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American academic calls for flood of refugees to be sent to Siberia

By 0 and 0 and 0
04 September 2015

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'The refugees will not stop their attempt to enter Europe.' Picture: REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

The academic says that Russia should solve the problem now causing a huge political and economic strain to the EU countries. 'The refugees will not stop their attempt to enter Europe. Syrians, for example, suffer death and the destruction of their homes and enterprises. Many have gone to Jordan and Turkey, but those places resist further inflows,' he wrote on forum Progress.org.

'One solution would be to offer a location that has a large area and a small population, so that population growth would be regarded as an asset rather than a liability. The prime location with these features is Siberia and the Russian Far East.'

He stated: 'Siberia has a huge area, and a population of 40 million, a bit over a quarter of Russia's population. Siberia and the Far East came under Russian rule during the 1600s.'

Fred E. Foldvary

Ecoomist Fred E Foldvary teaches at San Jose State University. Picture: Fred E Foldvary

'During the Soviet era, millions of people were deported to Siberia, including those in labour camps. Most of the people living in Siberia are now Russian and various nationalities that became Russified.

'One reason why Siberia has had a low population density is its climate, the long cold winters. The region also gets relatively little rain. On the plus side, Siberia has minerals, oil, and forests.'

The Russian government is seeking to boost economic growth across Siberia and the Far East, he said. 'Russian government officials welcome investment from Asia, but fear that development may induce high immigration from China and other Asian countries.' he wrote.

Migration to Siberia

Exiles on their way to Siberia, 1902. Picture: Mariusz Wawrzeńczak

'The new enterprises will need labour, and one solution is to welcome the refugees from the Middle East as well as migrants who seek better economic opportunities. If the immigrants agree to learn Russian and become good Russian citizens, then the inflow of people into Siberia and the Far East would be a double win. Europe would have less immigration pressure, and Russia would obtain labour and population for its sparsely settled areas.'

He added: 'With a free-market policy, the Russian Far East would thrive as investment is complemented with increases in immigrant labour. A safe passage to Russia would change the flow of the migrants away from Greece and Italy and into Turkey and from there into Russia, with the cooperation of transit countries such as Georgia.'

Migration to Siberia

'Siberia has a huge area, and a population of 40 million, a bit over a quarter of Russia's population.' Picture: Vera Salnitskaya

He claimed that Russia and Europe 'could have a mutual benefit in settling refugees in Siberia and the Far East. 

'The situation is complicated by the economic controls related to Ukraine, but perhaps a general relaxation of the economic restrictions is warranted now, as we need to seek least bad solutions in a world gone mad.'

Foldvary teaches at San Jose State University.

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Comments (11)

Could it be possible that Europe flooded with refugees is not without benefit to Russa?
Judith douce, Uk
06/02/2016 23:10
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The truth about Putin seems to have hit a nerve; but I understand you have to balance comments about what is said about him in comments to your press.

But it is true; he is as guilty as Assad for all that has gone on in Syria & one day he will face justice, if not in a court of law then by the hands of the Russian people. I predicted for this year in a national newspaper in my country that this year or early in 2016 he will fall from power or he will run like so many other Dictators with what monies/riches he has stolen from Russia...probably to Syria. Yes, you're right if you are thinking I detest your President. "I do" detest him as the "Autocratic Dictator" he always was & is. I don't think there's an ounce of humanity within him.

And I believe your country is a "Pariah State" because of him & his cohorts in Kremlin & Duma.
Jaker, dundalk
15/09/2015 22:06
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1
Not a good idea - the climate would be a problem for someone from the Middle East, as would culture and religion. A better choice would be Kazakhstan - the 9th largest country in the world (larger than Western Europe) with one of the lowest population densities (just 18m people), and predominantly Muslim.
MNC, Bristol UK
10/09/2015 03:54
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haha Islamic State of Lena and Yenisei sounds something nice.
Eugene, Asia
09/09/2015 10:38
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Send them back let them fight for there own country.Running like chicken is not the answer.
todd, Austrailia
09/09/2015 03:09
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It is pure madness - or hostility to Russia - that would lead any Westerner seriously to suggest that Siberia or ANY part of Russia should take in thousands of "refugees" from the Middle East.

The issue is not of numbers but of the TYPE of people. Australia's experience of immigration of Middle Eastern Muslims, especially men, has been bad. Sweden's open door multiculturalism of recent decades has been a disaster, and has turned the country into the rape capital of Europe.

Britain and France are seeing war in the streets as non-assimilating Muslims rampage, forming explicitly racist - anti-Christian - rape gangs (as in Rotherham UK; and the same has happened in Sydney Australia).

China's Uighurs are conflating their national with jihadist aspirations, to the annoyance and justified reprisals by the Chinese government.

The issue is not undifferentiated PEOPLE; it is the type of people.

We are having this argument in Australia right now. I hope and pray that we will take thousands of Syrians from the PERSECUTED MINORITIES - especially Christians, and also Yazidis and Druze. But absolutely zero Muslims.

Why on earth would you want to import a sociopathological criminal Fifth Column which shows contempt for your laws and Consitution, has very little work ethic and has a ravenous entitlement mentality and intention to become a permanent parasite on the welfare system?
David Truman, Brisbane, Australia
08/09/2015 19:54
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También podría ser Canadá, con una densidad de población mas baja...

Esquizofrenia pura: La NATO, o sea Europa + Turquía y USA, sabotean, bombardean, atacan y destruyen países soberanos y en desarrollo (Yugoslavia, Libia, Siria, solo como ejemplos), creando estas crisis humanitarias, y luego todo el mundo debe hacerse cargo del problema...
Alonso, Chile
07/09/2015 08:36
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no one would want to become russian.
DEVIN, Amsterdam, netherlands
07/09/2015 06:42
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why doesn't the USA take them and send them to Alaska, it also has no people and it is nice and cold there.
Benedikt, Moscow,Russia
07/09/2015 01:00
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Does anyone know why Saudi-Arabia, the emirates and possibly Iran do not accept a single syrian refugee?
Hilda, Northern Europe
05/09/2015 22:51
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But only the Christian refugees (most of them Orthodox) as they can be assimilated (russified) anda above al from the economic areas on demand.
Enrique, Spain
04/09/2015 23:46
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3
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