Statement by the ICM Director
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2435.1983.tb00429.x |
| Author | James L. Carlin |
| Date | 01 April 1983 |
| Published date | 01 April 1983 |
Statement
b
v
J
the
ICM
Director
James
L.
Cadin*
It is a singular privilege for me to address this distinguished gathering at the outset of
the 6th Seminar on current issues in International Migration. The previous Seminars
in
this series have proven their value as opportunities for free and wide-ranging debate of
important aspects of migration, and
I
have no doubt that the discussions here this
week will be equally successful for the exchange of information and the stimulation of
ideas.
Our theme
-
‘Undocumented Migrants or Migrants in an Irregular Situation’
-
is a
most challenging one and one that has aroused considerable interest among govern-
ment officials, social scientists and researchers, as well as representatives of inter-
national and non-governmental organizations concerned with the phenomenon of
Migration.
International Migration presents opportunities for the betterment of both indi-
viduals and nations, but it also presents problems. One of the problems is irregular
migration, which might be viewed today as a side-effect of the world’s present
economic difficulties. In convening this Seminar,
ICM
shares the widespread concern
that the present adverse economic conditions are contributing to the global upsurge of
irregular migration and, consequently, are making migrants more vulnerable to dis-
crimination and abuses, including at times, neglect of their fundamental human rights.
Irregular migration, while not a new phenomenon, has become of increasing
concern as a matter affecting at one and the same time national government
policies, regional interests and international relations. Irregular migration tends to
inspire negative attitudes towards normal migration.
For most of the last century and early in the present one, emigration flows went
mainly from densely populated and industrialized countries, particularly in Europe,
to
the traditional overseas countries of reception
-
countries known for their immigrant
absorption capacity, low or relatively low population density and potential for
economic growth. Much of it was planned and sponsored. Today migration is, to a
great extent, intra-regional and flows from developing countries with rapidly growing
populations and underemployment to countries with developed and rather more
sophisticated economies.
*
Statement also
available
in
French
and
Spanish.
97
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