More than 1 million people sought refuge in Europe this year, report says

By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff

12.24.15

GENEVA, Switzerland — More than 1 million people entered Europe in this record-breaking year, migration experts said Tuesday. They were driven out of their home countries by war, poverty and persecution. This mass movement of people has challenged the idea of European unity.

With just days left in 2015, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 1,005,504 people had entered Europe as of Monday. The number was more than four times as many as last year. Almost all of them came by sea, and 3,692 people drowned trying to make the crossing.

European governments must make migration safer, said IOM official William Lacy Swing. He is general director of the organization. 

"We know migration is inevitable. It's necessary and it's desirable," Swing said. He added, "Migration must be legal, safe and secure for all — both for the migrants themselves and the countries that will become their new home."

Getting Accurate Count Is Hard

The IOM gets its the numbers from government records. The figures are from Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Malta and Cyprus, spokesman Joel Millman said. He noted that the real number of people entering Europe may be even larger. Officials are having trouble getting an accurate number because so many have entered Europe in such a short time.

Most people entered Europe from Greece, which took in 820,000 people this year. Nearly all of them crossed from Turkey by boat across the Aegean Sea. Another 150,000 came into Italy across the Mediterranean Sea from north Africa, while smaller numbers crossed from Turkey by land into neighboring Greece and Bulgaria. Even fewer arrived by boat to other countries around the Mediterranean.

Not all the migrants are included in the IOM count. Others crossed into Europe across other borders. A few thousand people have crossed by bicycle from Russia to Norway.

Many People Drowned During Trek

About half of the people entering Europe were Syrians. Another 20 percent were Afghans, and 7 percent were Iraqis, IOM said.

Many fleeing war and persecution will likely be allowed to stay in Europe. Others who came to find work could be sent back.

Of the deaths, 2,889 were people traveling from North Africa toward Italy, the IOM said. A total of 706 drowned trying to cross the Aegean to Greece, and 72 died trying to reach Spain. No one knows exactly how many have died in shipwrecks or who they were. The bodies of others, including a 3-year-old child, have washed up on Greek beaches. This shocked the world and led European officials to promise to make the migration routes safer.

The war in Syria has been particularly important in the refugee crisis. The war has killed hundreds of thousands and has caused millions to flee. European governments have struggled to agree on how to handle the migrants. They have argued whether to welcome them at all and how best to care for the huge number of people.

Cold Weather Adds To Dangers

Over the summer, some Eastern European countries opened and closed their border, which caused confusion and frustration. Hungary, in particular, angered its neighbors by building a fence to keep people out. Migrants began rushing to find alternate routes through countries, which were unable to handle so many people. A more organized system began in the fall.

Germany and Sweden have welcomed the largest numbers of refugees. About 1 million migrants arrived in Germany this year, including large numbers of people from Eastern Europe who could be sent back.

With cold weather making journeys more dangerous, the number of migrants has slowed, but people are still showing up in Greece. Also, there's no sign that the number of migrants will go down when temperatures start rising again in the spring. IOM said more than 4,100 people arrived on the Greek islands on Monday alone.

Questions:

1. Why did people sought refugee?

2, How many refugee entered Europe in 2015?

3.Where in Europe does the people migrate to?

4.Explain two ways how refugees travel to Europe?

5. Where did the refugees come from?

6. What are the dangers that might be faced by the refugees during their travelling?

7. Do you think our country should welcome refugee? Why?