Compassion and Solidarity

The vast majority of people worldwide—80 percent—would welcome refugees, according to a global survey commissioned by Amnesty International. 

The survey found that not only were people willing to accept refugees in their home countries, they would go "to astonishing lengths" to make them welcome. "These figures speak for themselves," said Amnesty's secretary general Salil Shetty. "People are ready to make refugees welcome, but governments' inhumane responses to the refugee crisis are badly out of touch with the views of their own citizens." Shetty added, "We did not expect to see such strong levels of solidarity with refugees, but the results reflect the inspiring human compassion people feel to those fleeing war. They want to do what they can to help, not turn their backs. Politicians need to show the same spirit." Shetty also said, “Refugees should be helped, protected and welcomed into communities, not held at arm's length in refugee camps and detention centers."

In China, 46 percent of people said they would be willing to take refugees into their own homes while 29 percent of respondents from the UK—the second-highest in the ranks—said the same. In countries that have already accepted a large number of asylum-seekers, such as Greece and Jordan, public support for them has not waned. When asked, "Should your government do more to help refugees fleeing war or persecution?" 74 percent of Greeks said yes.

1. Globally, one person in 10 would take refugees into their home: the number rises to 46% in China, 29% in the UK and 20% in Greece, but was as low as 1% in Russia and 3% in Poland.

2. Globally, 32% said they would accept refugees in their neighbourhood, 47% in their city/town/village and 80% in their country.

3. In 20 of the 27 countries, more than 75% of respondents said they would let refugees in their country.

4. Globally, only 17% said they would refuse refugees entry to their country. Only in one country, Russia, did more than a third of people say they would deny them access (61%).

The governments are not in step with the people because all governments serve the interests of the rich. There's a reason those immigration barriers are up and it is not to benefit the working people. It is to benefit the rich who want to keep humanity divided against itself , playing the workers in one country against the workers in another, who are put in competition for jobs and low wages. This hostile division between nations also gives governments an excuse to make endless war on one another and maintain military budgets that eat up half of a country's annual wealth . It's time we woke up to the simple truth about international borders and the immeasurable harm they do to working people everywhere and to the health of the planet.