An Observation on the Ukraine Refugee Crisis

Many Ukrainian families walked across the border to flee the war in their country (Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash)

We all are witnessing in real time the emerging conflict in Ukraine prompted by the Russian invasion. This level of violence has not been seen on the European continent in two generations. While there are also other conflicts of equal intensity currently happening elsewhere in the world, this one is different because it directly involves a nuclear superpower: Russia. This conflict could escalate into a global or nuclear conflict, and there are no winners when nuclear weapons are involved.

As Ukrainian citizens rush to get out of the way of the bombs, they walk, drive, and crowd into trains and busses to the nearest borders. In the midst of this chaos, we see images of Black and Brown people being pushed off trains, or not being permitted to continue their journey at all. From an American perspective, this appears as one more example of pure racism. But is that all that it is? There is always more than meets the eye.

Nationals from the African continent and the Indian Subcontinent study in Ukraine because education there is less expensive and more extensive than where they are from. Many have said that they encountered some awkward interactions like people not wanting to sit too close to them on the train. But for the most part, the people of Ukraine are kind and friendly.

When the war broke out, these foreign nationals were left to figure out a way to leave the country safely. However, calls to Indian or Nigerian embassies were often left unanswered. One Nigerian national commented that his government was taking a “nonchalant approach as always” to his plight (Foreign students fleeing Ukraine say they face segregation, racism at border). As a result, many African and Indian nationals were left stranded.

Now, why would phone calls go unanswered, or requests slow-walked? Well, if we dig deeper into the geopolitical factors underlying the Ukrainian-Russian conflict we see that many African nations and India are either neutral or even siding with Russia. Many Ukrainians know this, so when they see a Black or Brown person, many things come to mind, including the fact that the country they are from maybe are supporting the Russian invasion and the horrible suffering of their people.

Under stress and duress people will often revert to their worst tendencies. Ukraine is not the USA. There is a strong sense of national identity informing the struggle for independence and self-determination. Foreign nationals, especially those who do not fit into that idea are seen as the other… and treated unfairly as a result.

In contrast, the United States has been a long experiment in multiracial, multilingual, and multinational identity development. Ukraine, however, has a different history, so we cannot hold them to the same standards as we would if this were to happen here. For example, Ukrainians do not have the painful history of African slavery that we in the US are still trying to address. That said, they do have a long and often troubled history with their neighbor Russia, although those people are not as different in appearance.

Once the conflict in Ukraine subsides, and the humanitarian crisis is better addressed, we can begin the discussion about how Black and Brown people were treated at the border. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is a man who has shown himself to be honorable, brave, and righteous. I hold out hope that he will address this matter in the future. Inclusion and human dignity are important to all successful leaders. For now, he needs to focus on saving his country and his people.

I say all this to remind us that there often is more to conflict than meets the eye. Whether it is an issue at home, at work, or in another country, we can all relate. So, collect all the facts; learn what is happening; determine what the realistic expectations are at any given moment; and then become part of the solution. I think that is an important life lesson for everyone.

Many captured Ukrainian soldiers are missing and may not come home from the war (Photo by Алесь Усцінаў on Pexels)