Written by Gemma Bovenizer
The Syria crisis is still ongoing. Just because it’s not on the news anymore does not mean it’s not still happening. Just because we’ve moved on with our lives does not mean that there are millions that can’t. Right now the world is seeing a humanitarian crisis and a level of human displacement that has not been seen since World War II. The Syrian crisis itself will reach its fifth anniversary in March of this year. Five years this has been happening yet the majority of us are only realising how bad the situation is recently. Why? Well as selfish and inhumane as it is it’s because it hasn’t affected us. We hear of large numbers of people being killed or seeking refuge, but large numbers makes it easier to ignore. The numbers are so large that we forget that these are individuals and not just a statistic. But now that it is beginning to affect us and Europe with thousands of refugees seeking safety in our countries, people begin to care. Just a few months ago people began to understand the problem when a three year old boy’s body washed onto the shores of Turkey. The image appalled people and quickly spread around the world. This boy is just one of millions.
Syria has a population of 22.8 million people. Since the outbreak of the Civil war in spring 2011, 11 million people have fled their homes. That is more than half the population. 7 of this 11 million are displaced in their own country with the remaining 4 million seeking refuge in Syria’s neighbouring countries Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq, these countries are unable to cope with this amount of people and so the refugees are forced to look elsewhere.
Refugees are NOT illegal. I think people need to understand the difference between the words “migrant” and “refugee”. A migrant chooses to leave their country whether it is because of a job, or better education. But according to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) “Refugees are persons fleeing armed conflict or persecution. These people for whom the denial of asylum has potentially deadly consequences.” One of the countries that have denied refugees numerous of times is America. The U.S is afraid that letting refugees in opens a window for terrorist getting into their country. Since 9/11 a quantity of the population has been somewhat islamaphobic. They are afraid that refugees because of their religion have been radicalised. Please understand just because a terrorist organisation claims to have the same religion as you does not mean that everyone in that religion believes in the same morals. Refugees have certain rights under the United Nations such as the right not to be arrested or penalised if they enter a country illegally, the right to security and the right to religious expression.
Just imagine if war broke out in your country so you had to flee, and you moved to a neighbouring country but because everyone else had the same idea as you there was no room. And so you were forced to move further only to be welcomed by angry people accusing you of stealing their jobs or their land, or even being a terrorist. You don’t understand, all you want is safety and where it is safe they accuse you of being something you’re not. What a welcome.
The reason so many refugees are suddenly heading to Europe is because although countries like Turkey and Lebanon are giving refugees shelter and food they are not legally allowed to work there, and so they have turned to Europe. Refugees enter Europe on ships in which they pay thousands to get on to get to countries such as Italy or Spain. These ships are run by smugglers or human traffickers. They are packed with as many people as humanly possible and shipped off. 3,500 people died in 2014 alone after these boats overturned due to the unsafe amount of people onboard.
This crisis is our problem too. This has nothing to do with ethnicity or religion it has to do with the fact that we are all human beings; we are all one species only divided by borders to keep the peace because mankind has not gotten to the point where we can all live peacefully together. Until that time we must all come together to support our fellow human beings. To end with a quote by poet Seamus Heany, “Who is my neighbour? My neighbour is mankind”.
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