European response to Syrian refugees ‘pitiful’, says Amnesty
EU has only offered around 12,000 places to Syrian refugees as part of UN goal of securing 30,000 places, says Amnesty
European leaders should “hang their heads with shame” over their treatment of Syrian refugees fleeing the country’s brutal conflict, rights group Amnesty International said on Friday.
The EU has miserably failed to play its part in providing a safe haven to the refugees who have lost all but their lives
In a briefing entitled; “An international failure: The Syrian refugee crisis”, the charity states that European Union (EU) member states have only offered around 12,000 places to Syrian refugees as part of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ goal of securing 30,000 places.
“The EU has miserably failed to play its part in providing a safe haven to the refugees who have lost all but their lives,” said Amnesty Secretary General Salil Shetty.
“The number of those it’s prepared to resettle is truly pitiful,” he added.
He called upon EU leaders to open their borders, provide safe passage to those seeking refuge, and refrain from “unlawful push-back operations” currently being employed to stop refugees entering the continent.
Only 10 EU member states offered resettlement or humanitarian admission places to refugees from Syria, according to the report.
Of the 12,000 places offered, 10,000 have been pledged by Germany. France has offered 500 places and Spain 30.
Eighteen EU member states – including the UK and Italy – have pledged no places, said the London-based charity.
