2018 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Tuesday, 18 September 2018
Working Session 13: Rights of Migrants
Intervention read by Stephen Coughlin, representing Unconstrained Analytics
Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for uploading this video:
For links to previous articles about the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, see the OSCE Archives.
I have only one thing to add to Coughlin’s brilliant presentation.
He seems to recognize the “rights” of migrants, while giving greater credence to the “rights” of nationals to maintain their own identity, security and borders. But, the “right” of someone to resources means they have a legal claim, not simply an emotional pull, to the resources of others. In other words, we all have some kind of legal obligation to others not related to us, though the obligation is weak. Probably, the strength of the obligation of an individual depends how the strength and willingness of their national government to protect them.
I would say to do away with all talks of the “rights” of migrants. The CIA and US State Department sponsored the rebellions that killed or tried to kill the leaders in Libya, Syria, and Iraq. Not exactly the fount of virtue I would look to to negotiate the relative “rights” of different peoples. The people truly refugees would be far better off without the involvement of the Western governments, even if they no longer had the plank of “human rights” to sponsor their trip across the Mediterranean on leaky, Chinese rubber dingys.
By the way, I so respect the Chinese commitment to the quality of goods and services for its customers, I will not buy any food for myself and my pets that came from China.