Red Cross warns against fencing off Europe to migrants

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned against fencing off Europe to migrants on Tuesday (February 16) after a two-day meeting in London on the continent’s humanitarian response.

The IFRC criticised sealing off the borders as inhumane.

“I think most observers will agree that building up walls and fences is probably not the best way to handle this crisis. I think judging success for the humanitarian community based on how many people come through is probably not the best indicator. We need to have a comprehensive solution that puts the dignity and humanity of the individuals first,” IFRC’s Under-Secretary General Garry Conille told Reuters.

Greece has been the main entry point into Europe for more than a million refugees and migrants since last year, and eastern European leaders plan to help Macedonia and Bulgaria seal their borders with the country, a plan Germany has protested.

Head of International Relations at Greek Red Cross Angelica Fanaki said border closures had just made the crisis worse.

“We have queues, population accumulations, on the islands, in Athens and in any domain, everywhere…we need to deal with that and be prepared,” Fanaki said.

In Italy, overcrowded and unsafe boats of refugees continue to arrive from North Africa.

Italian Red Cross President Francesco Rocca said the number of migrants arriving in Italy in January 2016 quadrupled compared to the same time last year.

“We are fearing…because the extreme volatility of the situation in Libya, that these numbers could increase…we received a lot of criticisms from the EU about the fact that we don’t stop the people, but the will of these people is to reach other countries and we provide assistance….We cannot stop the will of the people that is in search of a better life,” Rocca said.

The IFRC called upon European leaders to put the protection of the humanity of refugees at the heart of talks in Brussels later this week.

“The protection of more vulnerable populations by all sides and stakeholders and mechanisms to be able to make sure that the dignity and humanity of those protected I think are critical,” he said.

Syrian refugee Sleman Shwaish left his country for England in 1996. He now volunteers for the British Red Cross.

The image of downed Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi moved Shwaish to do more to help his suffering countrymen.

“It was the first time in my life I don’t know what I will respond. I need to cry or I need to scream, or I didn’t know what to do. And that was painful and since that moment I start to say I am proud to say that I am refugee,” Shwaish said.

More than one million people arrived in Europe last year, fleeing war and failing states in the Middle East and North Africa. Numbers show little sign of falling, despite the winter, and a 3-billion euro deal between the European Union and Turkey to halt the flows has so far yet to have a big impact.