Caravan is a wake-up call

Turning a human tragedy into a short-term political sparring game in the US distracts attention from the real issue: the growing gap between rich and poor globally.

The root causes of the caravan of migrants heading to the US are manifold and include abuses of natural and human resources and the destruction of indigenous cultures and social and governance structures. The vacuums left when those powers were forced to leave due to international pressure provided fertile ground for poor governance, corruption and abuse of power.

There have also been wars across the globe driven by greed, ideology and power hunger, and lately an increase in natural disasters and severe droughts accelerated by climate change.

Ironically, powerful nations that did not place a high premium on sovereignty and foreign borders during “the good old times” now want to seal their borders. They abused the resources of other countries but are no longer willing to plough back a share of their accumulated wealth into the countries from which they benefited.

Instead of helping people where they are, which is the only viable long-term solution, there is a growing tendency to simply close their eyes to the pain and need in the world.

The US, which traditionally understood its role as the so-called leader of the free world and its responsibility to play a stabilising role given its economic and political power, is now withdrawing into its comfort zone.

Dawie Jacobse Sterrewag