With refugees lashing the shores of Europe, the deluge of migrants threatens to overwhelm a creaky system already struggling to manage its scarce resources. Greece has appealed to its European Union peers to come to its help as migrants escaping the wars in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan land in hundreds on its shores every day.
The problem in Greece has been compounded by the severely strained financial system of the country — a result of the years-long debt crisis. When Greece can hardly take care of its citizens, it cannot be expected to provide for the thousands who land on its shores from countries as far as Africa. The country is heavily dependent on a network of volunteers who lend their services in the service of migrants. After entering the country with women and children, including infants, migrants are in dire need of medical care, food and shelter.
Numbers speak for the worsening situation in Greece. 21,000 refugees came to the country last week. This figure is close to half the total number of refugees who entered Greece in 2014. The Mediterranean nation known for its pristine islands and historical sites has already seen 160,000 migrants arrive this year.
Asking European Union to take effective steps, Athens has said the problem cannot be addressed by strict legal measures and definitely not by overturning the boats. Some European nations have reacted with alacrity to the throngs of migrants and started building fences along borders. Calais in France has become a hub of migrants trying to cross over illegally into Britain through the tunnel connecting the countries. Borders and fences might stanch the flow of people for a short period, but they are definitely not a solution. Building barriers against persecuted and oppressed people is like treating the symptom rather than the disease.
Overwhelming as it is, the problem is not only giving sleepless nights to authorities in Athens. Other capitals like Rome, Madrid, Paris, Skopje, Budapest and Ankara have been grappling with the crisis. Though the hordes of migrants arriving in Greece pass through Turkey, the Turkish government deserves accolades for giving shelter to close to two million refugees from Syria on its soil. The refugee crisis would have spiralled out of control for Europe if Ankara wouldn’t have been so magnanimous.
It need not be stressed that the refugee problem is fast becoming unmanageable. The crisis is acute in southern Europe, and is slowly seeping into other parts of the continent. Germany yesterday said it expects 800,000 asylum seekers this year.
Considering the scale of the problem, it is not only European Union that should deal with it. The United Nations and the Permanent Five should play a role in suggesting measures and come to the help of Europe, if needed.
With refugees lashing the shores of Europe, the deluge of migrants threatens to overwhelm a creaky system already struggling to manage its scarce resources. Greece has appealed to its European Union peers to come to its help as migrants escaping the wars in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan land in hundreds on its shores every day.
The problem in Greece has been compounded by the severely strained financial system of the country — a result of the years-long debt crisis. When Greece can hardly take care of its citizens, it cannot be expected to provide for the thousands who land on its shores from countries as far as Africa. The country is heavily dependent on a network of volunteers who lend their services in the service of migrants. After entering the country with women and children, including infants, migrants are in dire need of medical care, food and shelter.
Numbers speak for the worsening situation in Greece. 21,000 refugees came to the country last week. This figure is close to half the total number of refugees who entered Greece in 2014. The Mediterranean nation known for its pristine islands and historical sites has already seen 160,000 migrants arrive this year.
Asking European Union to take effective steps, Athens has said the problem cannot be addressed by strict legal measures and definitely not by overturning the boats. Some European nations have reacted with alacrity to the throngs of migrants and started building fences along borders. Calais in France has become a hub of migrants trying to cross over illegally into Britain through the tunnel connecting the countries. Borders and fences might stanch the flow of people for a short period, but they are definitely not a solution. Building barriers against persecuted and oppressed people is like treating the symptom rather than the disease.
Overwhelming as it is, the problem is not only giving sleepless nights to authorities in Athens. Other capitals like Rome, Madrid, Paris, Skopje, Budapest and Ankara have been grappling with the crisis. Though the hordes of migrants arriving in Greece pass through Turkey, the Turkish government deserves accolades for giving shelter to close to two million refugees from Syria on its soil. The refugee crisis would have spiralled out of control for Europe if Ankara wouldn’t have been so magnanimous.
It need not be stressed that the refugee problem is fast becoming unmanageable. The crisis is acute in southern Europe, and is slowly seeping into other parts of the continent. Germany yesterday said it expects 800,000 asylum seekers this year.
Considering the scale of the problem, it is not only European Union that should deal with it. The United Nations and the Permanent Five should play a role in suggesting measures and come to the help of Europe, if needed.
