During tough financial times, you always find out who your friends are. Right now, refugees around the world are discovering they have few — if any — friends anywhere in the world. Week before last, Rohingya, fleeing persecution in Myanmar and forced to live at sea, where grudgingly accepted by Malaysia.
Last week, the European Union was caught up in an internal fight over who was to care for thousands of Syrian and Eritrean refugees flooding into Italy and other southern European countries.
In Europe, the resistance comes from anti-immigration parties claiming that their countries, which they say are feeling the effects of a global economic slowdown, simply cannot or will not be able to handle an influx of people fleeing for their lives from wars and persecution.
The loudest cries are coming from countries with the highest standards of living, like Britain and Denmark.
The disparity between those looking for a safe haven and those saying they should go elsewhere — generally well-heeled right-wing politicians trying to ensure a lower tax bill — is despicable. A little humanity needs to be shown, not clannish behaviour that looks only after itself.
