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03 September 2015

Is Europe loosing its humanity?

Maybe it is.... However,  today was was center stage to a call to action which made me hope that there is some compassion left. It did take a horrifying photo to move people. It did take the preventable death of a tiny child on a Turkish beach. It did take the death of his older brother. It took the death of their mother as well. And the hundred other deaths on loris. And so much more horrible deaths that were happening since this refugee crise started months ago.

I started to write this post a while back, because I was appalled with the insensitivity of the UK government, and its inertia to act on this matter.  I was also horrified when reading the news of more dead migrants found suffocated in a lorry, and by the news of more migrants drowning at sea. And then today emerged the horrible image that would bring tears to every parent. That broke my heart. That is still making me shed same tears while writing these words. I don't know anyone who could bear such sight.

But more than being horrified by the news were the comments that followed. I won’t even comment Katie Hopkins words.  How can we call ourselves humans when we are so quick to disregard the horror these people are facing. We are forgetting that they are risking, and indeed giving their lives away for a chance of escaping the horrors of a devastating war. People are more worried about keeping their lifestyle, worrying about a country’s budget and comparing numbers of which country is actively accepting more asylum requests. Germany claims for a quota to be enforced in Europe.  But all heavy work is carried by Italy and an already overloaded Greece. 
I am appalled at these governments worrying about enforcing borders rather than actively helping this people.

Numbers, policies, budget, none of this matters.
People do.  

Helping people matter.  These are people, much more than just numbers and statistics. These are people, deserving a minimum of decency, dignity and respect. But above all, humanity. They deserve a minimum of help at a chance of a better life. Of having, indeed a life! And in the end this is their right! Refugees have the right to seek asylum!
Media is splashed with headlines that point out the amount of lives lost at sea and what comes out of this, rather than having people saved, are policies to be enforced on preventing illegal emigration.  And again, comments show that people are more worried of preventing net migration. Which is a completely different issue altogether!

Adam Taylor, quite rightly so, draws the attention to thedifference between migrant and refugee.  As this is indeed a refugee problem, not at all a migrant one. I don’t understand why BBC still talks about migrants when Europe at the moment is dealing with refugees. Even so, I would stand by the need of saving and helping anyone, being either migrant or refugee.  A piece of paper supporting your refugee status doesn't mean anything at all. In my opinion, anyone running away from their country to save their life, is a refugee. Wikipedia supports this idea.... In the end, definitions don't matter at all when we are saving lives. But we do have to keep in mind and be very clear that the bodies found belong to refugees, seeking asylum, dying whilst attempting to escape a country plagued by war.
Being empathic, showing compassion, showing humanity towards these people is urgent. We urgently need to address this, stop discussing politics and actively send help.  

Germans are coming together, and so many volunteers are helping these refugees. And UK volunteers are beginning to do the same. Not all hope is gone. There’s still humanity around. I am hopeful that UK government will soon show some humanity too.
However, I am still deeply saddened that it took a child’s preventable death horrifying the media for this turn of action. It took one more family to die whilst trying to escape war.  As if it was not enough all the deaths that happened in the past. And unfortunately will still happen.


 

I am linking up:
Mummascribbles
  Brilliant blog posts on HonestMum.com

9 comments:

  1. It that the vast majority of Europe have been helping for months and we seem to just sit idly by; whatever must everyone else think of us?! I am pleased that on my social media channels at least there is overwhelming support for refugees, it's a shame that it took the death of a 3 year old for the press to begin to stop calling them migrants and instead use the correct term of refugees.

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  2. A terrible time in this world, although it really has been going on for so very long. Lets hope we can see action now that it has been brought to light in the media

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  3. I'm so glad that bloggers have taken to their social media channels to show their support for the refugees it's certainly seems that the people of Europe are doing more than the governments to help. #myfavouritepost

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  4. I could not agree with you more. What ever the wrongs are in our own society, people are not living in constant fear of their lives and feel so desperate that they have to cross countries for safety and a better life for their children. I think things will change

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  5. What an awful time we live in but I couldn't agree with you more. I am just glad that the government has decided to take action lets hope for better! x

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  6. I don't know much about politics but the picture of that little boy broke my heart and I'm just glad the government are listening to the general public and taking action #myfavouritepost

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  7. It's a shame, as you rightly say, it took the death of a little boy to finally get the UK government to do the right thing. The Germans and the Austrian people have just been amazing, so generous! I know we can be like that, we just need to work out how and get our government to listen! #mfavouritepost

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  8. It's a sight that is slowly causing action and discussion. A little too late for some but at least it's progress

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  9. It's so sad that it has had to come to this! I think that picture brought home that this is not a concept, or an abstract problem, but something very real. #myfavouritepost
    Debbie

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