ANKARA
Some governments are increasingly trying to keep foreigners out as opposed to upholding asylum in an era when record numbers of people are fleeing conflict zones, the UN refugee agency said Wednesday.
The agency in a statement called on governments to focus on saving lives and respond to the growing number of people taking risky sea journeys in search of asylum.
"Some governments are increasingly keeping foreigners out as being a higher priority than upholding asylum," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said.
"This is a mistake, and precisely the wrong reaction for an era in which record numbers of people are fleeing wars," Guterres added.
Many people are fleeing their countries for security reasons. "You cannot stop a person who is fleeing for their life by deterrence, without escalating the dangers even more," he added.
According to the agency, some 348,000 people have risked their lives in perilous journeys worldwide and at least 3,419 migrants have lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea since the start of January.
With conflicts in Libya, Ukraine, Syria and Iraq, Europe is the main destination of migrants travelling by sea.
More than 207,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean since the start of January. In 2011, the figure was about 70,000 during the Libyan civil war.
Guterres urged the international community to get proper systems and distinguish real refugees from those who were not.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ discussion forum “Protection at Sea” also starts in Geneva Wednesday.
www.aa.com.tr/en
