Humanity being sold

EU-Turkey reach break through on the refugee crisis

In recent years Europe has been facing an influx of migrants mainly Syrians due to the ongoing war there for the last five years. This number has increased manifold since the air-bombing campaign started by some European countries and Russia last year.

Europe has been facing huge criticism for human rights violation in dealing with Syrian migrants. The reason being that migrants are not allowed in few of its member countries, many are stranded in open cold, many have been abused by right wings groups, some 5,000 children are missing in Germany and Italy respectively and many have drowned in crossing over.

On other hand it also faces huge pressure by right wing groups not to accept the migrants and to turn them back. Many countries in Europe like Hungary have fenced their borders so the migrants may not be able to enter their country and apply for asylum. Denmark regulated the asylum laws by adding that migrants’ belongings will be taken by the authorities except few basic things. This crisis has exposed deep divisions within Europe.

Europe – Turkey deal:

Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey has created a perception of a messiah back home and to the rest of the Muslim world. And one of the key reasons is for accommodating 2.7m of Syrian people in turkey and giving a few favourable statements for the oppressed Syrian people. Europe held several meetings with Turkey earlier (even pledged 1b Euro) to stop the influx of Syrian migrants coming towards Europe.

Finally, this week EU and Turkey achieved a breakthrough deal. The significance of this deal is that it will give Turkey the EU membership for what it has aspired for almost 30years. This deal will also allow Turkish citizens to travel to different European countries without any visa restriction. EU will also give Turkey £4 billion to contain 2.5m refugees in camps. Through this deal EU will also be turning a blind eye to the human rights abuses and crackdown from the Turkish authorities against the Kurdish people and other government critics. In return Turkey will have to accept all the Syrian migrants which Europe will be expelling.

Some looking at this issue through a narrow lens would find the deal as a win-win situation. However this deal has exposed the real face of the Turkish regime (the so-called messiah) which has sold humanity for its own aspirations. Turkey will now be serving as Europe’s immigration officer for which it will be paid. Turkey, which has been taking some credit through the migrant crisis, will now apparently have to pay nothing out of its own pocket as the EU will be paying for containing the Syrian people in refugee camps. There is sufficient proof available with Europe that many of Syrians have earlier been expelled back to Syria by Turkey and many critics of this deal in Europe believe that it will assist Turkey in throwing many more Syrians back into the warzone.

If we leave aside the morality for time being, Europe calling itself the champion of human rights has violated such goals. First, compulsory mass expulsions are, quite rightly, outlawed by the 1951 UN convention on refugees. Article 19 of the EU’s own charter of fundamental rights specifically states that “collective expulsions are forbidden”. The UN has already made it clear that mass returns would not be consistent with international law. Europe will be expelling refugees on mass level to Turkey. So which human values are we talking about here?

Europe has been blocking Turkey`s application for EU membership due to its human right violation and non-democratic methods. Even in 2014 it blocked its membership by stating “Turkey is clearly far away from EU membership”. And now all of a sudden we find Turkey has become a democratic state which EU has been calling for? What double standards do we see here?

Also, not to forget that the bombing in Syria is being carried out by the west and Europe for their own interests. So taking a few refugees in or out will not wash off the crimes of massive killing of children, women and civilians in Syria where the death toll has risen above 300,000 people.

Many humanitarian organisations have rightly opposed to this deal but obviously who cares about the Syrian people? Turkey and Europe are capitalising on the opportunities created through this crisis. Humanity is at an all time low. The leadership of Europe, Turkey and Muslim countries has demonstrated that they do not in fact posses the humanitarian values which they claim. Therefore the people must not be deceived by their sugar-coated plans. If only the Muslims had sincere leadership this crisis would not have happened in the first place.