Friday, September 4, 2015

Refugee crisis in EU

Recently, I frequently watch news about refugees in Europe.


The issue of refugees has existed for several decades because there have been many disputes all over the world. However, as conflicts in the Middle East grows in addition to Africa, the number of refugees from the regions to Europe is steadily increasing. Hundred thousand people have entered Europe from three countries that are the heart of the chaos, thus Syria, Afghanistan, and Eritrea in this year.

The EU keeps a tolerant policy for refugees, basically. The bitter memory of the WWII makes it sympathetic toward the victims of the conflict. However, it is also true that most EU nations feel irritated about this matter.

The substantial problem of the refugee crisis is that Europe has inadequate capacity to accept all immigrants. Several countries in EU have no physical obstacle that prevent refugees from entering. They began to build razor wire fences along its border.

The Star.com: Hungary rushes to build fence to block migrant influx

Many refugees aim to visit Germany as the destination. It is because Germany is the most successful country in EU, and, therefore, they expect to gain a stable job there. Recently, a main train station in Budapest was temporally evacuated, and all the trains were suspended due to a swarm of refugees.

International Business Times: EU migrant crisis: Train chaos as refugees attempt travel from Hungary to Germany

Germany is expected to accept 800,000 refugees this year, fourfold of the number in the previous year. This issue is attracting attention replaced from the Greek financial crisis.

The Star.com: Germany expecting 800,000 migrants in 2015, 4 times last year’s number

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, is eager to make a collaborative deal with other countries in EU. She asked for the settlement of mandatory acceptance of refugees in each country. But her proposal was dismissed by Hungary.

The Guardian: Migration crisis: bid for united EU response fraying over quota demands
The Stary: Angela Merkel urges European Union to share burden of exploding refugee crisis

On the other hand, Hungary is eager to block the refugees with restricting passport-free travel. This movement by the right-winged government was criticized by human right activists.

The Star.com: Hungary blocks migrants from trains in test for passport-free EU

Totally, I respect European people being willing to accept refugees. In Japan, Immigration from other countries is quite strictly regulated in spite of decreasing population. It is strange that Japanese people are unfriendly to foreign people whereas many foreign culture have been introduced to Japan.

Refugee crisis will last at least for a couple of years, as the unstable situation in the Middle East and Africa will be continuous. I am afraid that the movement of rejecting immigration would be ignited in Europe.

*Sequel

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