Suketu Mehta has authored an interesting book: “This Land Is Our Land:  An Immigrant’s Manifesto”

The author is of Indian origin, now an American citizen. “When I had an Indian passport, border officials all around the world treated it like the mark of Cain.”  When author’s grandfather was confronted by a British citizen asking reason for coming to UK; he replied: “We are here because you were there.” (British ruled India)

He has presented several case studies giving insightful facts about the travail, trouble and agony of most migrants.  For example, Rohingas when they were fleeing, children above 2 years of age and below 5 years died miserably.  That age group children could not be carried by parents or could not run like older kids.

He has tried to answer the four relevant issues:  1) The migrants are coming; 2) Why they’re coming; 3) Why they’re feared; and 4) Why they should be welcomed.  

The author writes: “Migration is a constant of human history.  But with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, we started travelling greater distances in shorter times on trains, steamships, cars and jet planes.”  He contrasts distress migrants to ‘Expats’– more glamorous term. Expats movement is voluntary, unforced by historical or economic circumstances.  “Migration is like the weather:  people will move from areas of high pressure to those of low pressure.”

One Christian officer in the border of US-Mexico had shared to the author, that migrants are like Adam and Eve who got deported from Garden of Eden. Most migrants have desire to survive, secure better future for their children. Survival migration because of environmental degradation, starvation and gang warfare.

The author provides good insight: “The first thing that a new migrant sends to his family back home isn’t money; it’s a story…Stories have power, much more power than cold numbers.” Nannies spend their lives caring for somebody’s else’s child while their own are strangers to them. “Every immigrant has left a love behind.”

A taxi driver from Africa serving in middle east shares that his body is of less value than the body of the car; if he’s sick, the company won’t take care of him, but if the car suffers a scratch, the company will spring into action and demand that he fix it.  A person’s dignity is determined by passport when s/he travels beyond national borders.  “In all 40 per cent of all the national borders in the entire world today were made by just two countries; Britain and France.”

The author thesis is: “When the colonial regimes withdrew their soldiers and viceroys, they replaced them with their businessmen.” They wanted commodities, cheap labour and captive market.  The business people who invest in the former colonies move their profit to sixty plus tax havens controlled by the West.

Four threats facing humanity: 1) The concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a tiny corporate elite; 2) Climate change; 3) The unprecedented numbers of people fleeing conflict, persecution, human rights abuses, social breakdown and climate disasters; and 4) The use of military power over diplomacy to resolve disputes.

 “Migrants come to work because they can’t work at home.” The author asserts: “The West is being destroyed, not by migrants, but by the fear of migrants.”  Bias against like ‘all migrants are terrorists’ Or ‘Muslims are terrorists,’ Is unfounded.  According to author ‘the greatest facilitator of race-hatred against refugees isn’t a tabloid; it’s Facebook.’ “The social network has become the hate network.”

The author is concerned about rich and poor divide.  The rich have become richer and influence political power.  Hence, the outrage of poor against rich and political authorities is redirected towards migrants craftily.  He says, “There is a tax on being poor…. Bank charges… higher rates…etc.’  “The new robber barons have come to power, and intend to hold on to it, on the wings of xenophobia.”

Host countries should realize: “Diversity isn’t just a nice thing to have; it is actively essential to attract the kind of people who create wealth.” Migrants help economy to grow.  Migrants need papers that establish: identity, accomplishment, victimhood. They experience change – radically, irrevocably, suddenly.”  Author writes that: Immigrants have right to practice their religion, culture or food.  Also demands migrants who have already arrived to be legalized.

The author desires and demands that there should be free movement of people without any restrictions like visa.  The book provides insights to the plight of various migrants from different continents of the world.  In essence, ‘colonialism resulted in modern migration’.  If migrants are victims of colonialism, hence, they have right to move to country of their choice.  That should be legal and welcomed.

Good book for those who are involved in urban missions, especially serving migrants.