Hello readers! We are doing a special collaboration with the student journalism project - Narrative Collections. They have their own blog, where they write their own original articles while also inviting other young students to do the same. They also have an insightful instagram page, filled with article recommendations - @narrativecollections_.
We will be doing an article swap on the refugee crisis. This is our article, which will be Part 1 of the collaboration. Part 2 will be out next week! Stay tuned!
Europe's response to the Greek-Turkey refugee crisis
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Isolation has been a recurring theme in the global fight against COVID-19. From civilians staying at home to countries closing off borders, it seems that this virus has ripped the thread of community spirit, which binds the world together. Unfortunately, as evident in the poor global response towards the struggle in refugee camps, notably the Greek-Turkish border, it also seems that the virus has begun tearing the blanket of humanity. However, recent action by a number of EU countries and cities has shown that our humanity is only fractured not broken, still prevailing even in the most difficult of times.
Germany, France, Portugal, Finland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Croatia and Ireland. These are the ten countries that agreed, in March, to help the Greek government and accept a total of 1,600 unaccompanied migrant minors stranded in Greek refugee camps. From early April, these countries have begun relocating the migrant children in groups, starting from 12 minors to Luxembourg and more recently 47 to Germany. These children have to conduct the two-week quarantine procedures to ensure that they are symptom-free. After that, they will be guaranteed access to a safe home, care and access to medical treatment – things that they are entitled to but the refugee camp cannot even try to provide.
Likewise, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Leipzig, among other cities, have declared their support over the sheltering of migrant children. This is a stark contrast to their respective national governments, which have not volunteered to take in children under the European commission’s relocation effort. At the same time, they are putting pressure to their national governments to cease their heartless inaction towards the refugee’s vulnerability and join the effort. This will enable them to take bigger measures, such as sending a plane to pick up the migrant children.
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Regardless of the small action towards this issue so far, we must all recognize the immense importance of unity against both the refugee and COVID-19 crisis. Collective action from governments will have an instrumental effect on both the children that are relocated and the community of refugees they are leaving behind. Migrant children will finally be able access the safe and secure environment they are entitled to as the virus continues to affect the world. Overcrowding and hence the risk of contraction in these densely populated refugee camps will also be minimized, as more relocation occurs in time. Long after after the COVID-19 crisis, these young people will gain the ‘the prospect of a dignified life,’ as brilliantly encapsulated by Luxembourg’s foreign minister.
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This action follows international pressure from activists groups, including the Human Rights Watch, who reminded European leaders that keeping minors in the ‘unhygienic police cells and detention centres’ in Greece threatens them with the virus risk. We sincerely applaud all of the governments of all these countries and cities, who have acted upon this reminder and showed compassion beyond their national borders. We thank them all for sharing their resources to ensure that no one is left behind from precautions against the virus. And, we hope that they will inspire other governments of European countries to join their relocation efforts.
In the end, we are no more human, no more deserving of a stable sanctuary than these migrant children; and this cannot be forgotten during this turbulent time. We must ignore this twisted feeling of obligation to put ourselves first without regard for others and realize that the only way out of this challenge is: together.
Alisha Bakrie
Sources:
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/04/20/turkey-and-covid-19-dont-forget-refugees/