As I’ve watched the news unfold on the Covid-19 virus, and the actions being taken to deal with it, I’ve wondered whether what we are experiencing now in the UK and elsewhere in Europe will make us more understanding of the experiences of civilians in countries affected by war, and refugees from those countries.
I think my train of thought was initiated by the fact that 15 March 2020 marked nine years since the beginning of the war in Syria. An official date for the start of the war in Yemen is 25 March 2015.
We are experiencing an interruption to normal life that is resulting in schools and businesses being closed, livelihoods disrupted and people having to isolate from each other and only go out for essentials. Some people are seeking to escape the virus by travelling to areas they think will be safer.
We don’t know how long this will last. It remains to be seen what the long-term effects on employment, on the future of our children as a result of interrupted schooling, on our economy and on our communities will be. The only thing that is certain is that the future at this time is uncertain.
In countries like Syria, Afghanistan and the Yemen, we may be surprised by the realisation that many of the problems facing people are similar, although the cause is so very different and the results are of an order of magnitude far greater. War has meant the death of loved ones, the closure of schools, the destruction of businesses, the loss of communities. People are unable to venture out safely. They go out only to get the necessities of life – food, medicines, which are often in desperately short supply. They have no control over what is happening to their lives and no clear idea of when things will get better.
For many the only solution seems to be to flee if at all possible in the hope of securing a future for their children. Sadly, this future often turns out to be illusory as they find themselves in refugee camps with no access to work, and limited access to education for their children.
In Scotland, even as the news seems to get worse, we are seeing positive signs of people working together, looking out for their neighbours and those at risk in their communities. People are also taking action to ensure our governments (UK and Scottish) don’t forget the marginalised, including the refugees and asylum seekers in our midst. There are the green shoots of optimism that this crisis will build stronger communities.
My hope and prayer is that, as we emerge from this crisis, we do not forget what we have experienced, and that this leads us to have greater understanding and compassion for the needs and actions of those affected by war, violence or disaster. We are perhaps learning that we would feel and act no differently in their shoes.