One of the Sunday papers offers this, from a young Eritrean who has been in the migrant camp at Calais for two months:
We want to go to Britain only because of our bad governments and dictators. I would like to see Europe civilise Africa and the Middle East.What form, I wonder, would this hoped-for civilisation take? Peacekeeping forces? Regime change? A permanent presence, at least until the population feel safe?
It's hardly as if anyone thanked us last time:
Take up the White Man's burden
And reap his old reward:
The blame of those ye better,
The hate of those ye guard—
The cry of hosts ye humour
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light:—
"Why brought he us from bondage,
Our loved Egyptian night?"
It's all well and fine speaking of "Europe" doing this or "Britain" doing that. These are land masses, with no independent action.
ReplyDeleteDoes he mean the governments? Christian missionaries? Who? Our non-existent army?
JH, I suppose he means the EU - after all, if many citizens who are nominally part of it don't fully understand its role or powers, an Eritrean migrant is hardly likely to be better informed.
ReplyDeleteIf he sees Europe as one entity, it does rather beg the question why he is trying to enter Britain illegally, having already reached a safe country.