杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo

Every year thousands of refugees leave their homes and undergo dangerous journeys in search of safety. Every year thousands of refugees die in the process.

It is estimated that more than 120 million people have been forcibly displaced globally, by May 2024, as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, and human rights violations.

Danielle Vella, from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), has interviewed countless of them, seeking refuge in Europe.

鈥淲hy did you leave?鈥�, she asks them. 鈥淭he journey is so dangerous鈥�.
Their answer is more or less always the same, she says: 鈥淚 left because I had to鈥�.
鈥淥ne answer, in particular, really struck me鈥�, she tells Vatican News: 鈥淣ot for a better life... just life鈥�.

Be attentive to the voice of refugees

As we mark World Refugee Day on 20 June, Danielle Vella鈥檚 appeal is that we listen and be attentive to that message.

It鈥檚 2024 and the numbers are increasing, 鈥渢hey're projected to reach one hundred and twenty million refugees this year鈥� warns Vella. But before our attention is overwhelmed by that ginormous figure, she asks, 鈥淟et's turn it back to the reality that each one of those millions is a human being, with a unique story that's waiting to be noticed, and for their dignity and suffering and their hope to be respected鈥�.

A 杏MAP导航 who advocates for the rights of refugees

Her message is similar to one we鈥檝e heard many times before, from one of the world's biggest advocates for the rights of migrants and refugees: 杏MAP导航 Francis. This year, too, during his General Audience on the eve of World Migrants Day, the Holy Father appealed for Refugees around the world. He asked that this World Day be 鈥渁n opportunity to turn an attentive and fraternal gaze to all those who are forced to flee their homes in search of peace and security.鈥�

Two words of this appeal stood out to Danielle Vella: 鈥渁ttentive and fraternal鈥�.

Be attentive and fraternal

鈥溾�� Attentive鈥� because World Refugee Day is an opportunity to stop and really think about people who are forced to leave all that is known and familiar to them because circumstances make it impossible for them to do anything else鈥�.

And 鈥榝raternal鈥�, she continues, because 鈥渢his is what we believe in, right?鈥� Vella makes it sound so obvious: 鈥渋f we subscribe to catholic teachings on social justice, we believe that we are one human family, all children of God, and that we are bound by solidarity to be really responsible for all鈥�.

The murderous Mediterranean route

She recalls 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� visit to Lampedusa eleven years ago during which he asked: 鈥淲here is your brother? His blood cries out to me鈥�.

This question, Vella notes, 鈥渋s not directed to others. It's a question directed to me, to you, to all of us鈥�.

It鈥檚 a question he posed in one of the most significant places when we talk about migrants and refugees. Lampedusa receives countless migrants each year as they take the perilous routes across the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa...

...and people are drowning by the thousands in the Mediterranean Sea.

We must hold our governments accountable

In 2023, 3,105 people are known to have lost their lives, or gone missing, in the Mediterranean while attempting to cross to reach European shores.  鈥淚 believe we need to do more to hold our governments accountable for their part in this鈥�. The problem, as Vella points out, does not only lie in the deaths of migrants as they try to reach Europe. Governments are responsible 鈥渇or criminalising NGO rescue boats and not allowing them to disembark people they rescue at sea; for stopping maritime patrols that used to save thousands of lives; for fatefully delaying rescue boats; and for pushing refugees back鈥�.

Having said this, Danielle Vella emphasises that she does not, in any way, want to downplay the EU naval operations that have rescued so many people over the years.

But turning migrants back is 鈥渘ot only about migrants drowning in the sea. It's also about being pushed back to places where they face cruelty, forced labour, trafficking鈥� torture鈥�. She speaks of the agreement with Libya which facilitates the pushback of refugees to Libya where, we all know, 鈥渢hey face horrendous treatment in detention centres鈥�.

Stop with the politics of fear

Sadly, in a world so ravaged by war, the number of refugees is destined to rise. On this World Refugee Day, we must think about what we, all, can do. Danielle Vella says we must stop the use of stereotypes. The dehumanising rhetoric which demonises refugees is too often seen from the perspective of politicians and the media. Often, says Vella, they 鈥渋nvalidate their reasons for seeking protection鈥�. We hear refugees described as burdens or violent threats and all this creates a hostile environment and public opinion with regards to refugees. 鈥淚t's a politics of fear that actually makes us even more fearful鈥� warns Vella.

Manifesto for One Shared Humanity

To fight this blow to humanity, which Vella says, 鈥渙ften is the only thing that keeps refugees going in the first place鈥�, JRS along with Caritas Internationalis, the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) and other entities, have joined forces to launch for this World Refugee Day, a .

Vella explains that the aim behind this manifesto is 鈥渢o encourage everyone to reject harmful attitudes towards refugees and to promote shared spaces of belonging and encounter. Even if at first they are a stranger, a refugee can become a friend鈥�.

Be inspired by those who care

And luckily refugees do also have friends, total strangers who put themselves in danger and go against the grain to help refugees find safety and integrate.

鈥淪o let鈥檚 be motivated" concludes Danielle Vella. "Let's be inspired by these acts that really epitomise the golden rule to 'do unto others as we would have done unto ourselves'. Let's be guided by these acts". And 鈥渓et's be guided by the hope of the of the rest the refugees to build just and compassionate communities where everyone can belong鈥�.