People Have Less Faith in Humanitarian Action, Study Claims
An international study claims to show a steep decline in the public’s belief in humanitarian action. The study, conducted in 12 countries, showed 63 percent of people think terrorism is the top humanitarian issue.
The annual Aurora Humanitarian Index, based on 6,500 interviews, showed younger respondents claiming greater willingness to support refugees and take humanitarian action.
“The sense of apathy towards humanitarianism today highlights an urgent need for engagement in every sector,” said Ruben Vardanyan, cofounder of Aurora. “However, this negativity is counter-balanced by the incredibly positive attitudes of youth towards humanitarianism and the individual impact on the refugee crisis.”
The majority of respondents agreed refugees deserve help, but only 37 percent thought that should involve receiving them in their own country, and 42 percent of respondents thought their country had already taken in too many refugees.
The answers demonstrated the knowledge gap over refugees. Most respondents identified Germany, France and the U.S. as hosting the largest number of refugees. In reality, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey have accepted the most.
“All of us need to educate and motivate the young people around the world so they not only understand their capacity for meaningful impact, but are inspired to act upon it,” said Vardanyan.
Libyan Coast Guard Opens Fire, Causing Panic Among Migrant Boats
Humanitarian rescue workers have accused the Libyan coast guard of firing on migrant boats. Crew members of the German boat Luventa witnessed coast guards shooting in international waters.
Crew on the Luventa said they had been directed by the coast guard in Italy to intercept a number of boats carrying refugees and migrants that had reached international waters. Some 1,500 migrants and refugees were believed to be attempting the crossing.
As the Luventa approached the vessels, three speedboats from the Libyan coast guard approached and shots were fired. Some of the people in the boats awaiting rescue jumped into the water.
“The personnel of the Libyan boats were armed and first fired in the direction of a fishing boat,” a Luventa spokesperson said. “Afterwards they directed shots to the [refugee] boats in distress.”
In a separate incident, more than 30 migrants, mostly toddlers, drowned when a boat capsized during a rescue attempt.
MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) said its staff were pulling bodies out of the water. “Most are toddlers,” MOAS cofounder Chris Catrambone said on Twitter.
Charity Says Migrants in Disastrous Conditions in France
Migrants have been sleeping in the streets in “disastrous” conditions in northern France, according to a charity.
Since a fire ravaged the makeshift Grande-Synthe camp, people have been left without tents and other facilities.
Last month’s blaze at Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk, followed fighting in the camp. The destruction has left survivors with no access to running water. French charity L’Auberge des Migrants said that while authorities have rehoused most of the 1,100 people at locations across the country, others remain in the area.
Recommended Reads:
- Al Jazeera: A Crisis Within a Crisis: Refugees in Lesbos
- The Local: German Federal Government Spent €20 Billion on Refugees in 2016: Report
- The Guardian: This Small Town in America’s Deep South Welcomes 1,500 Refugees a Year
- Reuters: Domestic Violence Pushes Central American Women to Flee for Their Lives: U.N.