The NZ govern refuses to increase its quota of 750 per year. Lots of kiwis are saying the rich Arab states should be looking after their own, except they all seem to hate each other so won't. There are a lot of people against taking in anyone who would not accept western values and assimilate in NZ. It's sobering reading. We are losing our humanity and and trust. Worrying.
The migrant situation will get worse the more Europe encourages these people to start the perilous journey using people trafficers. Once they arrive in Europe they are at least safe from whatever war they are escaping from.
I do have a little trouble, though, matching up refugees from war torn countries who want to escape,from those who, having reached the safety of Europe, then get out their mobile phones to ring family they seem to be happy to have left behind then demanding, rather than asking, that they are sent to the country of their choice without the need for a simple background check. I can't help feeling that if one is asking for help to start a new life one should be patient & grateful for any assistance given rather than behave in the way that many are in Hungary.
The picture of the boy's body is very sad but it is not Europe's fault that the family chose to take the risk that they did. The outpouring of sympathy is natural & heartwarming as the loss of a child so young is tragic. But there are many other families who are grieving a similar loss but in different circumstances who will have to handle it alone.
On a lighter note I wonder what sort of reception O would get if I arrived on the shores of the Seychelles without a passport & demanded that I be homed, clothed & fed by the authorities there? Perhaps a few thousand of us ought to try!
On the refugee camps (not asylum camps) there are examples like Za'athari in Jordan that are so big they are actually becoming a problem in themselves. How do the people live once there? Look at this shot of part of it. There are approaching 84,000 refugees of whom just under 80,000 are referred to as people of 'concern'.
As for the UK's contribution. I have seen that about the UK being the principal contributor before but that does not square with the budgets other countries have, so I suspect political mischief created that.
My wife and I worked on a report on the situation of child refugees in the region at the end of last year into early this for Save the Children and UNICEF. What we got, and still receive occasionally, was on the ground information about the situation. It is not good.
Hi Laraine
We were thinking the same thing, about offering accomodation. There is a German organisation that is matching refugees with people offering a home to a refugee. They are about to launch in France as well.
The German site is www.fluechtlinge-willkommen.de . The guy setting it up in France is called Grégoire : greglacoste@hotmail.com.
There is also a facebook organisation who are sending regular supplies from the UK to Calais. They are organising a big event in Calais on September 19th. I think the idea is that it is an opportunity for folks from anywhere in Europe to pitch up and help distribute clothes, food, necessities, but also to make it clear to all governments that we, the people, will not tolerate the cold-hearted attitude of our elected representatives. You can find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/events/475486912621316/
Hope this helps!
Who's talking about the rest of their lives?? As far as I'm aware it's a sanctuary provided for the duration of the agression. That agression is of course beyond our control?
FYI....I'm about as far away from the right as I can get....but I am pragmatic.
Perhaps you might consider approaching your local mayor, Laraine
I do not agree with you. Spending the rest of one's life in a tent in a refugee camp, kept alive by NGOs and separated from the normal life that people should be able to enjoy is not to my mind a solution.
Nobody is suggesting or has suggested that borders are opened 'willy-nilly' except the Daily Mail and similar purveyors of right wing propaganda.
It is something at Facebook they are trying to fix. I'll put it up again if necessary but for now I'll wait a while.
All I can say is, "Bravo, well said !"
A Facebook group has been set up in south-west France to organise collections and deliveries to Calais. If you can donate something, be a collection point, or help move the stuff north, your help would be greatly appreciated. Search for Calais and beyond - people to people solidarity - action from sw france
well said...there are numerous collection points in UK for the ongoing situation in Calais & 1 in Paris...they need tarpaulins, tents, men's clothing, hygiene things like soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste...
We looked at offering to put someone in one of our gites for the winter but when we analyzed it we are in heart of the countryside so impossible for them to get to prefecture etc. to sort out paperwork, find work etc. without us being involved so therefore making it difficult for us and for them unless we gave them a car as well...so after long discussion we decided to help collect stuff and to make a further donation to Medicine Sans Frontiere & let the professionals do their thing without us as well intentioned amateurs get in the way and possibly make it harder for someone to integrate into France.
We live very close to Cherbourg, I rang the port authorities yesterday as I was going to volunteer for soup kitchen whatever - I was told that they caught 2 in a lorry that morning but no one is camping there...Cherbourg does not have a problem.
You are right…I’m glad to see what you’ve written. I will be contacting the Mairie to see what the plans are for our little village.
While I have every sympathy for the plight of many of these refugees. I recognise how complicated the whole issue is. As I understand it, britain already is the principal contributer to asylum camps that have been set up in or near Syria. I personally think this is a very sensible solution if managed properly of course. I have no reason to think that it isn't mind you, but I'm well aware that corruption can very easily exist in these kind of enterprises.....a sad fact of life??
There are and would be trust issues if the rest of europe were to open their borders willy nilly and let all and sundry in. IS would no doubt seise upon the oportunity and send all kinds of unsavoury characters to live among us......
I think it would make economic/security sense to bolster the refugee camps that already exist?
BTW...Brian....the link doesn't work
Brian,
Many of us expats have large homes, where we could offer accommodation, or in the villages there are many Salle de Fetes which are not being used. These could be used on a temp basis. Who would we get in touch with to help these poor people.
it makes me become ashamed to be british when a brit will donate money to safe a cat or dog from death but will ignore the plight of thousands of immigrants. i would say that more people have died in europe this year than dogs.
don't get me wrong i am an animal lover but sometimes certain events take precedence than others.
Have a look at this to put things in perspective: