TED2018
Yasin Kakande: What's missing in the global debate over refugees
Yasin Kakande: Wat ontbreek in die wêreldwye debat oor vlugtelinge
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In die aaneenlopende debat oor vlugteling hoor ons van almal -- van politici wat strenger grensbeheer belowe tot burgers wat vrees vir hul werke -- almal behalwe die migrante self. Hoekom kom hulle? Joernalis en TED Fellow Yasin Kakande verduidelik wat hom en vele ander aangespoor het om uit hul tuislande te vlug, om nadruk te lê op ’n oper bespreking en ’n nuwe perspektief. Die mensdom se verhaal, waaraan hy ons herinner, is ’n verhaal van migrasie: "Daar is geen beperking wat so streng is, dat dit die migrasie kan stop wat die geskiedenis van die mens bepaal het nie," sê hy.
Yasin Kakande - Investigative journalist, author
Yasin Kakande is exposing the human rights abuses of migrant workers in the Middle East. Full bio
Yasin Kakande is exposing the human rights abuses of migrant workers in the Middle East. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:17
I am an immigrant from Uganda
living in the United States
living in the United States
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Ek is ’n immigrant van Uganda.
Ek woon in die VSA
Ek woon in die VSA
terwyl ek wag vir my asielaansoek
00:21
while waiting for my asylum application
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00:23
to go through.
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om deur te gaan.
00:25
Migrants do not enjoy
much freedom of movement
much freedom of movement
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Migrante geniet nie veel
vryheid van beweging
vryheid van beweging
in vandag se wêreld nie.
00:29
in our world today.
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00:30
This certainly applies to those
who are desperate enough
who are desperate enough
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Dis beslis van toepassing op
diegene wat desperaat genoeg is
diegene wat desperaat genoeg is
om wilde en stormagtige
seetoestande in bote aan te pak.
seetoestande in bote aan te pak.
00:33
to navigate choppy
and stormy seas in boats.
and stormy seas in boats.
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00:37
These are the risks my cousins
from West Africa and North Africa face
from West Africa and North Africa face
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Dít is die gevare wat my medeburgers
uit Wes- en Noord-Afrika trotseer
uit Wes- en Noord-Afrika trotseer
00:42
while trying to cross over to Europe.
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wanneer hulle probeer
oorgaan na Europa toe.
oorgaan na Europa toe.
00:44
Indeed, it is a rare
but fortunate opportunity
but fortunate opportunity
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Inderdaad is dit ’n seldsame,
maar gelukkige geleentheid
maar gelukkige geleentheid
00:48
for a migrant to address
a gathering like this.
a gathering like this.
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vir ’n migrant om ’n samekoms
soos hierdie toe te spreek.
soos hierdie toe te spreek.
00:52
But this also signifies
what often is missing
what often is missing
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Dit openbaar egter ook
wat gereeld ontbreek
wat gereeld ontbreek
00:55
in the global debate over refugees,
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in die wêreldwye
debat oor vlugtelinge,
debat oor vlugtelinge,
00:58
migrants and immigrants,
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migrante en immigrante:
die stemme van die benadeeldes.
01:00
voices of the disenfranchised.
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Burgers van vele gasheerlande,
01:03
Citizens of many host countries,
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selfs dié wat voorheen nuwe
aankomelinge verwelkom het,
aankomelinge verwelkom het,
01:05
even those that previously
welcomed newcomers,
welcomed newcomers,
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is ongemaklik met die
toename in die getalle mense
toename in die getalle mense
01:08
are uneasy about the rising
numbers of individuals
numbers of individuals
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01:11
coming into their countries.
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wat in hulle lande inkom.
Die onmiddellike kritiek is
dat die nuwelinge die stabiliteit
dat die nuwelinge die stabiliteit
01:13
The immediate criticism
is that the newcomers upend the stability
is that the newcomers upend the stability
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van maatskaplike welsyn en
werksgeleenthede in die lande ontwrig.
werksgeleenthede in die lande ontwrig.
01:17
of social welfare and employment
in their countries.
in their countries.
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Onsekere en skeptiese burgers
soek antwoorde by politici
soek antwoorde by politici
01:21
Uncertain and skeptical citizens
look towards politicians
look towards politicians
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wat teen mekaar meeding
om te sien wie die prys kan kry
om te sien wie die prys kan kry
01:24
who are competing against each other
to see who can claim the prize
to see who can claim the prize
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vir die hardste populistiese
en nasionalistiese stem.
en nasionalistiese stem.
01:29
of the loudest voice
of populism and nationalism.
of populism and nationalism.
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01:33
It is a contest of who
is the toughest on migrants,
is the toughest on migrants,
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Dis ’n wedstryd om wie die mees
onversetlike houding teenoor migrante het,
onversetlike houding teenoor migrante het,
01:38
the most willing to impose travel bans
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die gewilligste is om
’n reisverbod in te stel
’n reisverbod in te stel
01:40
and the most eager to propose
projects in building walls.
projects in building walls.
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en die ywerigste is om
muurbouprojekte voor te stel.
muurbouprojekte voor te stel.
01:44
All these restrictions simply address
symptoms of the problem,
symptoms of the problem,
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Al hierdie beperkings spreek bloot
die simptome van die probleem aan,
die simptome van die probleem aan,
nie die oorsake nie.
01:48
not the causes.
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Hoekom is hulle besig om te kom?
01:49
Why are they coming?
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01:52
Migrants can share perspectives,
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Migrante kan perspektiewe deel,
01:53
if only politicians
would be willing to listen.
would be willing to listen.
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as die politici maar net gewillig
sou wees om te luister.
sou wees om te luister.
01:57
In Dubai, I chronicled injustices
and inequalities inflicted regularly
and inequalities inflicted regularly
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In Dubai het ek die ongeregtigede en
ongelykhede gedokumenteer
ongelykhede gedokumenteer
waaraan die migrante werkers
gedurig uitgelewer is.
gedurig uitgelewer is.
02:01
on the migrant labor force.
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Vanweë druk van die regerings
02:03
As a result, pressures
from the governments
from the governments
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van die betrokke lande
02:06
of the respective countries
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is ek uit my beroep as
joernalis in die Midde-Ooste gedwing.
joernalis in die Midde-Ooste gedwing.
02:08
led to me being forced out of my career
as a journalist in the Middle East.
as a journalist in the Middle East.
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02:13
I was deported to Uganda,
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Ek is na Uganda gedeporteer,
waar ekonomiese ontbering almal
aan die risiko van hongersnood blootstel.
aan die risiko van hongersnood blootstel.
02:15
where economic deprivation
puts everyone at the risk of starvation.
puts everyone at the risk of starvation.
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Ek het Uganda ontvlug en na
die VSA toe gekom
die VSA toe gekom
02:19
I fled Uganda to come to the United States
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met die hoop om my broers en susters
se stemme krag te gee,
se stemme krag te gee,
02:22
in the hope of sustaining a voice
for my brothers and sisters
for my brothers and sisters
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02:26
who experience a more
serious plight as migrants.
serious plight as migrants.
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vir die wat as migrante
aan ’n baie erger lot uitgelewer is.
aan ’n baie erger lot uitgelewer is.
02:30
My father told me he was not happy
about me writing a book
about me writing a book
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My pa het my gesê hy is nie
gelukkig dat ek ’n boek skryf
gelukkig dat ek ’n boek skryf
02:34
that risked deportation and unemployment.
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wat deportasie en werkloosheid
kon veroorsaak nie.
kon veroorsaak nie.
02:38
He had been diabetic for many years
when I still worked in Dubai,
when I still worked in Dubai,
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Hy was al vir etlike jare ’n diabeet,
terwyl ek nog in Dubai gewerk het,
terwyl ek nog in Dubai gewerk het,
en my salaris was altyd voldoende
om sy behandelings te dek.
om sy behandelings te dek.
02:41
and my salary was always sufficient
to pay for his treatments.
to pay for his treatments.
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02:45
After I was expelled,
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Na ek uitgesit is,
kon ek nie bekostig om steeds
sy behandeling te betaal nie
sy behandeling te betaal nie
02:47
I could not afford
to sustain his treatment,
to sustain his treatment,
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en in die laaste dae van sy lewe
02:50
and even in the last days of his life,
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kon ek nie eens bekostig om
hom hospitaal toe te neem nie.
hom hospitaal toe te neem nie.
02:53
I could not afford
to take him to a hospital.
to take him to a hospital.
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02:56
As I carried his body in my hands
to lay it in the ground
to lay it in the ground
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Toe ek sy liggaam in my arms
gedra het hom om te begrawe,
gedra het hom om te begrawe,
laas jaar Junie,
03:00
in June of last year,
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het ek besef dat ek
’n geweldige prys betaal het
’n geweldige prys betaal het
03:02
I realized I had paid a profound price
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om my stem sterker uit te dra.
03:05
for amplifying my voice.
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03:09
The act of speaking up against injustices
that are multilayered is never easy,
that are multilayered is never easy,
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Om jou te verset teen ongeregtighede
met veelvoudige lae is nooit maklik nie,
met veelvoudige lae is nooit maklik nie,
03:16
because the problems require
more than just rhetoric.
more than just rhetoric.
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want die probleme vereis
meer as blote retoriek.
meer as blote retoriek.
Terwyl goudmyne, olievelde
en groot plase in Afrika
en groot plase in Afrika
03:20
So long as gold mines, oilfields and large
farms in Africa continue to be owned
farms in Africa continue to be owned
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steeds deur buitelandse
beleggers besit word
beleggers besit word
03:26
by foreign investors
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en al daai belangrike hulpbronne
na die Weste uitgevoer word,
na die Weste uitgevoer word,
03:28
and those vital resources
are shipped to the West,
are shipped to the West,
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03:32
the stream of African migrants
will flow continuously.
will flow continuously.
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sal die stroom migrante uit Afrika
aanhou om te vloei.
aanhou om te vloei.
03:37
There are no restrictions
that could ever be so rigorous
that could ever be so rigorous
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Daar is geen beperking wat so streng is,
dat dit die migrasie kan stop wat die
geskiedenis van die mens bepaal het nie.
geskiedenis van die mens bepaal het nie.
03:42
to stop the wave of migration
that has determined our human history.
that has determined our human history.
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Voor grensbeheer versterk kan word
03:47
Before border controls can be tightened
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03:50
and new visa restrictions imposed,
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en nuwe visumbeperkings ingestel kan word,
moet lande wat jare lank
al migrante ontvang
al migrante ontvang
03:53
countries that have long received migrants
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03:56
should engage in a more open discussion.
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deelneem in oper gesprekke.
03:59
That is the only practical start
for reconciling, finally,
for reconciling, finally,
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Dis die enigste praktiese begin vir
die uiteindelike versoening van
die uiteindelike versoening van
04:05
a legacy of exploitation,
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’n nalatenskap van uitbuiting,
04:08
slavery,
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slawerny,
kolonialisme
04:10
colonialism
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en imperialisme,
04:11
and imperialism,
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04:13
so that together, we can move forward
in creating a more just global economy
in creating a more just global economy
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sodat ons saam vorentoe kan beweeg om
’n meer regverdige wêreldekonomie te skep
’n meer regverdige wêreldekonomie te skep
04:19
in the 21st century --
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in die 21ste eeu --
04:22
one that benefits all.
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een waarby almal kan baat.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Yasin Kakande - Investigative journalist, authorYasin Kakande is exposing the human rights abuses of migrant workers in the Middle East.
Why you should listen
Investigative journalist Yasin Kakande works undercover in the Middle East to expose human rights abuses of migrant workers. He investigates the reasons why Africans choose to migrate to the Middle East, Europe and America, and traces the severe consequences of countries closing their borders to African migrants. A migrant himself, first to the Middle East and recently to the US, Kakande is the author of two books: Slave States, an expose of the enslavement, trafficking and abuse of workers in the Gulf Arab Region, and The Ambitious Struggle: An African Journalist's Journey of Hope and Identity in a Land of Migrants.
Yasin Kakande | Speaker | TED.com