When you have several European countries offering refuge, and the Pope exhorting Catholics to open their doors to the refugees, the apparent silence and seeming inaction of Muslim countries is deeply troubling.
With thousands of largely Syrian refugees streaming into Europe and creating the biggest refugee crisis since World War Two, questions are being asked about the role of Muslim countries and governments in the unfolding human tragedy.
According to the United Nations, the four-year-old Syrian civil war has displaced about eight million people inside the country, and more than four million as refugees outside the country. So far, more than 366,000 have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to seek refuge in Europe. As their harrowing experiences play out before our eyes on television screens, many are wondering why little is seen of any effort by Muslim countries to help. These, after all, are overwhelmingly Muslim refugees, and it begs the question why Muslim governments are not lining up to help them.
When you have several European countries offering refuge, and the Pope exhorting Catholics to open their doors to the refugees, the apparent silence and seeming inaction of Muslim countries is deeply troubling. The wealthy Gulf States in particular should be at the front of the line, beating the drums on behalf of their fellow Muslims, but we are not seeing any concerted effort in that regard.
A few no doubt are punching above their weight. Bordering Syria and being the gateway to Europe, Turkey has become a staging point for traffickers sneaking refugees into Europe. It is where toddler Aylan Kurdi’s limp body washed ashore and galvanized the world into some action. Of all the countries in the world – Muslim and non-Muslim – none has shouldered the refugee burden more than Turkey.
Since the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, Turkey has sheltered about 1.8 million refugees, largely at its own cost. It has tried, without much success, to carve out a safe haven in Syria to protect the refugees. Lebanon, which is struggling with its own internal divisions, has been overwhelmed by the more than one million Syrians who have taken refuge in the country. Jordan, a small country of limited means, has taken in more than 600,000, and Egypt has opened its doors to about 130,000. Even war-torn Iraq is housing about 250,000 refugees.
The same cannot be said of much-wealthier states such as Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who have the means to help but have remained largely on the sidelines. Countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei should also step up. Some of the Gulf States have certainly made significant financial contributions to UN resettlement efforts, but they could do much more. They have the capacity to take in some refugees but are not sharing the burden.
The fear of opening their doors to potential extremists as well as regional and ideological differences may be hampering much-needed action. It is the same fear that underlines Canada’s tepid response. But that is no excuse for inaction. This is a shared responsibility and every country must play its part. The biggest refugee crisis in 70 years requires the international community to respond with generosity and kindness, not excuses.
The real problem is a lack of will. The UN and organizations such as the International Rescue Committee have developed excellent screening processes, and if these countries show a willingness to help, it can be done. Despite the ugly scenes we’ve seen in places like Hungary and Macedonia, where refugees were met with barbed wire, batons and pepper spray, the warm smiles and compassion with which they were received in Austria and Germany have restored faith in our common humanity.
A crisis like this is often a test of international leadership, but it is a bigger test for Muslim leaders and congregations in Canada and around the world. Muslims in particular cannot be on the fence when the world community is mobilizing to help refugees pouring into Europe from Muslim countries. Every Muslim leader and every Muslim organization should be out there advocating, organizing and raising funds to sponsor refugees.
This is an international crisis, but it is more a cause for Muslims than anyone else. They should embrace it with vigour.
Mohammed Adam is an Ottawa writer.