Refugees or Evacuees

[S O F I]

Which one? It sparked debate and controversy in the media, with people from NO refusing to be called refugees. The definition in the dictionary basically states the same thing about those two words.

In my opinion, they are not refugees because I was called and labeled a refugee, since I moved from one country to another, or for better, escaped from one country to another.

On a personal note, if you don't answer this thread, you better not be seen in the "reinvigorating" thread, complaining.

 

[Sebastian]

hmm..maybe u r a refugee if u, for example, leave a country on your own, without getting "official support".

on the other hand, evacuees r people, like some from NO, who get help from the government or something.

just an idea

 

[Illuminattile]

Well, technically, they are seeking refuge and so are refugees. I think 'evacuee' sort of implies that the situation is temporary and was forced upon them; they were evacuated, they didn't actively leave to seek refuge elsewhere. You usually associate refugees with those fleeing a country due to persecution.

Why did these people refuse to be called refugees, because of the connotation? That's what bothers me, the fact that 'refugee', 'immigrant' and 'asylum seeker' have become synonymouse with 'illegal immigrant' and 'dodgy foreigner coming into our country to exploit our generousity'. People don't look at the actual meaning of the words any more.

 

[AmerikazMost]

i never liked them using refugees for this...i always pictured that word with a political or suppressive underlying

 

[Cooper]

refugees to me implies the fleeing of one country bcauses of persecution etc.....i'd see these people as evacuees as they were temporily relocated due to a natural disaster.