Thousands of people have risked their lives these past months fleeing from persecution and war in Syria and the Middle East, seeking a safe haven in the European Union. It has been called the world’s biggest migration crisis since World War II, according to CNN and USA Today. Thousands have died trying to reach a better life, reported USA Today. European nations are increasing efforts to stem the growing influx of those who do make the long journey safely, only to find they’re unwelcome in many nations.
“There are refugee crises all around the world, but it seems like this is actually the worst,” said Foster May, a community member from South Africa. “We’re so focused on what’s happening in America that maybe we should take a look back and see the bigger picture.”
Why is the crisis so prominent now?
Avoiding conflict in some of the world's most dangerous areas is the major catalyst behind the recent acceleration of migrants, USA Today reported. Travel is also easier in the summer, when waters aren't frigid and travel over the mountainous Balkans isn't undertaken in colder weather.
The majority of people taking on the perilous journey are from countries undergoing strife in the Middle East and Africa such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Sudan and Senegal.
“It’s overwhelming the amount of migrants and refugees that are being relocated to other places,” said Alanna Norwood, a senior majoring in biology from California. Norwood’s family ancestry hails from areas of Europe being affected by the crisis.
Thousands of Albanians and Serbs are also beginning their trek into the EU because of poor economic environments in their home countries, according to the German institute for International and Security Affairs.
About 432,761 migrants and refugees have reached Europe this year alone through the Mediterranean, according to the International Organization for Migration.
How deadly is it?
The Mediterranean passage accounts for about 65 percent of all migrant deaths last year, reported CNN. That equals 3,279 deaths. However, this year a total of 2,748 migrants and refugees have died in the Mediterranean as of early September, accounting for 73 percent of all migrant deaths worldwide, reports the IOM.
The danger comes mostly from overcrowded boats that capsize and spill the migrants into the waters to drown. Rescue efforts are few and far between, partially because Coast Guards don’t see the vessels when they are in trouble, reported The Guardian.
The European borders remain the biggest deathtrap for migrants and refugees, CNN also reported. There have been 22,400 deaths between 1996 and 2014, the IOM stated. To see it in comparison, the U.S. - Mexico border has had 6,029 deaths between 1998 and 2013, according to U.S. Border Patrol statistics.
“I think it’s sad Americans are focusing so much on our border control when it almost has no significance compared to what’s happening in the European Union,” said Ivy Wade, a junior from Indiana studying communications.
What is the difference between a migrant and a refugee?
For the European nations the distinction between the two is crucial, stated CNN.
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of armed conflict or persecution, according to CNN. Syrians are a prime example. Refugees, as defined under the 1951 Refugee Convention, are entitled to basic rights under international law. This means that those seeking refuge have the right to not be immediately deported and sent back into harm’s way.
However, a migrant, who is someone who chooses to resettle to another country in search of a better life, is processed under the receiving country’s immigration law.
The United Nations noted both groups are present in Europe and at its shores, according to CNN.