Why we would rather take in a Ukrainian than a Syrian

One refugee is not the other, it turns out. Municipalities and residents are doing everything they can to provide safe shelter for thousands of Ukrainians. According to aid organization Takecarebnb, 2,700 North Hollanders have already registered as host families.

Ukrainian refugees are met open arms welcomed, while a hard fist is often made against the reception of refugees from other parts of the world throughout the province. Where does this massive compassion towards these refugees suddenly come from?

Fire letter and protests

A step back in time: At the end of 2020, the government called on municipalities to accommodate twice as many status holders. The Alkmaar region then responded in a fire letter to The Hague that this was an impossible task and that other home seekers would be duped. Various municipalities, including Amsterdam, Velsen, Uithoorn and the West-Friesland region, joined in.

Last year, the COA’s request to place hundreds of refugees in an empty former tax office was also accepted by the municipality Alkmaar rejected† “The risks for Alkmaar are too great”, was the statement. Less than two months ago protested dozens of Overveners against housing status holders in a residential complex.

But the war in Ukraine teaches us that the province is far from full. In barely a month, the West Friesland region is preparing for the reception of almost 600 Ukrainian refugeescatches Hilversum more than 700 refugees and also offers housing to hundreds of Ukrainians in the Alkmaar region. In addition, the Alkmaar sports palace transformed into a transfer locationwhere a permanent residence location is assigned within 24 hours.

Text continues.

Ukrainian refugees can travel visa-free and have the right to housing, income, education and care in every European country. With their special status, Ukrainians do not have to follow the classical asylum procedure.

Such a special residence arrangement is not available for 15-year-old Achmad from Syria and his family. For two and a half months he and his parents and sister have been taken care of in the AZC in Heerhugowaard, where they hope to stay until the end of their asylum procedure.

Going back to Syria is in any case not an option, according to the family. “The economy in Syria has been completely destroyed. There is a lot of unemployment and life there has become unaffordable. Assad is still in power and he even looks like to be on good terms with the United Arab Emirates† It’s still unsafe after all these years.”

Achmad follows the news of the invasion of Russia closely. He notices that some politicians express themselves in a rather discriminatory manner and that the media offers a platform for this without any contradiction. “It is very bad what is written and said. Muslims are regularly portrayed as terrorists with beards in white dresses, with camels and a harem of women. After the 9/11 attacks, life for Muslims has changed forever. a kind of Muslim fear arises, because terrorism is automatically linked to Islam.”

‘Blue eyes and blond hair’

According to human rights organization Euro-Med, the war in Ukraine puts a exposing deep-rooted racism towards non-Europeans among politicians and within the media. For example, French journalist Philip Korb told the BFM television channel: “We are not talking about Syrians fleeing the bombing of a Putin-backed regime, we are talking about Europeans leaving in cars that resemble our own.”

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov added: “These people are intelligent and well-educated. This is not the wave of refugees we are used to. People of whom we were not sure of their identity, people with an unclear past, who even could have been.”

In the clip below, former Ukrainian prosecutor David Sakvarelidze told the BBC: “It is very emotional for me because I see European people, children with blue eyes and blond hair being killed.”

Text continues below video.

According to Euro-Med Human Rights, there is also open discrimination on the border of Poland. People of African, Arab and Indian descent, including students, are being stopped at the border, without food or medical care. White Ukrainians are given priority and can board the train and travel on for free, without a visa or ticket.

Fear of the unknown

Why do we seem to have a lot more empathy for white refugees? “That’s the big question,” Achmad responds. “Maybe because we’re a different color, because a lot of us are Muslim. Maybe it’s fear of the distant and unknown. Maybe, maybe, maybe. I don’t know.”

According to Achmad, the preferential treatment for Ukrainians mainly has to do with recognition through skin color and culture. “Syria is far away from the Netherlands. Ukraine is closer and the cultures are more similar. We are Arabs. We are Muslims. I do not want to speak of racism, but the Netherlands and the European Union clearly show with this massive assistance and special residence status which refugees are preferred.”

Text continues below video.

Why do we see such huge differences in engagement with refugees from Ukraine, compared to refugees from continents such as Africa and the Middle East? According to Professor of Psychology at the VU Amsterdam, Paul van Lange, there are several possible explanations for this.

Category Europe

Firstly, according to Van Lange, the extent to which we feel involved plays a major role. “Empathy, a fleeting emotion, both individually and collectively. With time the novelty and therefore the attention quickly diminish, as before the war in Syria. The endless repetition of the same sad images is burdensome in the long run.”

When asked why we didn’t offer en masse at the start of the war in 2011 to take in refugee Syrians, he replied: “We especially show genuine commitment to people who resemble us. Proximity and familiarity play a major role. “These people are part of our group because they fall under the category of Europe anyway. It’s getting closer both geographically and psychologically. This is getting closer for the whole world, because there’s still a danger of nuclear war or World War III. dictator like Assad you don’t have that feeling.”

The discriminatory reporting through the media and the racist border guard in Poland has not gone unnoticed by the professor. “In chaos, hidden, implicit discrimination can quickly become explicit. Racism is now openly displayed and committed in various media. I find that really reprehensible.”

He cites a study by the American social psychologist Sam Gaertner, in which people were called by a white or black person with car trouble. The caller stated that he had used up his last quarter with the telephone call and that he had actually wanted to call the garage. They were then asked to call the garage for them.

The results showed that people called the garage much more often with a white voice than with a black voice. “We white people often have negative associations with people of color. , often without us realizing it. We all make a difference between groups. That can give other refugees the feeling that they are not treated equally.”

no perspective

According to the professor, many problems surrounding asylum seekers’ centers, such as nuisance caused by local residents, are mainly due to the lack of prospects for this group of asylum seekers. “We often hear negative reports from Ter Apel and Drenthe and put the blame on the refugees. They are isolated from society, often traumatized, without any privacy and prospects for a better future. Then it is understandable that sometimes things go wrong. It would be nice if the Netherlands and Rutte take their responsibility and say: ‘We have made mistakes’.”

Now that the support for the reception of refugees seems so great, Van Lange now thinks it is time for The Hague to completely overhaul the current asylum policy. “We have to make sure that we treat every refugee equally and that there is reception for everyone with perspective. Housing, learning the language and work are very important to build something for your family, but other asylum seekers with the current policy have to very long wait. Much more money should be allocated for refugee shelter.”