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Pluralistic societies of the Western world not only tolerate attachments and allegiances to the old world, but welcome the diversity it creates. What would modern Canada be, for instance, without her Chinatowns, curry houses, noodle shops, shawarma shops and even hopper huts?
Every year in January, India lays out the red carpet to members of the Indian diaspora and hosts them to a week-long junket.
The Indian diaspora, smartly referred to as Non-Resident Indians (NRI), travel from the four corners of the globe to participate in networking sessions, information sessions on India’s economic prosperity and to rekindle old memories of the homeland they left behind.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is designed to connect India with its vast diaspora and to explore ways of tapping into the diaspora’s extensive knowledge, expertise and skills for mutually beneficial purposes.
Many of those who attend PBD would return to India later on; to invest in upstarts, to takeover high level jobs at some of the Indian conglomerates, on buying and selling missions for companies in the countries of their domicile, to participate in trade and cultural exchanges. Some would return to buy homes and live close to their relatives at least for the foreseeable future.
This is just one scenario of the “re-linking” of expatriates with their homelands; a scenario that is exceedingly being played out in a world that has recognized the potential of tapping into the vast resource that is the diaspora.
Diasporas have been part of the world for centuries. From biblical times, individuals as well as groups of people large and small have left the countries of their birth, seeking new lives in distant lands. Some were motivated by adventure, many fled persecution and others in search of greener pastures.
Tough challenges earlier
Historically, those who immigrated to distant lands would never really return to their homelands. Those days new immigrants faced the tough challenges of housing, feeding and educating their kith and kin.
For many, overcoming culture shock in itself was an uphill battle, and the call for assimilation was real and daunting. The distance between the new and old countries seemed to appear even farther at a time when communications and overseas travel were costly and considered luxuries.
A century ago, an immigrant would wave goodbye to this family and friends and tearfully undertake an arduous one-way journey to a distant and unfamiliar land. They would never again see these loved ones.
Many years later, those of more recent generations would remember the “airmail” letters that arrived months apart from each other, bringing news of who married who, of new births and deaths and the occasional newspaper clipping showcasing a major political development or a natural catastrophe back home.
Naturally, immigrants of previous generations would soon lose any semblance of empathy, along with connections to the land of their birth and to those who remained. They would be replaced by new ideologies, new friends and even new taste buds. Hence, the notion that those who had the courage (and the financial capability) to leave one’s shores would never return and therefore would be a loss to the homeland.
But that was then and this is now.
Fundamental break
Today, an immigrant lands at Toronto’s Pearson International and immediately sends a text to his mother announcing his safe arrival and complaining about the inflight food. Before long, he is part of a thriving multicultural society, drinking Canadian beer while discussing Sri Lankan politics.
Thanks to Facebook, Viber, Skype, Instagram, Flickr and a host of social networking and online news sites, today’s immigrants are connected to their homelands than ever before. I am amazed to witness people who left Sri Lanka 40 years ago rejoicing at the news of recent political changes back in their homeland. Not too long ago, the name “Bodu Bala Sena” riled up more negative emotions here than the bitter cold Canadian winter.
As the world becomes more and more networked, diasporas are now connected dynamically to the countries of their origin. This is a fundamental break from the way past immigrants were viewed. Add to that the relatively inexpensive airfare of today and what you have are immigrants who have excellent access to their home countries. Knowledge of what would have been distant lands with fading memories is now vibrant, continuously refreshed, debated and analysed.
Pluralistic societies
Pluralistic societies of the Western world not only tolerate such attachments and allegiances to the old world, but welcome the diversity it creates. What would modern Canada be, for instance, without her Chinatowns, curry houses, noodle shops, shawarma shops and even hopper huts?
Turning away from the early American immigration philosophy of the “melting pot,” today’s multicultural nations expect immigrants to retain their cultural identity and exist within distinct cultural communities while becoming part and parcel of their adopted countries.
And today’s immigrants have risen to the challenge, by and large, becoming illustrious citizens of the countries of their domicile while also maintaining strong cultural, social and economic links with the countries they left behind.
This seem to be turning tables on the concept of immigrants being classified as “ex-patriots” or those who left, never to return. In fact, today’s immigrants never really leave. They can successfully belong to two countries. Hence the contemporary validity of India’s acceptance of her expatriates as “Non-Resident Indians.”
In a nutshell, diasporas matter today. Diasporas are viewed as a beneficial force for source countries as well as host countries.
Reversing brain drain
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton drilled this point home in a 2012 speech to the Global Diaspora Forum in Washington, DC, when she said: “By tapping into the experiences, the energy, the expertise of diaspora communities, we can reverse the so-called ‘brain drain’ that slows progress in so many countries around the world, and instead offer the benefits of the ‘brain gain’”.
Just think. What better way is there for countries and multinational corporations to build connections across borders than to do it through the diaspora. They are clued in to developments in their old homelands, extremely well informed of prevailing political and social dynamics, have personal contacts at ground zero and know their way around.
Their knowledge of the local language, culture and business customs, coupled with their exposure to western ethics and accountability requirements, make them potent influencers. These are valuable business traits that an American corporate executive on a three-day fact-finding visit would give an arm and a leg to have.
In Canada, the diaspora is widely credited as a link that brings Canada to the world and the world to Canada. With a population comprising of over 100 different ethnicities, Canada has realised the benefits of engaging some of their knowledge and expertise to enhance cross-border trade and also uses their insights to fine-tune her foreign policy.
In addition to facilitating global reach and commercial opportunity, the diaspora is also exposed to and well-versed in good governance practices and Western business ethics and are likely to be a strong supportive voice for civil society organisations and change agents working in countries with corrupt regimes.
Relook policy
Sri Lanka should take another look at its policy of engaging her large diaspora. Perhaps a new policy of re-linking with this population is in order; one that does not necessarily call for them to return, but a policy that envisions the building of bridges between the new countries of their domicile and the old countries of their youth.
Through such bridges, Sri Lanka would witness the exchange of knowledge, trade, democratic dialogue and a host of other ideas that will enrich both the old and the new world.
(The writer is a former journalist in mainstream media and now lives in Canada. He could be reached via email: [email protected].)
