I struggle to articulate myself without feeling that I may be accused of being insensitive;\u00a0however,\u00a0I have continually observed\u00a0an\u00a0increase in\u00a0social\u00a0injustice,\u00a0with
\nthe\u00a0fates of\u00a0displaced people\u00a0at the mercy of some of the most powerful\u00a0regimes\u00a0on earth.<\/p>\n
The pain and suffering faced by the people of Ukraine and their loved ones is heartbreaking and unjust. The point I want to make is not intended to undermine this injustice \u2013 nor belittle it. It\u2019s impossible to balance the volume of media coverage and public reaction to the refugee crisis from the war in Ukraine versus other wars and humanitarian crises\u2019 that have been ongoing\u00a0for years, some of them for over a decade.<\/p>\n
It gives me hope to see people coming together to show empathy, support and compassion to those who find themselves at the mercy of powers beyond their control. However, I cannot help but observe the racial bias within the West’s coverage of the situation in Ukraine. The harmful narrative it perpetuates highlights the difference between Europe and other nations. This inequality begs the question: what is the real difference between people fleeing war and persecution in Ukraine to those in Afghanistan?<\/p>\n
The distinctive lack of coverage and public empathy for wars in non-European countries perpetuates the idea that these lives are not worthy of protection. Is war in non-European countries unsurprising to us because of the colonial, institutionalised racism that is so ingrained in European historical narratives? Is this why people then deem it to be of less importance? And does this mean that \u2013 again \u2013 due racist prejudices (e.g. the idea that people of colour are predisposed to violence) that white lives hold more value over black and brown ones? Or perhaps we white people from rich countries are averse to recognising our complicity in arming regimes directly abusing human rights and causing\u00a0these same humanitarian crises?<\/p>\n
The world is now facing a record number of people displaced by war. We expect to see the number of refugees increase dramatically over the coming years. If we care about humanity, this exponential rise needs to be matched with services, media coverage and empathy. Instead, we have biased media coverage and a crippled unfair system in the UK, the place I call home.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":100446,"id":100446,"title":"000004000006","filename":"000004000006-scaled.jpg","filesize":358947,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/no-difference-cora-corre\/attachment\/000004000006\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"","name":"000004000006","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":100444,"date":"2022-06-14 07:59:54","modified":"2022-06-14 07:59:54","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1474,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-scaled.jpg","thumbnail-width":74,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-scaled.jpg","medium-width":1474,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-scaled.jpg","medium_large-width":1474,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-scaled.jpg","large-width":1474,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-1179x1536.jpg","1536x1536-width":1179,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-1572x2048.jpg","2048x2048-width":1572,"2048x2048-height":2048,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-scaled.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/000004000006-1572x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1572,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"6","caption":"CORA CORR\u00c9 Full Look OTTOLINGER"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"
In the UK, a bill was passed in April that criminalises those seeking asylum here. It creates two tiers of refugees, a clear and horrific segregation of those desperate people that need our help most. They will now face up to four years in prison and could be transferred to Rwanda, a country notorious for human rights abuses. These inhumane policies in the UK will devastate the lives of those who have already endured unimaginable suffering. There is a reason why people take these perilous journeys. Governments rightly praise the public support for those fleeing war in Ukraine, yet for children facings bombs in Yemen,\u00a0or Uyghurs
\nfleeing genocide in China, there are no safe and legal routes for escape, nor a fraction of\u00a0empathy shown.<\/p>\n
People who make it to the UK face a system in which they are not allowed to work and, instead, are expected to live on as little as \u00a35 a day. Meanwhile, they often have to wait four years, sometimes more,\u00a0for an answer on their\u00a0refugee\u00a0status.<\/p>\n
There is a danger that this institutionalised unbalanced approach will become more extreme as the numbers of those seeking sanctuary rise. This will reinforce inconsistencies in the way we treat human beings from different places.<\/p>\n
We must extend the same helping hand and mirror the same welcoming reception we have offered to Ukrainians to all those fleeing the hardships of war, famine and oppression. We must treat all those suffering the impacts of war and oppression with dignity and fairness.\u00a0Our principles must remain consistent \u2013\u00a0or they are not principles at all.<\/p>\n
For Ukraine, Yemen, Palestine, Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, West Papua and all those suffering\u00a0the horrors of\u00a0war and oppression.<\/p>\n
Words by Cora Corr\u00e9<\/a>.<\/p>\n As featured in SLEEK 73 \u2013 PASSION, available in Print and Digital<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":" Credits:<\/strong><\/p>\n Photography: Felix Aaron<\/a>
\n<\/span>Makeup: <\/span>India Excel<\/a>
\n<\/span>Hair: Marvin Francis
\n<\/span>Artist Management: Sian Stell @ Tess Management<\/a>
\n<\/span>Production: Studio 11.40<\/a> \/ Ronja Prinz<\/a>
\n<\/span>Photography Assistant: Elliot Huntly<\/a>
\nMany thanks to Spring Studios London<\/a><\/p>\n"}]},"yoast_head":"\n