Well-founded fear

I’ve been sent a copy of the University of Oxford’s newly-published annual report because back in November they asked to use some of my photos of 66 Men of Grandpont, a project commemorating the impact of the appalling slaughter of a century ago on one local community, among very many.

I was pleased to see them in print but much more pleased to be opposite a header saying ‘Supporting Refugees’ and absurdly delighted that the refugee in the picture opposite happens to be the only person in the report I know.

Meanwhile I am so shaken by Trump’s pronouncement on refugees that I feel physically sick. The 1951 Refugee Convention, which the US agreed to in 1968, defines a refugee as a person who:

owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.
 
It struck me today that if things continue as they are, some US citizens may be eligible to claim refugee status soon.