be entitled to travel onto the Isle of Man which is part of the Common Travel Area.
But he stressed: ‘No decisions have been yet. We are focusing on understanding what the UK policy on this is.’
Mr Bell said the figure of 15,000 was that identified by the Chamber of Commerce and insisted the government had not set any targets to increase the size of the working population.
However, launching the Enterprise Isle initiative in Tynwald in July, Mr Bell was quite clear that: ‘We must be ambitious. We must aim to increase our working population by between 500 and 1,000 people each year.’
Speaking to the Examiner, he pointed out that many of the Syrian refugees were highly skilled and well-educated. ‘We are not talking unskilled economic migrants,’ he said.
And he added: ‘The harrowing scenes over the last days, particularly of the young boy washed up on the shore of Turkey will touch the heart strings of every person in the Isle of Man. The island has historically always been a compassionate community.’
Mr Bell said the government would continue to provide support to Syrian refugee camps through oversea aid, within the limits of its budget.
‘This is the biggest refugee crisis in Europe since World War Two. The whole of Europe is struggling to come to terms with providing humanitarian assistance without destabilising their own countries. There needs to be a co-ordinated approach from the EU.’
In his letter to the Chief Minister, the Bishop wrote: ‘I first suggested on August 2 that the Isle of Man might be able to assist in finding room for some refugees. I recognise that immigration is an area in which the Isle of Man must follow the policy of the UK. However, I do hope you will actively encourage the UK Government to pursue the longstanding tradition to ‘welcome the stranger’, those who have been driven from home, family and culture.
‘I have every confidence you will not only encourage the UK Government, but also seek to commit resources on this island in the support of those who have no home to which they can return.’
The British Red Cross has launched an appeal – and its island manager has called for local agencies to work together.
Adriana Watson said: ‘Should the time come for us to support people who have no home to return to, I call on voluntary and statutory agencies to work together and with government as we all deal with this unfolding humanitarian crisis.
‘Based on our experience as part of the world’s largest independent humanitarian network, we encourage the Isle of Man Government to develop a local “Refugee Integration Strategy” to ensure those who have no home to return to are fully integrated into our community whilst all their individual needs are properly met.’
Anyone wishing to support the work of the Red Cross with refugees and asylum seekers can donate at www.redcross.org.uk/refugeecrisis. For local volunteering inquiries, contact the Red Cross’ office in Braddan on 639310.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to take 20,000 refugees.
Source IOM Today
