An Initiative to reduce the number of illegal migrants from Africa And Elsewhere Entering Europe. April 2015.

“CHOICE OR CHANCE”

By Adrian Corish

CHOICE OR CHANCE Is an initiative to discourage people attempting to migrate to Europe through the back door. Experience shows the relative small numbers of actual Refugees from war torn areas is grossly overshadowed by the enormous number of economic Migrants from all sources.

There is a serious need to provide the correct information and education in Africa and elsewhere, to encourage local self help opportunities to improve their social, economic well being.

The core intention of the Initiative, is for the right information to be passed directly into the local villages and larger communities by word of mouth, about the perils of illegal migration to Europe.

These are the building blocks. A documentary using local people in their native tongue, relating the horrors and problems illegal migrants face when arriving in Europe through the back door, and subsequently.

We will record interviews from migrants and their experiences at arrival points within detention centers, in Spain and Italy. To show the people in the villages the horror of the real reality.

It is needed to deter the unscrupulous profit making traffickers who prey on the illegal migrants.

The approach is based on early intervention and prevention, to reduce the number of would be illegal migrants.

To change and make a clearer understanding of the circumstances, under which illegal migrants will have to survive. It will correct a persons pre-existing incorrect knowledge, the realities of the journey, perceptions of images of Europe, people, places and cultures.

To show meaningful and achievable alternatives, to individuals from rural villages to be able to fulfil their potential. To improve economic living conditions, to sustain families and contribute to community building in the longer term, by showing them how, and assisting them to improve their agricultural food production.

The first initiative will be East or West Africa. After the foundations are established it will be easily replicated in other neighbouring countries, at minimal cost and in a very short time.

The initiative will be to target rural villages, and larger communities, with the rapid development of a Pictorial range of information, materials, and simple technologies.

We will use people who have had illegal immigrant experience, to become mentors to potential illegal migrants.

  • The programme will offer and encourage basic numeracy and litery skills where they are lacking. In order that they may commence or improve their commercial activity.
  • It will assist to provide basic education and skillsets, to returnees to their home country after deportation.

The essence of the information to be provided will be.

  • Valid Reasons for leaving or staying in my Country.
  • All the factors for Making the decision.
  • The concept of choice as an illegal migrant.
  • The Importance of home social economics, and family.
  • How to improve food production with what is already in place.

The flow of migrants is escalating very considerably, there is a continuing increase of loss of life during transit.The increasing finacial cost in humanitarian aid, is becomming of great concern.

The financial cost of this initiative is of minimal proportion and requires virtually no external administration. It can be promoted and continued at local level.

The items required are Two vehicles suitable for rough ground operation, two portable generators, two large screen monitors, two video players to match, one video recorder, one small P.A. system, one suitable laptop, and sundries for all of the above.

There will be a need to set up a financial arrangment for the nominal day to day running expences and provisions. All of the above could be assembled and transported to a location within days.The title for these items would remain with the sponsors.

The principle for this initiative is a European National who has been resident in Africa for over 25 years, He has been involved within senior management of companies and substantial projects in Africa, and has considerable local knowledge of the people and terrain.

The Problem of illegal migration will not go away own on its own. Experiences are showing that it is not being prevented by inter governmental actions.

This initiative will work because it will have no top end bureaucracy to stifle the direct and effective personal contacts.

This initiative cannot fail to work, but on its own its not enough. It must be coupled with a similar initiative equal and opposite, which will rapidly promote willing repatriation.

Forced repatriation does not and can never work successfully for the following reasons.

  • Country of origin may be uncertain.
  • The subject may believe that he will be subjected to persecution or worse, and resist.
  • He will be arriving at a destination with little or no asset or probability of support, of any kind and consider that he will be worse off than he is at the present.

The only way of successful mass repatriation is with the consent of the individuals.

It can be achieved by ensuring that the individuals are firstly returned to their correct place of origins and that they have the confidence that they will be received peacefully.

This will happen with the information gathered by the project from the families and the villages, which will be made known to the individuals.

If the subject is confident that he will be received back by his family or community, in most cases he will be ready and willing to return peacefully.

This can be further encouraged by knowing that there is reception and support, at place of arrival, even if it will only be available for a very little time.

An arrangement must be set up to provide, some form of social linking, at a personal level, to the returnees family or community.

The above is a brief outline for a repatriation initiative yet to be fully developed.

Adrian Corish. 16 – 04 – 2015.
Contact. [email protected]