Tuesday 1 March 2016

Let us in


While the UK debate whether to remain in the EU, some of the most vulnerable people are desperate to gain entry, and are willing to risk life and health to do so. Europe is "on the cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis" because of a rapid build-up of migrants on Greece's borders, the UN has warned. "The crowded conditions are leading to shortages of food, shelter, water and sanitation," UN refugee agency (UNHCR) spokesman Adrian Edwards said. "Tensions have been building, fuelling violence and playing into the hands of people smugglers," he added. Frustrations boiled over and scores of migrants clashed with security guards. Some attempted to smash through a fence, prompting the guards to fire tear gas and rubber bullets. Close to 24,000 migrants in Greece are in need of housing. Some 8,500 of them are stuck in worsening conditions on the Greece-Macedonia border.