To reach squalid encampments in northern France, the ragtag army of would-be settlers yearning for new lives in Britain face more danger than most see in a lifetime.
Many are Muslims escaping war, persecution or poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. They cross deserts and pay people smugglers handsomely to be shipped across the Mediterranean from Libya in overcrowded, often unseaworthy vessels.
They witness others drown or succumb to illness and even violence. After landfall in Italy, they encounter official obstruction to onward travel towards the French port of Calais.
Ten years ago, I interviewed several predecessors, young men – and a few women – living rough in woodland and derelict buildings near ferry and Eurotunnel terminals, surviving on food from charities and awaiting a chance to sneak across the Channel to England.
There were Afghans, Iraqis, Somalis, Eritreans and Indians. Some were economic migrants, but many had suffered. They had some useful skills; it was tempting to regard the resourcefulness already shown as an asset for any society. And the problem was not resolved then, any more than tinkering with containment policies succeeds today.
For observers in Britain and France, the agenda is dominated by how to stop such people clogging up Calais, disrupting cross-Channel traffic and undermining attempts to control immigration.
What motivates these desperate people would certainly be best addressed in their own countries, with generous help from more prosperous nations.
Among the current wave many have fled the Syrian conflict; the European Union should be devoting funds to upgrade the vast Zaatari camp in Jordan, where so many take initial refuge.
But EU policy is chaotic, placing unreasonable pressure on southern points of entry, notably Italy and Greece, with scant solidarity among member states. And the migrants have grown more ruthless, resorting to serious lawlessness – much as happens when French farmers, taxi drivers and ferry workers are angry.
No one emerges from the crisis well. The French authorities are slack in dealing with mass disorder. Britain has a thriving black economy that attracts illegal immigrants.
But the scale of the problem should not be exaggerated. The present total, maybe 5,000, could readily be assimilated into British society, ridding Calais of an unjust burden. The obvious flaw is that without other dramatic measures, this would encourage yet more to make the perilous journey.
Perhaps a mixture of carrot and stick would work, with each migrant assessed, granted asylum or deported. For future arrivals, the process could be immediate, the EU and the UN sharing the cost. Systematic deportation would return those unable to establish refugee status to countries or origin, preferably with reliable safeguards against future mistreatment. Money could be earmarked for homeland projects to make migration seem less appealing.
Tough action could be accompanied by compassion, distinguishing between genuine cases and chancers. Anyone defying the procedures and still found sleeping out in Channel ports should face summary expulsion.
But do not underestimate the misery that spurs migrants to try their luck, or the trials they willingly endure.
François Dufour, who edits French newspapers for children, has met many refugees in recent years. “During their journey, theoretically ‘from the African inferno to the European Eldorado’,” he writes, “they have been robbed, assaulted, exploited, some tortured, others raped. Without mentioning those who have drowned.”
Two youths had fled chaos in Somalia, an Eritrean teenager had refused to be forced “into the dictator's army” and a Nigerian girl had been sold by her uncle. “After hearing their stories,” Dufour ends, “I always say to myself: in their shoes, I too would have fled towards the Mediterranean.”
Colin Randall is a former executive editor of The National
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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BELGIUM%20SQUAD
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The%20Specs
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The%20Roundup
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Brescia 1 (Skrinia og, 76)
Inter Milan 2 (Martinez 33, Lukaku 63)
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5