Drone footage of thousands of refugees trampling across farmland in between borders in the Western Balkan region of Europe has led to calls for countries to process asylum seekers at a faster rate — whilst prompting others to build fences.
Amid warnings that refugees would freeze to death with winter approaching and Eastern European countries erecting wire fences, EU leaders held an emergency summit on what to do — but still failed to come up with a unified solution to the crisis.
Yet the European Commission have now decided to unlock US$2.2 million (€2m) in humanitarian aid.
"With winter looming, the most vulnerable need our help and solidarity more than ever. They need basic supplies such as food, shelter, hygiene items as well as emergency health care.
"We are providing humanitarian support to do just that," Christos Stylianides, the EU's Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management said.
The money is part of a pot of US$18.6 million (€17m) that has already been pledged to help Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to cope with the increasing numbers of refugees choosing the Western Balkans Route to reach northern Europe.
I announced today €62 million in humanitarian aid to support Syrians displaced by the conflict inside their country https://t.co/HjIdcNxJHZ
— Christos Stylianides (@StylianidesEU) November 3, 2015
Digging deeper, the EC has also announced that it will give US$68 million (€62 million) in humanitarian aid to support displaced Syrians.
Commissioner Christos Stylianides said:
"We must continue to get humanitarian aid to Syrians in need as the coming winter will bring additional hardship to the most vulnerable. That's why the European Commission is taking action, getting lifesaving humanitarian aid to displaced Syrians inside the country and refugees in neighboring countries."
Meanwhile, more footage of mistreatment of refugees on European soil has emerged. Videos and audio recordings obtained by the Guardian newspaper of Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Cyprus shows disturbing scenes at a UK military base on the island.
Children are filmed pleading to be released from the British Royal Air Force base.
"I am 12 years old. We are sitting here in the tents and we are cold and we are not allowed to go out from the tents… Please help us."
Another video shows a large group protesting by a high wire fence while a man chants "Let us leave" and "We are people, not animals!"
Images of refugees by wire fences and in migrant camps are a more common site than EU leaders collectively seeking a way out of the humanitarian crisis engulfing Europe.
