Europe’s Migrant Crisis

What has been happening?  In 2015 There has been a massive increase in the number of migrants escaping hardship and traveling to Europe.  They hope that by arriving in Italy and Greece they will be able to move to a new life in Germany or Northern Europe

 Criminal gangs have been charging thousands of Euros to help them cross the Mediterranean

 The crossings are mostly on unsuitable boats and the criminal gangs don’t seem to care whether they live or die  Thousands have died – and Europe’s leaders seem unsure how to deal with this crisis

Where are they from? The majority of migrants have been fleeing from Syria – which has been in a state of civil war for 4 years. However some are fleeing poverty and looking for a better life rather than actually escaping persecution

Where do they go?

What are these people called? - MIGRANT  media (and this powerpoint) calls these people ‘migrants’ – A migrant is someone who moves from one country to another (When they arrive they become an immigrant)

REFUGEE  Any person who flees persecution or war can be counted as a refugee. When they arrive in a country they have to claim asylum (asylum seekers). If the government accepts they are fleeing persecution then they will become a refugee.  Britain then has an obligation to allow this person to stay in the UK

However  Refugees are expected to ‘claim asylum’ in the first safe country thy enter.  However – many migrants are refusing to claim asylum in Greece, Italy or Hungary. Instead they would prefer to do this in Germany or the UK.

ECONOMIC MIGRANT  Some of the migrants can be classed as economic migrants.  They are fleeing poverty (Often extreme poverty) but their life is not physically in danger.  The UK has no obligation to allow these people to stay.  However, many do (sometimes illegally)

Timeline of events  In 2011 the Syrian civil War begins – as many as 200,000 people have been killed  There has also been unrest in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya

 In April over 100,000 people had crossed the Mediterranean.  Many boats were capsizing and European countries were asked to provide naval patrols

 In August – thousands or migrants camped in Calais – they hoped to cross the English Channel into Europe  Channel Tunnel services were delayed and the UK government agreed to improve security

 On 28 th August – a lorry is discovered in Austria.  71 (including 4 children) Syrians (including 4 children) were found dead inside. They had suffocated when left by their trafficking gang

In September – The world is shocked by the following pictures from Turkey

 Aylan Kurdi was only 3 years old. He drowned along with his 5 year old brother Galip and their mother  Their father was also on the boat but was unable to save them  watch?v=qQgYFPbU9rQ watch?v=qQgYFPbU9rQ

What about us?  David Cameron has been criticised for not doing enough in this crisis  In August he said the answer was not to take in more refugees, but to sort out the problem which they are fleeing  On Friday he changed his policy – saying Britain would accept thousands of refugees – but from the camps just outside Syria, not from the thousands who have already escaped to Europe.  He hopes this will discourage others from making this dangerous crossing  On Monday David Cameron announced that Britain will take 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next 5 years

What do you think?  Should Britain accept more refugees?  On Tuesday the German Vice Chancellor suggested Germany could take 500,000 migrants a year until the emergency is over – should we follow suit  Why has one photograph changed peoples minds so much?