How Covid-19 Pandemic Affectsthe Lives of Refugees
By: Eka Tania Ulina Rifa’ah
Economic growth in the world of the Pandemic 19 pandemic has slowed, McKinsey and Company, through a recent research publication predicting that global economic growth in 2020 will decline by up to 3%, with records of large countries like China, America, and Europe soon to be free of pandemic Covid-19. McKinsey and Company said if the Covid-19 pandemic continued economic growth could only grow from 1% to 1.5%. The economic impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic is far worse than the trade war between China and the United States. When the trade war countries in the world still have the option to cooperate with the United States or with the Chinese, so the trade war between the United States and China only accounted for about 1% of global economic losses. In contrast, during this pandemic, the global economy suffered losses that cannot be predicted. It means that if the Covid-19 epidemic does not pass immediately, the global economy will continue to suffer losses. If the global economy crashes, what will happen to refugees due to the Covid-19 pandemic?
The daily life and economic conditions of the refugees are already complicated, especially coupled with the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic as if the refugees died even though they were breathing, not hoping that a better future to survive amid the Covid-19 pandemic, they were already lucky. Tirto.id reported that it is challenging to find work for refugees, especially for those who are still asylum seekers, making refugees not allowed to find a job. One of the livelihoods of immigrants is to become a teacher who is generally both asylum seekers; they utilize the ability to speak English and Indonesian. Also, some of them teach in schools formed by the UNHCR agency. From this job they usually get a salary of around Rp. 2 million. Covid-19’s condition worsened, it was the reason students did not go out to study, besides the PSBB policy their status as refugees became a burden for them, what would be their fate if Covid-19 was infected with the state of being a refugee. This pandemic makes some refugees who become teaching workers lose their jobs. Consequently, they do not have the income to survive.
However, they are unable to implement the protocol, such as physical restrictions that are recommended they have to live in camps that are small and contain many refugees. If they do physical distancing, of course, it is not possible to consider the limitations of the existing place. Even regularly washing their hands is not able to consider the limitations of the available water, water is only available at certain hours. It must be able to meet all the needs of refugees. The medical assistance provided by the government is minimal, there are no hand sanitizers and masks, if they are sick they cannot go to the hospital, dating to the hospital can only be done if they are in an emergency and a critical condition. The food supply has also been reduced. In the past, the DKI Jakarta government routinely sent food, and now it has rarely been done, bearing in mind the government is also experiencing hard times. The refugees don’t have the documents. Hence they aren’t included in society. They don’t get assistance from the government because they aren’t a part of Indonesia.
When reflecting on global commitments and agreements, although not the direct responsibility of the Indonesian government, the government should also continue to implement its humanitarian policy to refugees, especially those not in shelters, all refugees should have the same right to health protection. It is inconceivable that if they turn out to be carriers of COVID-19 disease, an independent isolation policy will be in vain because on the streets, there is widespread distribution. Also, Indonesia needs to firmly collect UNHCR and IOM, which have the UN mandate in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants—then reached and agreed to A Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration to carry out its obligations without discrimination concerning protection health of refugees in Indonesia.
Refugees can only surrender to their fate, the Covid-19 pandemic, as if natural selection for them, they continue to do what they can to survive and occasionally rely on luck, hoping someone compassionate to help them. Instead of using savings to meet the needs of this challenging time, the income they have is still not enough to meet their daily needs so that no money is left aside for savings. If only one person is exposed to Covid-19, there will be a big problem.
“We don’t know when Covid-19 will be hit, but we know we won’t get a chance to go to the hospital if we do. We are refugees”- Fahed Mohammed Abdullah, Refugees from Somalia.
References:
Liputan 6 News. 2020. “KerugianAkibat Virus Corona LebihBesarDibandingPerangDagang”. https://www.liputan6.com/bisnis/read/4204016/kerugian-akibat-virus-corona-lebih-besar-dibanding-perang-dagang. On 19 June 2020.
Bernie, Mohammad. 2020. “NasibTanpaTujuanPencariSuaka di Tengah Pandemi Covid-19”. https://tirto.id/nasib-tanpa-tujuan-pencari-suaka-di-tengah-pandemi-covid-19-eMkY. On 19 June 2020.
Voi News. 2020. “COVID-19 di Jakarta: Nasib Malang PengungsiPerang di EpisentriPenularan”. https://voi.id/berita/5862/covid-19-di-jakarta-nasib-malang-pengungsi-perang-di-episenter-penularan. On 19 June 2020/
Comments