Migrants 9-7-2015

7, September                               Migrants There appears to be a serious disconnect between public statements and meaningful actions by many Persian Gulf States to mitigate the migrant crisis. The talk has all but morphed into a few tiny steps. The Gulf States have some of the highest percapita incomes in the world. Yet as millions of refugees risk life and limb to reach save havens, Gulf nations have grudgingly agreed to offer sanctuary to an insignificant few. After the Syrian toddler’s tragic death galvanized Europe, most notably Germany, humanitarian groups have accused Arab nations of inaction. To make matters worse, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have exacerbated the refugee crisis by bankrolling shadowy groups in Syria and supporting the demonic group ISIS who continue to commit unspeakable atrocities in the name of Islam without invoking even a whimper of outrage from mainstream Muslims. One of the most vehement critics of the Gulf states is Sarah Whison, executive director of Human Rights Watch, who stated “Burden sharing has no meaning in the Gulf, and the Saudi, Emirati and Qatari approach has been to sign a check and let everyone else deal with it.”   As one astute observer stated that most Muslims are unhappy in their own countries and wish to migrate to safe havens, but once settled, radical Imams attempt to sway them to adopt an anti-west narrative. Unless host counties integrate these migrants and avoid ghettoization, this trend may continue and compassion may quickly be replaced by outward hostility.