By Rachel Avraham
Peace for Asia Switzerland recently hosted a conference titled “Persecuted Asian Minorities in the EU: Legal Remedies and Humanitarian Assistance,” where they sought to address the difficulties faced by Pakistanis and other asylum seekers coming to the European Union. As we speak, the human rights situation in Pakistan is quite grave. Shagufta Kiran, a 40-year-old Pakistani Christian woman, has been found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death under Article 295-C of Pakistan’s Penal Code, which punishes offences against the Prophet Muhammad.
Kiran is only one of many minorities to face repression in Pakistan because of her faith. In fact, about 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls in Pakistan are abducted, raped and forcefully converted to Islam every year. Simultaneously, an explosion near the international airport of the southern Pakistani city of Karachi has killed two Chinese nationals and injured several others. This occurred in the background of the Baloch people waging a separatist struggle against the Pakistani government. And of course, this does not even include the conflict with India over Kashmir, all which make life in Pakistan quite unbearable.
Italian politician Giuseppina Princi declared at the conference: “Gender discrimination remains one of the most widespread issues, then freedom of expression, ethnic and religious minorities, forced labor and economic exploitation. These conditions and oppressions have led to an increase in irregular migration flows to the European Union. More and more people try to escape violence, discrimination and poverty by undertaking dangerous journeys to Europe through irregular migration channels.”
Fulvio Mortusciello, a member of the European Parliament, concurred: “Millions of people have been forced to flee their homes as refugees seeking asylum in Asian and/or EU countries. Pakistanis and Afghans collectively constitute one of the largest groups of irregular migrants in Greece. The Af-Pak region, in particular the western border of Pakistan, hosts the largest trafficking cartels to the EU. A report by the Atlantic Council (entitled Afghanistan’s Drug Trade is Booming under Taliban’s Rule) highlighted the emergence of some extremist groups in Pakistan as the most important mode of Afghan terrorist groups who deal with drug trafficking in the EU.”
He continued: “Gagging the media and using the local administration to subjugate minorities are some of the tactics used by these regimes. Activists and journalists who speak out disappear or are falsely implicated in lawsuits. The international response is lukewarm and only a few stories make it to the international press.”
Mortusciello believes Europe should help the Pakistanis seeking to flee these conditions: “The European Parliament has approved the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, in which asylum claims will be processed more quickly, including at EU borders. Member states can choose whether to take charge of asylum seekers, make financial contributions or provide support for refugees from third countries.”
However, Princi added: “The complexity of the underlying causes of these flows makes effective management difficult. Return policies and development initiatives in the countries of origin are not always sufficient to address the desperation and conditions that drive thousands of people to seek a new life in Europe. Faced with these realities, we cannot remain indifferent. The international community must strengthen its commitment to monitor and denounce human rights violations in South Asia. Governments in the region must take responsibility to protect their citizens and ensure that universal human rights are respected.”
She concluded: “The only way to ensure a more inclusive and just future in the region is through stronger laws for the protection of minorities, increased political representation and the promotion of inter-community dialogue. Only through joint efforts will it be possible to overcome these challenges and build a more equitable and harmonious society. Human rights are not a privilege, but a fundamental right of every individual, regardless of where they are born or what their beliefs are. We must work together to build a society where dignity, justice and equality are guaranteed for all. So, to conclude, I want to say with conviction that immigration in South Asia is not an isolated problem. It is a global crisis that requires a global response, and the European Union has the capacity and responsibility to be a key actor in this response.”
