Daily Times

MAINZ, Germany: Amnesty International has launched an exhibition titled “Humans on Flight” to educate the public about the post World War II migrant crisis in light of the biggest refugee crisis that the Europe is currently facing after the two great wars.

The event has been organised at Weisenauer Street Mainz and will continue till May 10.

A factsheet displayed at the exhibition shows that US, China, Japan, Germany, England and France are the six richest countries in the world. These six nations control around 50 percent of the global wealth yet they host only 12 percent of the global population of refugees.

On the contrary, the six countries that host more than 50 percent of worldwide refugees control only two percent of the global wealth. These are: Jordan, Turkey, Palestine, Pakistan, Lebanon and South Africa.

The factsheet further states that there are more than 65 million people fleeing their home countries due to wars, torture and massive discrimination across the globe.

Syrian conflict remains the biggest source of refugee crisis; however a large number of people are also forced to leave their countries due to violence in Iraq, Yemen, Central African Republics, Burundi, Nigeria and South Sudan.

The event features a large number of photos by legendry photographers depicting the refugee crisis during the different post-world war times.

One of the photos on display shows an Afghan refugee child working in a scrap tyre plant in Pakistan near Jalozai camp in the year 2001.

The event is aimed at urging the European governments not to shut down doors on the incoming people from war-torn countries especially after the rise of right wing parties such as Alternative for Germany (AfD), National Front France, Law and Justice Party Poland, National Conservative Party of Viktor Orban in Hungary, UKIP in England, Five Star Party and Lega in Italy.

These parties have managed to capitalise on anti-immigrant rhetoric in Europe and have secured unprecedented poll wins.

The rise of populist parties is pushing the European governments to introduce tougher rules for immigrants and asylum seekers, making it more difficult for anybody who might escape to these countries seeking refuge for their lives.

Tens of thousands of refugees are stranded in Greece alone as they face cruel treatment from countries like Hungary.

Amnesty International volunteers were present on the venue to inform the visitors about latest facts and developments in regard to the ongoing refugee crisis.

The organisers also arranged audio guides for participants to update themselves about the challenges that the newly arrived refugees face in Europe.

Amnesty organisers Leonie Sayer, Marie, Neyes, Victoria Kühne, Mara Werling and Mirco Luttermann told Daily Times that European Union comprised a few of the richest countries in the world and it was sad to see them closing their doors at the war-ridden refugees despite having all the resources to help them.

They said that it was false thinking that refugees were there to exploit the resources of Europe as these incoming people could be easily turned into beneficial citizens with proper integration and education.

Rights activists pointing to the United States model said that it was fitting to treat these homeless people with human dignity as many of them were highly qualified skilled persons who may be able to prove beneficial for the society.

They also mentioned that it was illogical that just a few hundred thousand people could dent a continent, adding that people needed to show some empathy to them.

They also pointed that human beings needed to think globally and try to find solutions to the ongoing wars while also preparing for greater challenges such as global warming, water shortage and likely droughts in Africa, Asia and Middle East.

The AI volunteers said that failing to address the genuine challenges and thinking selfishly as nations would only make the future darker as the prosperous world would then have to deal with tens of millions of refugees knocking at their doors if the climate and war related issues were not dealt with urgency.

Published in Daily Times, May 5^th 2018.