Togetherness and the COVID-19 crisis: distinct risks for refugees and migrants

An Interview with Evelien van Roemburg by Charlotte Luttik

 Some have described the COVID-19 pandemic as a ‘great leveller’, spreading messages like ‘we are all in this together’ and ‘the virus does not discriminate’. But we have all seen or perhaps experienced that the reality is not that simple. As Emily Maitlis has argued in a BBC Newsnight opening that was widely shared on social media: we need to debunk the myth of the virus as a leveller. Instead, the pandemic works as an amplifier for existing inequalities, injustices and insecurities, and hits people who are living in poverty or who are in an already vulnerable position much harder. Not only right now, but also in the aftermath: in our previous interview on the social science of epidemics, Danny de Vries expressed his worry about the economic fallout hitting people living in poverty the most and warned for the probably highly uneven access to eventual vaccines in the future.

Refugees, migrants and migrant workers with little or no job security are some of these more vulnerable people where the virus is hitting hardest. I am sitting down with Evelien van Roemburg to talk about her work and the particular challenges that refugees and migrants face in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Evelien is Europe Migration Campaign Manager at Oxfam International, and the Academic Director for our summer programme Migration and Integration: Refugees, Rights and Realities. This summer course explores the global refugee crisis, aiming to strengthen an understanding of the issues surrounding forced migration and integration. It does so from various perspectives, ranging from crisis management and geopolitics, to international refugee law and anthropology.

Evelien works with a team of people all across Europe to challenge the current European response to migration. ‘I have colleagues in Greece, Italy and Serbia who work directly with refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants to improve people’s access to protection, legal aid and other things they might need. My team in Brussels, and the teams in different European capitals are using the evidence that is coming from these places to show to politicians and policy makers that Europe’s current migration and asylum approach is actually harming people in need of international protection. We of course also offer solutions and alternatives through reports, research, briefings, lobby meetings, events, etc.’

‘We are integrating the COVID-19 pandemic into already existing work’

In some ways the content of her work has changed since the pandemic, but it revolves around the same issues as before, that have perhaps only increased further in urgency and significance: ‘We really see that this pandemic is exacerbating already existing inequalities, such as those between migrants and refugees and their host communities, with the former having less or no access to health and security nets. So, a lot of our work remains the same: in a way, we are just trying to integrate the COVID-19 pandemic into already existing work, and looking at our work from the angle of the pandemic.’

‘One of our focus areas is the situation on the Greek islands, where refugees are being kept in inhumane conditions. To give you an example: on the Greek islands Lesbos, there is a so-called “hotspot”, an EU-sponsored camp for refugees who have fled through or from Turkey (it is just 10km to the shores off Western Turkey). This : “hotspot”, has capacity for less than 3000 people, but there are currently more than 18,000 people stuck there. One hundred people have to share a toilet and there is one shower per 500 people. It is a highly unsafe and dangerous place, particularly for young children and other vulnerable groups. So even before the COVID-19 crisis, we said that people should be evacuated to proper accommodation on the Greek mainland, and that other European member states should help relocate these people to their countries—to share the responsibility with Greece for people arriving in Europe.’

‘We are now advocating even more strongly for relocation and evacuation, producing a lot of briefings and reports on the situation, and organizing (online) lobby meetings. We were already doing all of this work, but now our work always has a COVID-19 focus. In March, it was difficult to get our points across: we noticed that all policy makers and politicians were so busy with their own national issues. But in April, we saw a shift, in that particularly European policy stakeholders started to warm up to the idea that we also have a responsibility for those who fled from war and persecution and ended up in Europe. In this pandemic, we cannot leave them to fend for themselves, as we are all only safe if everyone if safe.’

Zooming in on the particular risks for refugees and migrants in relations to the virus, the over-population of refugee camps is clearly an extremely important issue, perhaps now more than ever. ‘The most problematic issue is that refugees who are living in camps have no way to socially distance themselves, or to self-quarantine. This is true for the camps on the Greek islands, but also for many other places where Oxfam works: refugee camps in Jordan, Uganda and Bangladesh are similarly overcrowded. If the virus hits one of these camps, where a lot of people are already in a physically and mentally weakened state, it will be an absolute disaster.’

‘Another huge issue for migrants in particular is that movement and mobility have almost completely stopped. This means that people who rely on borders being open to move abroad and make money are now not able to do so. This not only has an impact on economies who are relying on foreign workers, but it also has large consequences in particular for countries of origin of these migrants. Migrants are sending home billions in various currencies each year in the form of remittances: last year it was estimated to be more than $500 billion to low and middle-income countries. That is almost four times as much as spent on development aid worldwide per year. Remittances are thus a huge income source for families, communities and sometimes even for countries (for many countries in Western Africa, remittances account to 10-15% of their GDP). This total amount of remittances worldwide will drop significantly this year, which poses a high risk for people in countries of origin.’

‘Hotspots that are significantly over capacity should be evacuated immediately’

What are solutions or best practices in mitigating these risks? ‘On the Greek islands, there is only one solution: all the EU “hotspots” that are significantly over capacity should be evacuated immediately. People with particular vulnerabilities (such as the elderly, those with a medical condition, etc.) should be prioritized, but eventually all refugees and asylum seekers have the right to proper and safe accommodation. There are plans to move them to empty hotels for now, but unfortunately there is quite a lot of local resistance to this idea. So pressure needs to be put on the Greek authorities to come up with a plan, and the EU and other EU member states should offer their full support.’

‘For the remittances issue, one thing that can be done is to make it easier and cheaper for migrant workers to send remittances back home. It is now often very costly to do so: costs can be as high as 15% of the total amount (for example: if you want to send home $100, you will actually only send $85 as the rest is payment for the service of sending the money). Making these financial services cheaper and more straightforward will help a little for when people are able to move and migrate again.’

What else can and should local or national politicians prioritise in your opinion? ‘I feel there is not enough attention to the plight of refugees and migrants, whereas in this time of crisis, we are responsible for our health and safety, especially for people more vulnerable than us. Contingency planning everywhere must include the communities of refugees and asylum seekers who are not able to isolate at home, do not have the same level of access to health services, and may suffer from pre-existing health conditions that put them at risk. I don’t think that is happening enough everywhere, certainly not in Greece and other displacement contexts where we work.’

‘We realise now that that migrants are part of the fabric of our society’

What do you think about the media coverage on refugees and migrants in relation to the pandemic? Do you feel like there is enough (and the right sort of) attention? ‘This is actually very interesting to follow. On the one hand, there are quite a few media sources spreading disinformation, for example about how migrants are responsible for spreading the virus. This is not surprising, as migrants are historically (but often wrongly) blamed for spreading diseases. This kind of narrative is very easily picked up by politicians who are using migrants and refugees as scapegoats for other structural issues that have nothing to do with migration. A clear example of this is how US President Trump has tweeted about temporarily suspending immigration into the US, covering up the fact that it was his administration’s lack of action in February and March that has created such a spread of the virus in the US in the first place.’

‘On the other hand, there is also extensive media coverage that is recognizing our critical dependence on migrants: on their work, their skills and their meaningful participation in our communities. A colleague of mine captured this today very eloquently: we realise now so much more that migrants are part of the fabric of our society. There are a lot of reports on how migrants and refugees with essential skills are helping to save lives: in hospitals, in nursing homes, in communities where they care for their neighbours. This sense of collective solidarity, the feeling that we are in this together, is also reflected in the media.’

The UNHCR kept a live-blog for a couple of weeks on refugees and the COVID-19 crisis. I found it interesting that they did not just focus on refugees that are vulnerable and in need of help of any kind, but equally - if not more - stressed indeed that refugees are also life-savers: doctors, nurses, care-workers, helping out wherever they can. They highlighted individuals that are launching helpful initiatives, but also, for instance, posted about states in the US granting temporary medical licenses to those with a foreign license (including refugees). Do you think that this is an important and beneficial narrative? ‘Absolutely, this is hugely important. Telling stories about individuals (or better still: making sure that refugees and migrants are able to tell their own stories) is the best way to feel connected and to place yourself in someone else’s shoes.’

What is your biggest worry for the near future in light of the pandemic? ‘My biggest worry is that - due the economic fallout that is following this pandemic we risk going back to poverty levels that we have not seen since the 1980s, with half a billion people at risk of being pushed back into extreme poverty. We know that poverty is one of the main root causes for (violent) conflict, so if this is indeed happening, we will no doubt see a rise in people becoming displaced.’

I also asked Evelien about her hopes for the future. ‘I hope that governments will continue to take steps that some of them have already taken, in expediting the regularization of newcomers (both migrants and refugees), and incorporating them into their medical staff and other essential jobs, such as in the agricultural sector and in food industries. This is highlighting their contribution to society and their resilience, which I hope is a positive narrative that underscores our “togetherness” in this crisis.’

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For those who want to know more, Evelien recommends the website of the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility (part of the New School). ‘It contains a list of “14 principles of protection for migrants, refugees, and other displaced persons in the COVID-19 pandemic”, which was drafted by a highly eminent group of scholars in collaboration with Columbia University and Cornell. You can also register for short webinars on the nexus of migration-related issues and COVID-19, and look back at past recordings (such as one on refugee camps and COVID-19). Although the projects are mostly focused on the US, there are still some very interesting materials that are applicable in other contexts as well.’