Nine million and counting: how to help the Syrian refugees | WPN World People News

More than nine million Syrians have been forced to flee their homes in recent years due to the violence in the country, made worse by the Islamic State (IS), with many of them going to neighbouring countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The development committee discussed their situation and the humanitarian crisis in Syria on 3 November. The exchange of views followed October's plenary debates on the situation in Kobanê, which is under siege by IS, and the issue of Europeans joining IS.

The meeting was chaired by Linda McAvan, a UK member of the S&D group. Referring to the current situation, Carsten Hansen, of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said: "At the minimum we need to sustain existing EU humanitarian and development support to countries neighbouring Syria."

Gilles Hansoul, of the International Committee of the Red Cross, added: "We appeal to all parties to the conflict to facilitate neutral, independent and impartial humanitarian action."

After the guest speakers described the gravity of the situation, Eleni Theocharous a Cypriote member of the EPP group, pointed out that humanitarian corridors needed to be opened: "Otherwise we will see that the only people left in Syria will be those trying to kill each other." She added that it would be difficult for countries in southern Europe to receive more refugees.

Enrique Guerrero Salom, a Spanish member of the S&D group, said: "Countries such as Lebanon are acquiring a number of refugees which would be the equivalent of Germany having 16 million refugees. In this part of the world we are far more selfish and far more inclined to protect our own welfare, standard of living and stability."

Heidi Hautala, a Finnish member of the Greens/EFA group, added: "It is a deep shame when we look at how few refugees have been accepted by the EU."

The foreign affairs committee discussed the IS conflict with Iraqi Kurd leader Masrour Barzani on 4 November.

Source: European Parliament