In my view it is ethically questionable to lure Syrian immigrants by prospects of ample social benefits and possible promising career for extra skilled individuals to the West from their cultural, religious and linguistic context. We might patch up some labour shortages by highly qualified staff but the majority will most likely face great difficulties finding their way in the highly specialized and sophisticated economies in the EU. Instead, we should support the neighboring countries that already bear the brunt of millions of Syrian refugees. A common sense assumption says that the further get and the longer stay refugees from their home country the less likely they will return home. Evidently all those skilled and also less skilled people will be needed in the reconstruction of Syria once the conflict is over. Therefore we should not, in part selfishly, invite them to the EU precisely for the sake of Syria's future. In addition we should publicly encourage in every possible forum the rich Gulf states to contribute their share, i.e. to accept temporarily Syrian refugees in their territories where there are practically no cultural, linguistic or religious barriers and to provide funds for improving the situation of refugees already present in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
Peter, you raise an important question about the ability to care for the refugee as part of the ethical question. If we cannot care for the person in our home beyond, perhaps, basic shelter and sustenance, is it more appropriate to refuse them as an ethical matter? And yet, perhaps there is a duty to try without promising more than can be delivered.
PeterM
Comments: 1
clear