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Western colonialism to blame for refugee crisis, says analyst

Refugees wait for the borders to open at the Greek-Macedonian border, February 29 , 2016. ©AFP

Press TV has interviewed Richard Sudan, a journalist and political activist, and Andre Walker, a political commentator, both based in London, to discuss the plight of the refugees fleeing their conflict-ridden countries to Europe and the way they are treated upon arrival.

Sudan says it is heartbreaking to see the Western countries turning a blind eye to the plight of refugees after destabilizing their countries and forcing them to leave their homelands.

More than anything “colonialism” is to blame as the root cause of the ongoing crisis, according to Sudan.

“If we want to be honest about this crisis, and thus get to the root of it, we need to be honest about the wars, colonialism and in the modern form neocolonialism, which is causing the mass exodus of these people from North Africa and the Middle East,” the journalist explains.

He then names Iraq and Libya as former functioning states that turned into “proliferation ground for terrorism” following Western intervention.

Sudan further argues that overthrowing dictatorships does not justify waging “illegal wars” that will lead to the destruction of countries.

The analyst dismisses Western claims of fighting to establish democracy in the Middle East, saying the West has never respected “decency, human rights or democracy” in the region.

Walker, for his part, says that Europe has a right to protect itself from being taken over by “military aged men.”

He thinks Middle Eastern countries and Islamic nations should also accept refugees, while European governments have tightened border controls.


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