With the war in Syria raging on, about 6% of the Syrian population is trying to escape the violence. That equates to about 4.1 million refugees looking for safety in neighboring European countries, and often being denied. I was talking with some friends who also attend Ohio State and they were telling me about their family back in Turkey and Syria and the daily struggles they endured. They said, "You know what the worst part is? That my grandmother, aunt, and 5 year old cousin can't get visas to the US. We've hired lawyer after lawyer and five years later they still can't come."
I thought we were a land of safety for all. We are a country born of immigrants and refugees and yet we shut our doors to those who need safety. These pictures illustrate the refugee crisis we've been ignoring.
1. The Keleti Train Station (Sept. 3rd).
After camping outside a Hungarian international train station for two days, thousands of people rushed the trains they hoped were headed for Germany or Austria, countries with more generous refugee quotas. Authorities cancelled all trains heading to western Europe and refused to offer additional information as to where the trains were actually going.
2. Refugees protest being sent to camps (Sept. 3rd).
The trains stopped about 20 miles away from Bicske with riot police waiting outside ordering people off the trains. The fear of being sent to a camp spread among the passengers. A man and his family with a young baby laid down on the tracks in protest as others refused to exist the carriages. Media was ushered away by Hungarian police. Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister stated, “Those arriving have been raised in another religion, and represent a radically different culture. Most of them are not Christians, but Muslims. This is an important question, because Europe and European identity is rooted in Christianity. Is it not worrying in itself that European Christianity is now barely able to keep Europe Christian? There is no alternative, and we have no option but to defend our borders.”
3. Two boys (ages 3 and 5) die trying to escape (Sept. 3rd).
Two Syrian brothers and their mother drowned attempting to escape to Canada, where their aunt has lived for 20 years. Aylan Kurdi, age 3, was found face down on a beach on Wednesday. The father is the only survivor as the mother is thought to have drowned also. The father told the Daily Mirror: “All I wanted was to give us a better life.”
This picture has sparked the discussion on the crisis. “Some say the picture is too offensive to share online or print in our newspapers. But what I find offensive is that drowned children are washing up on our shorelines, when more could have been done to prevent their deaths,” said Peter Bouckaert, emergency director for Human Rights Watch.
4. Over 70 people died in a truck trying to get to Budapest (Aug. 27th).
A large truck was found with over 70 decomposing bodies of refugees trying to get from Austria to Budapest. Of those was a baby girl along with four other children. The Hungarian police have arrested the driver and three other people thought to have been involved. Many transports charge over $1,500 per person to drive refugees to "safety."
5. Migrants clash with police trying to get from Greece into Macedonia (Sept. 2nd).
After Macedonia declared a State of Emergency, the police were only letting 50 people cross at a time, accidentally splitting up families and causing panic. Tear gas and stun grenades were fired into the crowd in an attempt to control the rush towards the border once it was resealed.
6. Over 3,000 people are arriving in Greece per day (Aug. 20th).
A woman carries her son after traveling by dingy to the Greek island Kos. She is one of over 3,000 who will enter Greece every day in the wake of the crisis. She is one of the luckier ones compared to others who have drowned sailing the same route. The Greek coast guard has reported rescuing 1,058 people at sea in a 24-hour period. Ukip leader Nigel Farage has said, “We are going to have to accept that crossing borders is going to get more difficult if we are serious about dealing with illegal immigration.” Papers had complained last month about the migration ruining their vacations.
7. Two babies were born outside a train station (Sept. 3rd).
Shem, which means "sunlight and hope," was born in a filthy subway housing thousands of refugees after an ambulance refused to take her windowed mother to a hospital. A similar story took place in a nearby underpass, and baby Sadan, meaning "the Shelter" was born to two migrant parents.
8. Writing numbers on refugees (Sept. 3rd).
The Czech policed have been ridiculed for writing numbers on the migrants as it uncomfortably mirrors the actions of the Nazi's numbering the Jews in concentration camps.
10. About half of the refugees are children.
Of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, 60% are not receiving any type of education. Some have been out of school for over 2 years. This will only further the poverty cycle and prevent them from reaching financial security.
10. Over 4 million people and counting need help.
If you want to help, there are some websites you can donate. Remember, every dollar counts.
