The disturbing sight of migrants crossing the English Channel in dinghies is a timely reminder that the seemingly unstoppable human urge to seek a better life has survived even the impact of Covid-19. So have the strenuous efforts of many states, including the UK, to limit the flows. Home secretary Priti Patel’s call to deploy the navy is only the latest move in a list topped by President Donald Trump’s wall and the EU’s marooning of migrants on Greek islands.
移民乘坐小艇橫渡英吉利海峽(English Channel)這一令人心悸的景象適時地提醒我們,人類追求更好生活的愿望似乎是不可阻擋的,即便是新型冠狀病毒肺炎(COVID-19,即2019冠狀病毒病)疫情也無法阻擋這一愿望。許多國家(包括英國)為限制人員流動付出的艱苦努力,同樣無法阻擋這一愿望。各國政府采取了各種措施限制人員流動,其中最極端的兩個例子是美國總統唐納德?特朗普(Donald Trump)修建隔離墻,以及歐盟(EU)將移民困在幾個希臘小島上,英國內政大臣普里蒂?帕特爾(Priti Patel)呼吁出動海軍只是其中最新的一例。