Can countries deal with an avalanche of refugees?

The economic downturn in southern Europe, political unrest including struggles between different military factions and destabilisation in Africa, bigotry, imperialism and conflicts in West Asia, instability and oppression in some Asian countries is leading to a veritable flood of refugees which the empowered agencies and foreign governments have not been prepared to face. In India's neighbourhood, the Rohingyas who were pushed out of Myanmar have found no shelter in Bangladesh. Even the Myanmar's liberal leader Aung San Su Ki has not said a word about the Rohingyas.

The refugees from Africa are fleeing to the nearest haven. In Syria, where the regime is under attack from the Islamic State (ISIS) as well as by the Israeli-backed Free Syrian Army, refugees are heading for Turkey and even parts of southern Europe. Desperate refugees from Asia are heading for Australia. The Rohingyas, who have no succour have found a haven in India.

It is clear that the flood of refugees is not going to stop any time soon. The international agencies involved like United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration and so on just do not have the resources to deal with this human flood. A number of host countries are worried about the demographic, economic and cultural consequences of long-term stay of tens or hundreds of thousands of refugees.

With the Chinese economy shaky, and Europe and large parts of Africa and Asia facing economic stress, this is a very serious problem which needs to be treated as an international emergency. The combined cost of feeding, clothing, medicine, education and shelter is awesome.

India should reactivate the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and play a proactive role in the UN system. This international crises will not go away. And with weak states riven by wars and calamities, the international helpline for these refugees is becoming more and more overstretched. This is a crises of humanity. It is incumbent on all countries, peoples and organisations to work creatively and in unison to deal with this terrible human tragedy. There is no alternative.