When conflict erupts in a country where thousands of our people have built their lives, the government scrambles into action. Evacuation plans are rolled out, flights are organized, and officials proudly declare their commitment to bringing our “modern-day heroes” home.
But there’s an uncomfortable truth no one wants to admit:
Some of them don’t want to leave.
And who can blame them?
They left because home offered them nothing—no jobs that paid enough, no safety nets to catch them if they fell, no real future to hold onto. They didn’t choose to work oceans away from their families because they wanted to; they did it because they had to.
Now, when danger looms, the same government that failed them suddenly arrives with flags waving and plane tickets in hand. But instead of asking, “How can we help you, no matter where you are?” the message is more like: “Get on the plane. Now.”
Never mind if they’re not ready. Never mind if staying feels safer. Never mind if they’ve spent years building a life there.
Let’s be honest: Forcing someone home isn’t care—it’s control.
The government’s real job was to create a country where people didn’t have to leave just to survive. It didn’t. So they left. And now, the same system that failed them wants to play the hero by dictating their return.
By all means, offer support. Send flights. Provide shelter. Give them real choices. But above all, give them respect. Let them decide what happens next with dignity.
Because if you weren’t there when they packed their bags out of sheer desperation, maybe you don’t get to decide when—or if—they come back.
