The United Nations Refugee Agency yesterday issued a statement, calling on the European Union to overhaul its policy towards Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict zone. It urged the EU to provide emergency funding to Malta, Italy and Greece in particular, in order to deal with the "soaring number" of sea crossings.
The UNHCR pointed out something that the Maltese, Italians and Greeks (MIGS) know only too well, insomuch that the onset of winter will see the number of drowning and capsizing rise further.
This is true. The conflict in Syria continues to escalate and become more brutal by the day as the self-styled Islamic State continues to commit atrocity after atrocity against innocent people. While the UNHCR's intervention is welcome, we have to ask what is to be said about people fleeing other conflict zones.
What about people that escape the atrocities in Somalia? What about those from Eritrea, those from Sudan or Libya for that matter? These are all people that are trying to escape war and famine and worse. The number of migrants taking perilous journeys across the sea has increased dramatically over the past couple of years, largely due to Libya's inability to police its porous borders and its huge coastline.
There cannot be two weights and two measures. While additional funding would be beneficial, we cannot ignore the fact that there are many people of other nationalities who are undertaking perilous journeys.
Malta has always argued that while funding is necessary, the biggest problem faced here is the lack of space and lack of opportunities for migrants to integrate into our society. What Malta, in particular, really needs is help to resettle migrants who arrive on our shores or are plucked from the sea.
The UNHCR said that more than 3,000 asylum seekers had died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year. They urged the EU to provide ports for reception and to process asylum applications across member states.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Hans ten Feld said the EU "is not doing enough". The UNHCR is running a worldwide programme to resettle Syrian refugees. But according to Mr ten Feld Europe has only admitted some 5,000. According to him, the plan is to see Europe take in some 20,000 Syrians by 2020.
The plight of the Syrian people is a dire one. But when one considers the hundreds of thousands of people who have been absorbed into refugee camps in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and other places, it is hard not to be shocked by Europe's reluctance to do more.
These are not economic refugees. These are people who live a daily life of bombing, gassing, shelling and now beheadings and execution by the barbaric IS murderers. Can a supposed civilised continent sit back and do nothing in terms of helping desperate human beings? Throwing money at the problem will not solve it. What these people need is resettlement, rehabilitation, jobs, a home. And above all else, safety.