Forced Displacement in Conflict Settings

The phenomenon of the displacement of human communities is not new. Since the beginning of time, the need to leave the homeland for various reasons (wars, famines, or natural disasters) has been part of history. However, it is precisely in our days that this phenomenon has become more complex and has reached global connotations. Therefore, this situation requires a multidisciplinary, comprehensive, broad, and purposeful approach. In this sense, both ethics and bioethics offer us a privileged angle for criticism, analysis, and understanding of this problem. This book brings together the research work that authors worldwide have developed around forced displacement in conflict settings, from various perspectives that have the peculiarity of being located in different geographies. In this way, the book is the perfect occasion to have a conversation between the multiple authors and the themes that it is composed of. A conversation in which, through its encounters and contrasts, will be possible to approach answers to a complex subject that challenges contemporary societies in an increasingly, insistent and pressing way. The consideration of the political, economic, and social crossings in the conflict scenarios discussed in this book, allows the authors to delve into the consequences that forced displacement brings to the field of subjectivity. As we understand it, (bio)ethics is a practice of thought that invites us to the arduous but urgent exercise of making what marks of our time thinkable. The mosaic that this book offers, allows us to draft a picture of forced displacement in conflict scenarios as one of the tragedies of our time that demands urgent attention. In the different lines and approaches that make up the pages of this text, we will find the role that legislation, legal frameworks, and political systems can play in offering solutions to this crisis, not only regarding urgent matters but also on the structural and strategic aspects that must be considered in the medium and long term. Thus, for example, it is worth highlighting the need to address the dire challenges of our time, such as the defense of Human Rights and the need for the various governments and political systems (the European Union, for example) to maintain an adequate asylum policy and migrants’ protection. We are in a time when it is necessary to speak frankly, honestly, and seriously about the (bio)ethical and biopolitical implications of concepts such as refugees, borders, displacement, and asylum. It is striking that in our time the subject of migration is still considered a matter of“national security” . The refugees and displaced are subjected to immense suffering. Leaving behind their lands and communities and arriving at places where they are not always welcome, imposes an extra burden, in addition to those already brought by their previous situations. Of course, we speak about those who leave not by choice but because they had no other choice. The impact on the life and health of these people is enormous. The abuses and segregation displaced people are exposed to shed light on the lack of humanity that modern societies have reached in our time. Moreover, things can be even more drastic in the case of children, the elderly, or those with disabilities.

It is necessary, then, as glimpsed in the chapters that form this book, to go beyond the mere reports of dramatic cases, the sole complaint, or the theorizing around the phenomenon. It is not only about rescuing the vulnerable, but also the recovery of the loss of humanity behind all the cases of forced migration that stained our currently convulsed world through a careful, respectful, and supportive approach. This perspective is joined by voices that denounce the suffering and oppression of all those who have lost their land and home and are searching for a safe place for themselves in the world, suggesting at the same time new appreciations and possible solutions. Having mentioned the above, we highlight the value of the experiences and analyses proposed by the different authors in the following pages. We especially thank them for their significant contributions that made it possible for this project to materialize. This book reflects fruitful exchanges, debates, and collaborations in different times and settings, highlighting the relevance of interdisciplinary work, open to broadening the horizon of knowledge through multiple perspectives and the always different, and therefore, enriching view from the other. It is a testimony of the collaborative work developed from an ethical and evidence-based perspective, fundamental characteristics of the bioethical view that encouraged us to publish it. Finally, we cannot end without mentioning that when this book was in the editing phase, we were bitterly surprised by the war in Ukraine. As of March 2022, millions of Ukrainians had to flee their homes to escape bombing by Russian forces. The improvised destinations were initially neighboring countries such as Moldova, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland, but the diaspora has reached the whole of Europe and other continents. Once again, we are confronted with shocking images of long caravans, refugee camps, devastated cities, wounded people, and dead bodies, making humanity grieve. Subsequently, this book on ethical-social issues in situations of armed conflict and displacement seems to be sadly timeliness. We are convinced more than ever that refugees and displaced people are a moral test for our world. Our hope is that the following pages will contribute to a better understanding of the problem and conceiving possible solutions. Refugees and displaced people demand ethical sensitiveness, solidarity, and concrete actions from everyone, particularly the States and international bodies and institutions. For those who relentlessly work in the field to attend to the urgent needs of such vulnerable and frequently forgotten people, go our admiration and acknowledgment. Andrea Hellemeyer Eduardo Díaz-Amado Editors