Ukranian, welcome! Middleastern, African? Get to back of the bus!

[OldieWordly]

The war in Ukraine is truly horrendous, but so are all the wars happening all around the world. It is happening in Europe, a place this country is geographically and culturally a part of. So we can emphasise more with the Ukranians and hence the outpouring of support.

But it also helps that they are white and look like the majority of this country, and therefore more support is volunteered.

Why do I as a black woman, while feeling great empathy and sorrow, also feel that other asylum seekers also fleeing war and destruction in their home countries, have been relegated to the back of the bus?

Where are the offers of a sponsored home from UK individuals/families and reimbursement of £350 a month? The right to live in the UK for up to 3 years? The right to work, or to immediately access benefits if needed?

Many of you may say, it's not about skin colour, ethnicity etc, it's about humanity. But tell me, why do so many of us black, brown or non white people often have a feeling of being treated subconciously as belonging at the back of the bus? And the welcome given to Ukranian refugees as apposed to those from Syria troubles me greatly.

@MangshorJhol

28% of those fleeing Syria were women and children. More women and children died in the Mediterranean. You cannot apply for asylum unless you make a perilous journey so often men would come over, hoping that if they reached they could bring their families over. Not that long ago Assad was using chemical weapons against his own people in Syria.

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I think it’s a mix of different things, one being this war is basically on our doorstep and the threat of WW3 is looming over us due to being part of NATO. It’s so close to home that it feels more real for some?

This may also be coupled with the fact that most fleeing from Ukraine are women and children because the men have stayed to fight for their country - people are naturally more inclined to help women and children, I’m not sure why but it’s certainly the case.

As for people opening their homes I think it MAY be because Ukrainians have the same ways of living as us, whereas refugees from say Afghanistan are predominantly Muslim and with completely different ways of living and that probably puts westerners off because they don’t want to seem ignorant or racist IYSWIM?

I honestly don’t think it’s as simple as “racism” because that usually goes hand in hand with xenophobia. People who are racist tend not to like any type of refugee or immigration.

This is more likely because it’s basically on our doorstep.

It’s is really about gender differences op

Fit young men leaving behind families are NOT the same

I agree . Whether or not there were genuine reasons behind it the demographic was mainly shown as men

Yes. Shown as men. I wonder who might have a vested interest in showing pictures of young men arriving as anti migrant propaganda. I live on the South east coast and i have seen quite a lot of these boats arrive on my daily walks. All of the boats i have seen have at least some women and/or children in. It's heartbreaking to see the parents feel they have no other option but to make a perilous journey halfway across the world and then put their very young children in an inflatable dinghy and sail it across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. I sit in my warm safe house and i couldn't possibly judge the lengths someone would go to get to safety. Just because the uk isn't letting them in, doesn't mean they're not genuine refugees.

All of he videos and interviews are not from fit young men. Stop pushing that narrative!

You jealous?

The reality doesn’t match the news.

Our relatives are nearly three weeks homeless in a foreign country, waiting for visas to be processed with no end in sight.

If they arrive it’s a limbo half life, knowing you’ll be sent home eventually. No chance to put down roots, work and rent.

Why not go to Europe? They can work, settle if they wish and move on their own timescales.

Our family are giving up and going to Ireland, so we’ll still be split up. I can’t just go and hug them easily and say ‘come here, I’ll look after you’.

Really jealous? Take away blue and yellow building and van collections and there’s not much. They have clothes and food, just no home.

So I don't know if this is true but I read that the uk is more open to Ukrainian people rather than Syrian etc due to culture and beliefs. Most of Europe share the same views and beliefs. So these people integrate into society much better than say someone coming from Middle East who pretty much don't share the same values and they would be better going to countries that share their beliefs , way of living etc.

Not sure if it's true but I can kinda understand it.

I like the modest trend ...very chic and understated. I don't feel oppressed by it...quite the opposite!

Why is it any more oppressive than heels and mini skirts?

It makes sense to me in the fact if I was to leave the uk and move abroad I think I would find say Ukraine much less of a culture shock than say if I moved to Saudi .

@VisaQuestions

Yes, ‘unlimited numbers’of refugees from Ukraine will be allowed to stay up until 3 years only. This hasn’t been done with other refugees who are allowed to stay indefinitely.

As others have pointed out there is less sympathy for men escaping from France.

And men who completely forgot to save the lives of their families by bringing them along.

Sorry, no idea how my message ended up on the wrong Board

For anyone interested in helping refugees from anywhere, the uk has refugee resettlement schemes where you can help out a family who are staying in accommodation in the uk. They need help making appointments and reading their mail as well as going to the shops and signing up to local services. This would be good for someone who wants to spend a few hours a month helping but doesn't have space in their own home.

For those that have a spare room and are motivated to help, perhaps consider fostering an unaccompanied asylum seeking child (UASC). My husband and I are doing this and are so proud of our boy. He has really settled into our family life and is learning English rapidly. If this is something that is of interest then speak to your council about fostering refugee children or contact a fostering agency. Some organisations will only let people foster if they will accept "mainstream english children" but if this isn't your thing then do shop around for an organisation that will support you.

@Indoctro it would actually be a huge culture shock. I think the misconception is just doing the rounds online in this debate people are having.
Even for us the problem of multi generational living doesn’t match. If my wider extended family leave they are grandparents, child, children in a house (common). The British offer could be spare rooms scattered around the UK for people who’ve never lived in isolation and have never run a family than way.
Religion is different, social norms are different, body language and family set up. Outside the city for example even going to a bar would be frowned on like the British do. It’s more Eastern than you realise.

I think the clash of expectations won’t be fun with this narrative doing the rounds, that Ukrainians will be able to manage the language and just slot in without support. It’ll be really hard for them with the offer put out there in the UK

@OldieWordly

Don't be misled by Govt statements or out pouring's of sympathy, approx 25k offers to house a Ukrainian out of 28m households, those 25k will all need to have CRB checks, they take weeks.

UK has approved less than 2k visa applications.

80k Ukrainians arrived in Germany yesterday alone.

The UK and the Govts response has been pitiful.

...and yes i have got my name down but as i don't have any Ukr family contacts who knows if or when any Ukrainians will actually get here.

@Cerealnamechangerer - the asylum seekers at calais and coming across the channel in small boats are majority men. There are some women but more than half are men

Our application for a visa was made on 25/2, for an idea of visa delays

NOt read the whole thread but to those saying the men are staying to fight unlike the ‘other’ men. Jesus have you no imagination? No concept of what people are fleeing from?

If I was in a situation where my son was going to get shot because of his beliefs, religion, anything I would do what I could to get him out of that.

Some of the comments just shows people total lack of knowledge about what is happening in countries across the world and how utterly privileged we are to live in a place of safety.

I’m depressed to say @OldieWordly that YANBU

the asylum seekers at calais and coming across the channel in small boats are majority men. There are some women but more than half are men

I know there are men on the boats. I've seen them with my own eyes. People are pushing the narrative here that those desperate people are all young fit men. Just pointing out that that's not true.

@WellThatsMeScrewed my male family members can’t flee. Martial law prevents them crossing the border.
It’s not just a case of wanting to stay to fight or it being a bit safer in Ukraine. Ukrainian mother’s aren’t any more keen on seeing their sons shot in the name of patriotism believe me. They’re not all eager to be in a war zone, despite the propaganda.

@JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil

You are right OP. The way this war has been covered in the media and the response of the public compared to other wars will be taught as case studies in history lessons and social studies in years to come.

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