Every year, thousands of people fleeing violence, insecurity, and persecution at home attempt a treacherous journey via North Africa and across the Mediterranean to reach Europe. And every year, countless lives are lost on these journeys.
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| Refugees and migrants arrive at the transit camp in Idomeni, Greece. |
In
2015, European policies led to a dramatic worsening the refugee crisis
2015 will be remembered as the year in which Europe catastrophically failed in its responsibility to respond to the urgent need for assistance and protection of over a million men, women and children. Not only did the European Union and European governments collectively fail to address the urgent humanitarian and medical needs of refugees and migrants arriving at external and internal EU borders, but their policies and actions actively contributed to the worsening of the so-called “refugee crisis” and the health and well being of those who fled.
2015 will be remembered as the year in which Europe catastrophically failed in its responsibility to respond to the urgent need for assistance and protection of over a million men, women and children. Not only did the European Union and European governments collectively fail to address the urgent humanitarian and medical needs of refugees and migrants arriving at external and internal EU borders, but their policies and actions actively contributed to the worsening of the so-called “refugee crisis” and the health and well being of those who fled.
Europe’s restrictive
policies put some of the world’s most vulnerable people in more danger,
causing more suffering, as they risk it all to try to bring themselves, and
their families, to safety. European countries (and transit countries) have the
responsibility to ensure their policies guarantee the right to seek asylum and
respect fundamental rights and human dignity.
People will continue to risk their lives at the hands
of smugglers as long as there are no safe alternatives
There
are very few safe channels that people can take to reach protection, safety and
a better life. With Europe’s land borders sealed, people are forced into the
hands of smugglers and into leaky, overcrowded boats on the Mediterranean and
Aegean seas.
As
of 20 February, 94,269 people had arrived in
Greece from Turkey by sea this year; this brings the total number of
arrivals to the Greek islands since 1 January 2015 to more than 950,000. The
daily average of nearly 2,000 arrivals is nearly ten times the daily average of
a year ago. The Aegean Sea has become the most deadly route for people trying
to reach Greece from Turkey. To date, more than 400 people were reported death
in the Mediterranean Sea.
Search and rescue is not a solution to the situation.
Safe
and legal alternatives are, but resources must be sufficiently allocated to
mitigate for more unnecessary loss of life
