英敞開門 助難民安置生活

撰文及考題設計／British Council 英協教育中心 Melissa Henry 　　中譯／陳怡君 （中央社編譯）

“The worst refugee crisis since World War II.” That is what the media is calling the current diaspora of asylum seekers that Europe is experiencing. Approximately 50 million people fled their homes last year, most due to war. As a result, the UK, like many other European nations, has opened their doors for asylum seekers, giving them an opportunity to escape their war-torn nation.

「自二次世界大戰以來最嚴重的難民危機」─ 這是媒體所描述目前歐洲面臨的尋求庇護潮。去年約5,000萬人逃離家鄉，大多是戰爭所迫。因此英國和許多歐洲國家一樣，為尋求庇護者敞開大門，讓他們有機會逃離戰火蹂躪的國家。

When people first flee their homeland, they are classified as an asylum seeker. Asylum seekers report themselves once arriving in a foreign country and wait for approval of refugee status. In the UK, asylum seekers are provided temporary housing, can apply to receive a small amount of financial support of £5.28 a day, but do not have the right to work. Once given refugee status, refugees in the UK have the right to work and receive public funds. After five years, they can then apply for permanent settlement if they wish.

當人們逃離家園時，會被歸類為尋求庇護者。他們來到外國後先登記，等待難民身分核可。英國政府會提供尋求庇護者暫時住宅，以及一天5.28 英鎊（約新台幣257元）的小額援助，但還是沒有工作權。一旦他們獲得當局核可的難民身分，就擁有工作權與獲得公共福利金，五年後，可依意願申請永久居留。

Before 2015, most people were not aware of asylum seekers or refugees, because the media typically did not shine light on the issue. Throughout 2015, however, the media has exposed the dangerous journeys asylum seekers take to arrive in other lands; for example, traveling over sea in a small, unstable boat or on bike through cold European lands. In September, the tragic photograph of a drowned 3-year old Syrian boy on a Turkish beach went viral, showing the harsh reality of what asylum seekers endure to evade war.

在2015年以前，大多數人不會注意到尋求庇護者或難民，因為媒體一般而言不會特別關注報導這個議題。然而2015年一整年，媒體開始揭露尋求庇護者到達其他國家的危險旅程，像是搭乘小型不穩的船筏、騎單車穿越寒冷的歐洲大陸。9月時，一名3歲敘利亞男童伏屍土耳其海灘的悲劇照片被廣為分享，顯示尋求庇護者為逃離戰火而必須承受的艱困現實。

With increasing pressure to help those who were fleeing, in June 2015, European nations decided to share the burden of the massive increase of asylum seekers, the majority originating from Syria, followed by Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, and South Sudan. While initially opting out of this humanitarian effort, the UK has now been granting asylum for thousands of seekers and has committed £1.1 billion to this cause. Prime Minister David Cameron promised to bring 1,000 Syrian asylum seekers to the UK by Chr istmas, which he succeeded in doing. Now the UK has their eyes set on aiding 20,000 Syrians over a five-year period.

隨著協助難民的壓力不斷上升，2015年6月，歐洲各國決定分擔尋求庇護者大量增加的重擔，這些難民主要來自敘利亞，其次是阿富汗、索馬利亞、蘇丹與南蘇丹。儘管一開始不願插手難民事務，英國如今已為數千名難民提供庇護與挹注11 億英鎊（約新台幣535億元）經費。英國首相卡麥隆曾承諾要在耶誕節前接納1,000名敘利亞人，而他也真的實踐諾言。如今英國設下要在未來五年援助2萬名敘利亞人的目標。

To help in this effort, the UK has established a Vulnerable Person Relocation (VPR) programme to help Syrians obtain 'Humanitarian Protection'. 'Humanitarian Protection' is for people who do not legally fit the definition of 'refugee' but need international protection because of the threat of death, torture, or an armed conflict. Persons with 'Humanitarian Protection' will still have the right to work and receive public funds under this new scheme. After five years, they can then apply for permanent settlement in the UK.

為達成這項目標，英國成立「弱勢人士重安置」（VPR）計畫來協助敘利亞人獲得「人道保護」。「人道保護」是提供給不符合難民資格、卻因為面臨死亡、虐待或武裝衝突威脅而需要國際保護的人。在這項新計畫下，具「人道保護」身分的人仍有工作權和取得公共福利金，五年後也能申請永久居留。

Even with government aid, refugees flee with very little belongings and are given a minimum to start their lives over. Therefore, organizations that help refugees, such as the British Red Cross or Oxfam, have raised awareness to support and aid the refugees successfully resettle. This has involved education, housing, food, help with finding work, or any other necessity to live in 2016. All in all, although not ideal, the call for action to aid refugees is being answered, but there is still more work to be done for the future.

即使有了政府協助，難民逃離家園時幾乎身無長物，並且只獲得最低援助來幫助他們展開新生活。因此，像是英國紅十字會或樂施會等協助難民的組織，引發民眾關注支持並且成功協助難民安置，這包括教育、住宅、糧食與協助就業等，或任何其他生活在現今2016年必要面對的問題。總而言之，儘管未盡理想，但採取行動協助難民的呼聲有了回應，未來還有許多事項等著完成。(完)

更多精彩內容請見《全球中央》2016年3月號；訂閱 《全球中央數位雜誌》；本文由《全球中央》雜誌授權刊載，未經同意禁止轉載。

本網站之文字、圖片及影音，非經授權，不得轉載、公開播送或公開傳輸及利用。