World urged to act over plight of refugees

syria: Aunt of drowned boy claims little has changed since tragedy a year ago

The world needs to open its eyes to the plight of refugees and do more to save them, the aunt of a Syrian boy killed while trying to get to Europe has said.

Harrowing pictures of three-year-old Alan Kurdi’s tiny body on a Turkish beach in September 2015 sparked global outrage, but his family said little has changed since then.

The toddler died alongside his brother, Galip, and their mother, Rehana, as they attempted to make the crossing from Bodrum to the Greek island of Kos at the hands of people smugglers.

Tima Kurdi called on the international community to act urgently to save others from dying in the same way.

Speaking from Irbil, she told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Why we are closing our eyes on them? Why we cannot help them? This has been continuing for the last six years.

“We can’t watch, people are dying every single day.”

The outcry following Alan’s death led to widespread demands for more refugees to be settled in the UK.

Yesterday, celebrities including Juliet Stevenson and Vanessa Redgrave, religious leaders and local politicians urged ministers to immediately bring over hundreds of children stranded in Calais’ sprawling migrant camp.

They gathered for a memorial event organised with Citizens UK outside the Home Office in London, before handing in a letter addressed to Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

It was an image that shocked the world.

When the photograph showing Alan Kurdi’s tiny body on a Turkish beach emerged it was initially regarded by many as a defining moment.

It would be a watershed, they thought. After all, who could continue to close their eyes to the plight of hundreds of thousands of desperate refugees once they had viewed such a harrowing image?

Fast forward exactly one year and, depressing as it is to report, it seems precious little has changed.

Little Alan Kurdi died alongside his brother and their mother as they made a desperate attempt to start a new life in Europe. Sadly, they felt they had no option but to entrust their lives to unscrupulous people smugglers.

There was a huge outpouring of grief exactly one year ago. Politicians were among those speaking out about their utter devastation. Many pledged to personally house refugees.

The rhetoric was powerful but too many promises have not been delivered.

People have short memories and hundreds continue to lose their lives in similar circumstances.

Meanwhile, up to 400 refugee children who have a legal right to come to the UK have failed to find safe passage.

Such statistics represent yet another wake-up call — this time we must hope for a response that matches action with the warm words.

Pictures: AP/PA. The body of three-year-old Alan Kurdi is lifted from a beach in Turkey in September last year, and actress Juliet Stevenson at yesterday’s memorial event.