Why Ukrainians treated differently from other refugees?

[Babymamamama]

Disclaimer I’m not a current affairs specialist and not trying to start a bun fight this is a genuine question.
Aibu to ask why it is Ukranian refugees have on appearance been treated so differently from other groups fleeing dreadful conflicts in their home country. I’m specifically thinking of Afghan and Syrian nationals as they are the two groups I’m most aware of.

Round my way people have been hosting Ukrainians, clubbing together as whole streets to contribute to flat deposits, gathering up household items to set up Ukrainians in their temporary homes, holding fundraising concerts. It’s all all admirable and I myself have also contributed where I could. But a lingering question remains -why for this group and not the others? Is this unconscious bias? Why the difference in approach and treatment? Not wanting to offend but something about this doesn’t sit well with me. Can anyone with more knowledge of world affairs enlighten me please?

Speak for yourself

This is a minority view. Most people don’t hold just abhorrent views.

People treat them differently because of what they see in the media. The media care more about Ukrainians because it sells more. It sells more because they are white. They don't look like 'normal' refugees and it seems mad that white people would be refugees in the first place. We have become numb and disinterested in refugees from anywhere else.

Absolutely this.
Whether people want to admit it or not, it’s true.

White European Christians will always be favoured over others.

Oh and this exactly proves the point that it's also because so many people are racist. How many women do you know who are from another country? In what way have people that youve met not respected our laws or culture ?

I think there is more sympathy where a previously stable country has been obviously invaded by an outside attacker, vs countries which are unstable and plagued by civil war and similar internal conflict. I think we internationally feel our government should be doing more to help and because they aren't, seek to show our support for Ukraine on an individual level

And yet my conservative LA has done loads for Syrian and Afghan refugees

Make of that what you will

The only difference I see with Ukrainian is that it is more visible.

Because they’re white and we are pre-wired to want to help our own race. And before I get a pile on I’m not saying it’s right, just an observation.

There are about 40 Jews in Syria, according to Wikipedia. I accept this isn't the most robust of sources but there is the most infinitesimally small population of Jews in Arab / Muslim countries due to deep-rooted antisemitism. Syria isn't a smorgasbord of religions all getting along. Christians do make up c10% though.

Our government has put in place measures and passed legislation enabling UK citizens to directly house Ukrainian citizens in their own homes. This is unprecedented at least in my lifetime.

Therefore Ukrainians have a different status in the UK in comparison to others fleeing conflict. Stands to reason they'll be perceived differently by the native population.

As for why that's happened, well see my posts above.

I don’t know whether younger MNetters remember the Ugandan Asians who were expelled by Idi Amin & moved to the UK, the Vietnamese boat people who moved here, the Somalis who moved here in the early 1990s. It’s possible they don’t realise how these groups came here.

Its also to do with our population. Lots of people in the uk have connections to eastern European countries like Poland, Romania etc where this is happening on their doorsteps. Those communities and people tend to be more integrated with the local people than Syrian/Afghan diaspora.

That's another point which I had forgotten

We still have a large Eastern European population and the local Polish community are leading on a lot of work

Indeed!

I find it deeply troubling (and telling) that so much money and media hype has been thrown at the Ukrainians and the war, when Afghanis, Syrians, and refugees of other wars have been treated so very, very differently.

Big push in the media and from politicians to paint the conflict between Ukraine and Russia in as black and white terms as possible, and portray Ukrainians as ‘like us’ (ie white European with cultural similarities - not that I think there are cultural similarities, personally) as possible.

Because they are European, white and not Muslim.

Well said.

I’d say ‘prejudiced and divisive’, rather than ‘racist’, but I strongly agree they only do harm. They tend to be from watchers getting info from the internet and making presumptions, rather than anyone with any real insight or awareness. Basically ‘I see the daily Mail is supportive therefore I believe that this nation has a golden ticket’.

This is a very recent thing, post the creation of Israel. There is not deep rooted anti Semitism. Muslims, Jews and Christians lived peacefully together for a long time.

I think this is the reason.

I know it seems racist, but I really think its got more to do with being able to identify with these people.

I think we see a similar thing with food banks vs feeding starving children in Africa. (I know, I know but that's what it usually comes down to. Feed the world and all that)
People see the British children in poverty, think that that's not too far from their own situation and therefore donate to a local food bank. However, if people see an advert on the telly of starving children with flies on their face and living in slums, well that's a world apart and therefore not hitting as close to home.

I must say that I am not in the position to donate to any charity, neither is my sister, however she has many pets and still finds money to donate to a local animal charity. I give a few extra tin cans and bits for the school harvest festival, raising food for local food banks.
in reality our money might be better off going to the children from different countries who are in real poverty, pain, starving. But we put our money closer to home because it is just that- close to home.
obviously we both would prefer every child to eat but we donate to animals and foodbanks for local people who I know are not starving and have much better facilities available to them than a child in a slum in some war torn country.

I suppose if it's not at your door it doesn't hit the spot.

then there is the fact that Russia is Russia and Putin is Putin and people might find it easier to get angry at him. I wouldn't even know who is at war in these war torn countries but I feel like Russia could come after me and the people in Syria or wherever else, their threat is no threat to me so I don't agonise over it like I would a country I can identify with.

I Don't think it's wrong for me to feel this way either. If I were to donate £1 to a local food bank, that's maybe 4 tins of beans in someones bag. However if I donated £1 to a big charity, its eaten up by admin, travel costs, office buildings, advertising. my money isn't going to even get to Africa or Syria.

I don't donate regularly to anything, but I can see why people would identify more with these refugees. Also it seems a bit closer to a ww3 according to Facebook, mumsnet, the newspapers, etc. So that's scary.

I think there is more sympathy where a previously stable country has been obviously invaded by an outside attacker, vs countries which are unstable and plagued by civil war and similar internal conflict

cough cough Iraq…

Does anyone have any knowledge of attitudes of non-predominantly white countries towards refugees?

My dissertation was on humanitarian responses to different genocides, and I did a funded research project on genocides, but I haven't studied much of that area. Another researcher was covering innate bias, and I wish I'd paid more attention.

Broadly, however, I think that people are overly optimistic about the ability to overcome bias. I think that an approach that incorporates and mitigates biases is more realistic.

I suppose one of the main points to consider aswell is that people are free to help who they please, whether that be a dark skinned, light skinned, human, animal, child, adult, prisoner, homeless, male, female...

I don't donate to any charity BUT I do help my own family. I wouldn't bring in a refugee but I would bring in a sibling. I wouldn't give money to a stranger but I would a friend.
Their needs are less than a refugees but I'm perfectly entitled to help who I please and refugee comes after family.
These good deeds aren't racist, because I haven't helped a black family.

I think it's a slippery slope, questioning people's motives for kindness, it may make people think before they help someone again in they are labeled racist for housing a refugee.

Because as a country we're still incredibly racist if it's not to our benefit!

Us and them mentality, racism and also role of media and how other cultures are portrayed. Makes me very sad tho as the Syrians resettlement program was a vulnerable person relocation programme aka those in that scheme had a clear vulnerability in the family - experience torture, significant disabilities , basically their lives wouldn’t last long if they remained in the camps. I work with such families and they face tremendous difficulties, hardships and treatment whereas now Ukrainians are treated much more favourable and accepted in communities . Makes me sad for all the Afghan and Syrian family’s remaining in camps under horrific conditions without an option of resettlement .

My big question is, why shouldn't we identify with the Ukrainians?
Their lives, society and culture are similar. Therefore they fit into our lives and society easier. They can live anonymously in our cities or rural locations.

The adjustments you have to make are minimal in comparison to an Afghan or a Syrian family.

It's the same as us going to pre conflict Syria or Afghanistan, the adjustments we would have to make to fit into the society would be huge.

And subconsciously, human nature does not like "other" it likes "same" or "similar" in order to identify and sympathise. We base our values on this, whatever the colour of our skin, hair or eyes.