São Paulo – This Tuesday (17th), the spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Melissa Fleming, asked the European countries to do not suspend their refugee programs, which are attending mostly Syrians. The victims of the conflict in the Middle East country and in other nations are trying to enter Europe after being displaced in their countries.
“We’re worried with the reaction of some states that are thinking of suspending the programs created, reversing on the promises made to manage the refugees crisis, or proposing to lift barriers”, said Fleming, according to the news agency Agência Lusa, because of demonstrations in some countries after the terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday (13th).
According to the UNHCR, 820,300 refugees crossed the Mediterranean Sea headed to Europe this year. From these, 674,000 tried to enter the continent from Greece and Aegean Islands. More than 3,400 died in the way or are missing. Fleming called on Europeans to create “actual” reception centers for immigrants in Greece.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
