If you have listened to anything on the news in the past week or so, you have heard about the incredible amounts of refugees, or maybe you've seen the pictures of children washed up on Facebook. So, what is this refugee crisis?
Such a large amount of Afghans are leaving their home country due to the war that Afghanistan holds the second-largest amount of asylum seekers. Over four million people have left Syria due to the war. Millions of people are leaving Iraq due to ISIS. Eritrea, "Africa's North Korea", is driving out thousands due to its human rights laws, which are among the worst in the world. Millions of people are leaving the Middle East and Africa, but where are they headed?
Highest on the list is Germany, expected to receive 800,000 refugees just this year. However, Germany says there is no limit to how many refugees they will accept. Germany attracts asylum seekers because of its benefits, prosperity, and acceptance of refugees. Out of the entire European Union, Germany accepts the most. Although the past has been fairly smooth sailing, with this new influx of refugees, Germany will have to step up its game to successfully maintain all of these people. But after all, a safe home with little is better than a home attacked by war. Good job, Germany.
Austria is welcoming refugees at its border with cheers, medical supplies, warm blankets, food, water, and a hopeful future. The UK is responding to the crisis by raising the number of refugees they will accept. France has a large migrant camp that's accepting refugees, many boats are aimed for Italy and Greece, and Sweden is currently accepting the most refugees per capita out of the entire European Union. There seems to be some hope for the refugees that are seeking shelter in Europe, but how much?
Some of this acceptance of refugees is due largely to the amount of refugees that have been found dead while trying to reach safety. Almost 400,000 refugees have crossed the Mediterranean Sea this year, attempting to reach Europe in hopes of a safe life. However, for some, it hasn't ended that way. Apparently, over 2,000 migrants have died at sea so far this year. When pictures of a three year old Syrian little boy washed up on the shore shook the world, the UK rose its levels of migrants accepted, and the EU knew they had to think of a better response system. Not everywhere has raised their acceptance, though.
Israel is now building a fence to keep the refugees out of the country. Hungary has strictly increased their border violation laws, giving out 20 years in prison if you smuggle someone into the country. Hungarian's leader, Viktor Orban, doesn't feel bad for his position on the matter, either. He knows that migrants are coming to Hungary attracted by its wealth and prosperity, but he believes if they let in poor migrants, their entire country will become poor. Well, Viktor, what's more important? Your country's Baroque-style palaces, or the lives of millions of refugees?
The European Union is attempting to find an answer to this large crisis, but I have a feeling the process won't be so smooth with some countries on one side of the acceptance and some on the other. Although we may not have refugees knocking on our own doors here in Oklahoma any time soon, let's pray the causes for fleeing stop soon, and until they do, Europe finds a solution.
