Article by Babiro Duro Djassi on Migration.

MIGRANT TRAGEDIES: ARE NEITHER
INEVITABLE NO BEYOND OUR CONTROL

                           Author: Babiro Duro Djassi.

"In this violent and troubled era motivated by neocolonialism and mental slavery, I have seen so much war and fear, and the dreams of forging a lasting peace and development has grown even more urgent than before. Therefore, it is high time we start strengthening and appreciating our understanding of equality within our hearts since fraternal peace can be achieved by harmonious relationship among human beings".

In this age of uncertainty molded by war, terrorism, poverty, neo-colonialism, racism, religious fanaticism, struggle for power and supremacy, the words of Emmanuel Kant “sapere aude “ meaning dare to think, should be the motto pinned on every African since contemporary circumstances and experiences compel us to think beyond our daily bread.

The prevailing search for higher incomes and security led to utter terror of thousands of massacres of innocent souls at the Mediterranean coast, and in 2014, approximately 3,500 died. In this regard, I join Pope Francis by describing such event “as a shameful evidence of human indifference to those in despair”. However, the unfolding events of death, in my opinion are based upon four major factors: the human right violations and economic challenges imposed by vampire African leaders to the people they govern, political instability and religious fanaticism in the middle East, the lack of innovation, creativity and waiting syndrome by majority of Africans, and the prevailing racism and sense of superiority by the West in the name of democracy which was spelt out Myopically on Katie Hopkins recent article describing the migrants as cockroaches and feral humans.

In a continent like Africa where group selfishly protect their own benefits, innocent Africans will continue to die unnecessarily in the search of true identity as people worthy of dignity and respect. The death of our African brothers and sisters is not the only voice calling for a recognition of and commitment to the common good in the Continent, but appeals on business social responsibilities, of ignored climate change challenge, lack of investment in education and health sector, prevailing problems of corruption and poverty, the decentralization of power and private sector, building of profound institutions as well as political patronage.

Politics which supposed to be a way of building a better Africa, transformed into a business enterprise with no progressive activities. Sometimes it makes me wonder! Where on earth, in the midst of deep crises like Ebola, a responsible government with responsible leaders will embezzle over 98 billion U.S dollar when the citizens are still dying of the disease? When 34% of teenage girls are pregnant and 390 of them died during the crisis? When the children are not going to school and what to eat becomes a normal phenomenon? Why should you place the nation into a constitutional crisis and political instability when Ebola still killing the people you vow to serve? Why should Ebola be a blessing for few and a curse for many? Moving beyond the boundaries, the recent report of Nigeria elections demonstrated the unseriousness of our leaders. Good Luck Jonathan and the President elect Buhari, spent over 30 billion dollars on media alone while millions of Nigerians are still living on less than a dollar a day? When Boko Haram has made self declaration of being the first West Africa Islamic state and still claiming the lives of innocent souls? No wonder the recent South Africa Xenophobia is a clear sign of depression by those who raise their voices calling for reform and equal opportunities times without numbers.
One of the problems mentioned above in relation to the prevailing problems of Africans in my opinion, can be attributed to the disease of what I described as waiting syndrome by many Africans and the lack of creativity and innovation.

Research conducted shows that, those that recently died in the tragedy pay over 19,000 dollars on this desperate journey to the land of slavery, and this is the most irrational thing to do. Up to date, the vast majority of African still believe that, the only way to make it in life, is to travel to the West even when their lives is at stake. Thus, until we take up the responsibility to build Africa, we shall never stop being the talk of the world, until we start believing in ourselves and our intellectual capacity and become entrepreneurs in our unique way, we shall never rest of depression and death.

Until we free ourselves from the mental slavery, black inferiority, put aside the unnecessary cultures and traditions and position ourselves as changing agent, we shall never rest of poverty and misery. Until we come to realized that, no one will treat his imitator like an equal said Franz Fanon, we shall always remain slaves. Again, the recent tragedy of death is a clear demonstration that, the EU migration policies put lives and rights at risk by undermining the sovereignty of African countries in the pursuit of their selfish interest. Neo-colonialism, imperialism and mental slavery under the hidden agenda made the act of bullying, intimidating, crushing and exploiting Africa resources and take away people's dignity more open than before. As critically minded African, I posed these questions: What is aid when it molded with the agenda of domination and exploitation and takes ones dignity? Millions of Euros are spent each year by member states of EU on fences, sophisticated surveillance systems and patrolling their borders. Thus, the recent ten EU measures to stem the flow of irregular migrants and refugees for me is a crime against the dignity of the human person. In revealing indicators of relative priorities, the EU spent nearly 2 billion protecting its external borders between 2007 and 2013, and only 700 million on improving the situation for asylum seekers and refugees within Europe over the same period.

It should be noted that, almost half of those trying to enter Europe irregularly flee from conflict or persecution in countries like Lybia, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, and other West African nations as a result of the western myopic strategy of domination and slavery. They create wars and manipulate diseases to Africa and watch us dying. In this violent and troubled era motivated by neocolonialism and mental slavery, I have seen so much war and fear, and the dreams of forging a lasting peace and development has grown even more urgent than before. It is high time we start strengthening and appreciate our understanding of equality within our hearts since fraternal peace can be achieved by harmonious relationship among human beings. Therefore, Migrant tragedies are neither inevitable no beyond our control.

Author's Brief Profile: Babiro Duro Djassi is a young academic from Guinea-Bissau presently working in Sierra-Leone at the University of Makeni. He hold a BA Degree in Philosophy and Humanity from the University of Makeni, Sierra-Leone and a Diploma in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Spiritans University College Ghana. Founder of The Pen Foundation. Babiro Duro Djassi is a writer, social activist with deep interest in politics and governance. He is presently working with the University of Makeni as an assistance exams officer and assistance lecturer of social research, logic and critical thinking.