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Post by pieter on Jun 26, 2023 12:27:28 GMT -7
 DW Documentary3 nov 2022 #dwdocumentary #documentary #europeEurope was built on the principle of freedom of movement. But security politics, xenophobia, unemployment, the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine are continuously re-defining migration movements, along with the rules that govern them.
The humanitarian catastrophe caused by the war in Ukraine has resulted in the development of many different reception strategies across the EU. The complexity of this response demonstrates how inconsistent Europe’s answer to immigration and human suffering is. While some refugees are welcomed with open arms, others are are turned away.
Krakow’s population has increased by 50% since Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022. Meanwhile, Europe has been busying itself with drawing up real and virtual borders that are patrolled by militia.
But migration is an entirely normal phenomenon. People who leave their home country in search of a better life have shaped the face of the continent for centuries. From England to Bulgaria, expats are a core part of Europe’s identity.
In spite of this, foreign workers frequently face rejection. They are often blamed for national economic decline. Nonetheless, they are a vital element of modern-day Europe: In an aging society that depends on migrants to survive, they are the backbone of the labor market. But as right-wing and eurosceptic voices rise, these basic facts tend to get lost.
Now, the war in Ukraine is causing Europe to re-think its position - both ethically and practically. Once again, Europe’s migration policies are facing historical challenges.Comment Pieter
You see the difference between the treatment of on one side Non-Western, Non-European, Non-Christian refugees from Africa, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen or Ethiopia, and on the other side, the Eastern Slav, White, Blue en Blond Eyed, or Brunette, Redhead or Dark haired, brown or black eyes, Christian, or Secular Atheist Ukrainian European Ukrainians. It is a fact that there is a difference. That is to be honest injust, xenophobe, racist, islamophobe. But fact is that it exist, and in the political sense Far Right, Conservative moderate right, centrists, progressive liberals, Social democrats, socialists and even far left leftwing populists are guilty of that, because they facilitate this situation, they live with the present policies, rules, regulations, measures, and I do not see large anti-Adminstration or anti-Refugee policy demonstrations. I see huge Extinction Rebellion demomstrations, huge Union demonstrations of leftist workers and Civil servants, but I don't see huge anti-racist, anti-xexophobia, Pro-Refugee/Pro-Migrants demonstrations. It could be that despite the division and lack of union in Europe, the refugee crisis since 2015 in a 'negative' way shows one 'Unity'. Europeans share their 'White Native European heritage', Europeans share their 'Christian heritage, culture and religion' (even the non religious secular people mention that and empathise their native European Christian identity and roots). And what these various Europens also seem to share is a growing Nationalism, regionalism and localism.Localism Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritize the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identity. Localism can be contrasted with regionalism and centralized government, with its opposite being found in the unitary state.  Regionalism Regionalism is a political ideology that seeks to increase the political power, influence and self-determination of the people of one or more subnational regions. It focuses on the "development of a political or social system based on one or more" regions and/or the national, normative or economic interests of a specific region, group of regions or another subnational entity, gaining strength from or aiming to strengthen the "consciousness of and loyalty to a distinct region with a homogeneous population", similarly to nationalism. More specifically, "regionalism refers to three distinct elements: movements demanding territorial autonomy within unitary states; the organization of the central state on a regional basis for the delivery of its policies including regional development policies; political decentralization and regional autonomy".
Regions may be delineated by administrative divisions, culture, language and religion, among others. Regionalists' demands occur in "strong" forms, such as sovereignty, separatism, secession and independence, as well as more moderate campaigns for greater autonomy (such as states' rights, decentralization or devolution). Strictly, regionalists favour confederations over unitary nation states with strong central governments. They may, however, embrace intermediate forms of federalism.
Proponents of regionalism usually claim that strengthening the governing bodies and political powers within a region, at the expense of a centralized government, will benefit local populations by improving regional or local economies, in terms of better fiscal responsibility, regional development, allocation of resources, implementation of localist policies and plans, competitiveness among regions and, ultimately, the whole country, consistent with the principle of subsidiarity. Regionalism, autonomism, and nationalism Regionalism, autonomism, secessionism, and nationalism are interrelated concepts, yet they often have different and sometimes opposite meanings. For instance, in Spain "regionalism" is regarded as strongly associated with "nationalism" and, often, "secessionism", whereas in Italy, it is generally seen as a synonym of "federalism" and the opposite of "nationalism". In some cases movements or parties campaigning for independence may push for federalism or autonomy within the pre-existing nation state.
In developed, Western, liberal-democratic countries, secessionist parties include the Parti Québécois in Quebec (Canada), the Basque Nationalist Party and Euskal Herria Bildu in the Basque Country (Spain and France), the New Flemish Alliance and Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) in Flanders (Belgium), the Catalan European Democratic Party and the Republican Left of Catalonia in Països Catalans (Spain and France), the Galician Nationalist Bloc and the Galician Left Alternative in Galicia (Spain), the Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party in Scotland, Plaid Cymru in Wales and, to some extent, Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland (United Kingdom).
In developing countries they include the Polisario Front in Western Sahara (Morocco), the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad in Azawad (Mali), the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda in the Cabinda Province (Angola), and all national liberation movements.
The regions (Provinces) of the Nerherlands. Within these provinces you have more regions than are on this map.
Federalist/autonomist regional parties include the Coalition Avenir Québec in Quebec (Canada), the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the Popular Democratic Party in Puerto Rico (a commonwealth of the United States), Lega Nord in Northern Italy (the party has, at times, advocated Padania's independence and its "national section" in Veneto, Liga Veneta, is a proponent of Venetian independence), the Party of the Corsican Nation in Corsica (France), the Martinican Progressive Party in Martinique and the Communist Party of Réunion in Réunion (both French overseas territories), and the New Macau Association in Macau (China).
In some countries, the development of regionalist politics may be a prelude to further demands for greater autonomy or even full separation, especially when ethnic, cultural and economic disparities are present. This was demonstrated, among other examples, in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Regional vs. regionalist political parties Political parties that are regional are not necessarily regionalist parties. A "regional party" is any political party with its base in a single region, whatever its objectives and platform may be, whereas "regionalist" parties are a subset of regional parties that specifically campaign for greater autonomy or independence in their region.
Because regional parties – including regionalist parties – often cannot receive enough votes or legislative seats to be politically powerful, they may join political coalitions or seek to be part of a coalition government. Notable examples include the Sinn Féin's participation in the Northern Ireland Executive since 1999, the New Flemish Alliance's participation in the Federal Government of Belgium in 2014-2019, and Lega Nord's frequent participation in the Italian government.
Examples of regional parties that do not generally campaign for greater autonomy or federalism include most provincial parties in Canada, most regional and minority parties in Europe, notably including the Christian Social Union in Bavaria (CSU) (Germany), most parties in Belgium, most parties in Northern Ireland, the Istrian Democratic Assembly in Istria and the Alliance of Primorje-Gorski Kotar in Primorje-Gorski Kotar (both counties of Croatia), and most political parties in India.
Regional parties with an autonomist/federalist or secessionist agendas have included the aforementioned Bloc Québécois, Lega Nord, the Vlaams Belang, the New Flemish Alliance, the Catalan European Democratic Party, the Republican Left of Catalonia, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, and Sinn Féin.
To make it more personal and subjective Karl, Jaga and I have witnessed this regionalism in Europe, and maybe Ron (Kaima) has experienced it in Slovakia, Czech republic and Germany and the USA.
What do I mean. Karl, has experianced regionalism in his Danish and German youth as a child and teenager. What do I mean you (not Karl, but the others would say), I mean that Karl must have witnessed Frisian regionalism in his Jutland Peninsula of Denmark, and Cuxhaven region of Northern Germany. Karl witnessed the regional Frisian subgroups, that lived next to Low Saxon Platduuts (Nedersassisch) speakers, and maybe the Danish minority in Northern Germany whom also have a Regionalist identity as a recognized minority in Germany. Jaga experienced regionalism in Poland, because she has Silesian family, and maybe she also knows the linguistic regionalist Kashubian, Goral, Carpatho-Rusyn, and maybe Ukrainian, Belarus and Russian minorities in Poland which will have regionalist tendencies with local/regional Orthodox or Greek Catholic churches next to the Polish Roman Catholic churches.
Amd Pieter as a Dutchman of course I have an enormous experience with regionalism, localism, enclaves and minorities in the Netherlands. It starts in the practical sense as belonging to a Roman Catholic minority in the Calvinist Protestant (Reformed Dutch) Zeeland region in my youth and my knowledge, awareness and understanding that various Dutch people spoke with different Frankian, Low Saxon, Frisian and Zeelandic Flanders (Dutch Flanders) Flemish reghional languages and dialects. From our colonial heritage I witnessed the Eurasian Indo people (mixed Dutch and Javanese- Indonesian, or mixed Dutch - Sundanese, Dutch - Malayan, Dutch - Balinese people, or mixed Dutch-Javanese-Chinese people) and the Moluccan people in Zeeland speaking Indonesian Malayan with each other, and Surinamese people that spoke Sranang [the Surinamese language, closely related to Ghanese and other African languages] or Papiamento from the Curaçao Dutch Caribbean island people. Expat French, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and British people in my street and neighbourhood spoke French, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and English. And my mother spoke Polish with my Polish grandmother (Babcia) and Grandfather (Dziadek), Polish nannies, and other Polish friends and family members that came by (also the Polish American Polish speaking family from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, back then in the early seventies0. Regionalism in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany is the border crossing Limburg Province and language Limburgian.
Limburgish (Limburgish: Limburgs [ˈlɪm˦bʏʀ(ə)çs] or Lèmburgs [ˈlɛm˦-]; Dutch: Limburgs [ˈlɪmbʏr(ə)xs]; German: Limburgisch [ˈlɪmbʊʁɡɪʃ]; French: Limbourgeois [lɛ̃buʁʒwa]), also called Limburgan, Limburgian, or Limburgic, is a West Germanic language spoken in the Dutch and Belgian provinces of Limburg and in the neighbouring regions of Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia).
Next to Limburg you have the Brabant region in the Netherlands and the Flemish and Walloon parts of Belgium, also with the Brabant regional language or dialects. "La Brabançonne" (French: [la bʁabɑ̃sɔn]; Dutch: "De Brabançonne"; German: "Das Lied von Brabant") is the national anthem of Belgium. The originally French title refers to Brabant; the name is usually maintained untranslated in Belgium's other two official languages, Dutch and German.
The Frisian region is spread over the Northern Netherlands, Northern Germany and South Western part of the Jutland area of Denmark. In the Past Frisia existed from the Jutland coast through Northern Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Friesland (Frisia) is an important agricultural, touristic, Industrial, Sport and Cultural part of the Northern Netherlands. It has a lot of cities, towns, villages and hamlets. Dutch Frisians are proud, strong and in the same time very Dutch people. They are different than the Hollanders from the West, the Utrecht people of the Middle, the Southern Brabanders, Limburgers and Zeelanders, and they are certainly different than the Low Saxon Gelderland, Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen people. In the City Ghetto, Urban agglomerations they live, one their ethnic Islands (large neighborhoods) the Turks, Moroccans, Kurds and others also have their enclaves and identities, with one foot in the Netherlands, as Dutch soeakers, and their Moroccan Dutch and Turkish Dutch slangs, and one foot in Morocco and Turkey. But in time they have become more Dutch than Turkish and Moroccans, because Turkish Turks and Moroccan Moroccans in North Africa (the Maghreb) consider these Dutch Turks and Dutch Moroccans as Europeans, as Dutch people. And that is tragical and hopeful in the same time. Because the Dutch people see them as Turks and Moroccans, but people in Morocco and Turkey don't see them as compatriots, but as foreigners, Europeans. That is the complex situation of Non-Western, Non-Native European people live in. In the recent past the Jews, Roma and Sinti and Eurasian Indo people faced the same fate. You are seen as different, even if your father and grandfather, mother and grandmothers were born and raised here or immigrated here before you were born. Excellent Dutch speaking, succesful, and well integrated Turks, Moroccans, Kurds, Afghans, Iranians, Syrians, Iraqi's and Ukrainains are excellent. But fact is that a large group didn't manage to acquire the Dutch language, education degree's, social networks, skills and chances to make a good career. Many stayed in the marging, in the periphery of the ethnic Ghetto, in their ethnic Turkish and Moroccan Island, in low educated or illerate environments, social control of family clans, and ultra conservative anti-Western Mosque communities and the strong connection with the family clan or tribe in Turkey or Morocco abroad. But I have to say that more and more Turks and Moroccans managed to become Dutch and some of them even developped a sort of Dutch European Islam, and became attached to the Netherlandsd, feel Dutch, are loyal to the Netherlands, and often more fond of the Netherlands than native Dutch people. I have to say this folks, because I said negative things about Muslim refugees and migrants over here as well. I hope I have reached udi alteram partem (or audiatur et altera pars) a Latin phrase meaning "listen to the other side", or "let the other side be heard as well". It is the principle that no person should be judged without a fair hearing in which each party is given the opportunity to respond to the evidence against them.
"Audi alteram partem" is considered to be a principle of fundamental justice or equity or the principle of natural justice in most legal systems. This principle includes the rights of a party or its lawyers to confront the witnesses against them, to have a fair opportunity to challenge the evidence presented by the other party, to summon one's own witnesses and to present evidence, and to have counsel, if necessary at public expense, in order to make one's case properly.
You have very excellent Muslims with a high morale, ethnical conciousness, moderation and modesty, whom have christian, Jewish, Hindu, secular and atheist friends. They stand strong in their shoes, because theur faith and culture is constantly negative in the news. They see the negative image of Islam and muslims every week on the European and American tv, media, radio, newspapers and magazines. I witnessed that many European muslims want to counter this image, by showing that they are good, that they work hard, that they do charity work, that they serve the large communtuy and society, that they are loyal citizens whom obey the law, that they try to interact with peoople whom are sometimes hostile towards then. Folks islamophobia, xenopohobia, racism and discrimninatioin against Muslims is all over Europe. Stil you have Muslims who speak excellent Dutch, German, Danish, French, English and other languages, studied hard and became lawjers, police officers, entrepreneurs, succesful businesspeople, restaurant owners, professional sport people, politicians, professors, teachers, architects, skilled workers and middle class shop owners, cab drivers, public transport busdrivers, doctors or medics.  On this historical map you can see that Hitorical Frisia existed on Danish, German, Dutch, Belgian and Northern French soil. It was a large kingdom Frisia. Large in my Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg) sense.    Linguistic map of the Benelux, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg. The Benelux Union (Dutch: Benelux Unie; French: Union Benelux; Luxembourgish: Benelux-Unioun) or Benelux, is a politico-economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is a portmanteau formed from joining the first few letters of each country's name and was first used to name the customs agreement that initiated the union (signed in 1944). It is now used more generally to refer to the geographic, economic, and cultural grouping of the three countries.   Benelux schematic map |
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Post by Jaga on Jun 26, 2023 22:28:23 GMT -7
Hello Pieter, this is sad but true. I kind of understand why Hungary and Poland did not want to see a large migration of people from muslim countries. Especially Hungary was exposed into Turkish empire. It is impossible to stop people from moving from poor regions to wealthy, still they should be require to adapt and learn language and culture. Maybe Europe can help to build infrastructure in Africa so that people would want to stay and have hope for better. Dear Jaga,
We have an enormous amount of immigrants and refugees already. The world should create safe zones and no fly area’s with refugee camps and plans for sending back and resettle these people from where they came from. Europe does not want these people Jaga. England has huge problems with Pakistani’s, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany with North Africans, Sweden with Somalians and Eritreans. It sounds tough, but Europe wants to stay European, Europe for the European peoples. Over and over I hear civilians from various European countries, especially from places with large concentrations of Refugees and new migrants; “There are only young men amongst these refugees and they are mostly Muslim.” The aversion to the fact that most refugees are young men, and fear of families, mothers and fathers for their children, daughters and women being sexually harassed by young refugee men is large.
Yes these Europeans are often Xenophobe, Islamophobe, allergic for Muslim young men (and they immediately recognize young Afghan, Pakistani and North African men), and therefor not empathic for refugees that drown. I hear the harsh reply; “They shouldn’t have come in the first place. If they wouldn’t have come they wouldn’t have drowned. Go back where you came from.”
Other Europeans, many Europeans do have empathy, feel pity and many of them even try to help, from Christian, Leftist or Humanist convictions. And not only Christians, but also European Jews, Muslims and people with other faiths. And fact is that you have Pro-Refugee and Anti-Refugee sentiments in all communities. Integrated Muslim migrants whom have become ‘New Europeans’ fear that masses of non-European Muslim refugees create anti-Muslim sentiments, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, discrimination and racism for them. These European Muslims have become Europeanized and don’t like the newcomers. Some non-Arab European Muslims have anti-Arab sentiments. Turkey Turkey has a history of strong anti-Arabism. During the Ottoman Empire, the Arabs were treated as just second-class subjects and suffered from immense discrimination by the Ottoman Turkish rulers, in addition, most of government's main positions were either held by Turks or non-Arab people, except for the Emirate of Hejaz under Ottoman rule. Future policy of anti-Arab sentiment, including the process of Turkification, led to the Arab Revolt (10 June 1916 – 25 October 1918) against the Ottomans.
Because of the Syrian refugee crisis, anti-Arabism has intensified. Haaretz reported that anti-Arabian racism in Turkey mainly affects two groups; (1) tourists from the Gulf who are characterized as "rich and condescending" and (2) the Syrian refugees in Turkey. Haaretz also reported that anti-Syrian sentiment in Turkey is metastasizing into a general hostility toward all Arabs including the Palestinians. Deputy Chairman of the nationalist and Kemalist political the Good Party warned that Turkey risked becoming "a Middle Eastern country" because of the influx of refugees. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Party )
Outside historical enmity, anti-Arabism is also widespread in Turkish media, as Turkish media and education curriculum associating Arabs with backwardness. This has continued influencing modern Turkish historiography and the crusade of Turkish soft power, with Arabs being frequently stereotyped as evil, uncivilized, terrorists, incompetent, stupid, etc. This depiction is frequently used in contrast to the alleged depiction of Turkic people as "noble, generous, fearsome, loyal, brave and spirited warriors".
Anti-Arab sentiment is also further fueled by ultranationalist groups, including the Grey Wolves and pan-Turkist nationalist parties, who called for invasions on the Arab World's Syria and Iraq, to prevent the ongoing Arab persecution of its Turkic populations in many Arab countries of the Middle East. Subsequently, Turkey has begun a series of persecuting its Arab population, as well as desire to recreate the new Turkish border. A Grey Wolves demonstratioin in Turkey, the Ultra Nationalist Grey Wolves are Anti-Arab. New York Times correspondent and associate editor Raymond Walter Apple Jr. (November 20, 1934 – October 4, 2006) described the Turkish Ultranationalist MHP party and its satellite groups (amongst whom the Grey Wolves (Bozkurtlar), a "xenophobic, fanatically nationalist, neofascist network steeped in violence."Europe’s past and the refugee crisisIf you understand that Fascism and Christian Ultra nationalism exists in the various Southern European countries, and that even the ‘European’ Muslim countries Turkey, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina aren’t rather Refugee/migrant friendly, you understand how difficult the situation is for incoming refugees in Southern Europe and South-Eastern Europe. Turkey (with it’s anti-Arabism), Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Italy, Malta, France, Portugal and Spain are not easy countries to enter for refugees. Turkish guards and soldiers push Refugees onto Greek soil or waters and Greek Guards/Soldiers push them back. Poland, the Baltic States and Finland don’t want refugees that come via Belarus and the Russian Federation. Refugees will continue to drown in the Mediterranean sea, in the tough mountainous borderlands between Iran, Iraq and Syria from one side and Turkey 🇹🇷 on the other. People also starved to death 💀 ☠️ while freezing in the mountains, falling accidents, being hit by falling rocks or stones, snake bites, and maybe even bear attacks or the danger of other wild animals and sometimes hostile locals, and crooks whom steal their money and than these refugees are stuck where they are, because they can't pay human traffickers anymore. Other refugees suffocated in the back of Trucks due to a lack of Oxygen, being locked up in a container. This human tragedy goes on Year after year. I repeat reality. Europe does not want these Refugees that drowned, and many Europeans didn’t care about these dead refugees, because they are Xenophobes, Islamophobes and racists. Like in the past Europeans were indifferent for Jews that suffered from Pogroms, discrimination, exclusion and the Holocaust. They didn’t care about the persecutions of Protestants by Catholic majorities, the burning of women whom were accused of being Witches. People are people and people have an egocentric, ethnocentric and selfish nature. Marek Edelman described it rightly.
edition.cnn.com/2020/12/21/uk/uk-truck-deaths-manslaughter-verdict-gbr-intl/index.html
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/oct/07/essex-lorry-deaths-39-vietnamese-migrants-suffocated-in-container-court-hears
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