The Syrian refugee crisis is not only Syria’s problem; it’s a global disaster.

The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 after the Arab Spring, which was a youth-led uprising in many Middle Eastern countries forcing out authoritarian socialist regimes in favor of democracy.

The first regime to fall was in Tunisia, the second in Egypt The first regime to fall was in Tunisia, the second in Egypt. President Bashar al Assad refused to resign, and is using the Syrian Army against his own people. They are now caught between his regime, armies fighting against him, and factors of terrorists, all in the same small country.

Any of his soldiers who refuse to follow his commands are killed Any of his soldiers who refuse to follow his commands are killed. He has jailed, tortured, murdered, and used chemical warfare on the innocent people of Syria, including women and children. Entire towns have been wiped out.

More than 4 million people have fled Syria, and more than 7 million are internally displaced. Lebanon has taken in more than a million refugees, accounting for more than 25% of its population. The United States has taken in less than 2,000 refugees since 2012. Brazil has taken in more refugees than the U.S. The Arab Gulf States refuse to accept even a single refugee.

Many refugees are seeking asylum in Germany, but many European countries don’t want to take in refugees or let them travel through their countries. Often times they are herded onto trains, back to Syria, even though it is against international law to deny a refugee asylum if their safety cannot be guaranteed.

More and more refugees are traveling to Italy and Greece via smuggling boats on the Mediterranean Sea. In 2015, almost 400,000 people arrived in Europe via sea travel. 3,000 refugees either died or went missing at sea making this treacherous journey.

To quote the UN High Commissioner, “Thousands of refugee parents are risking the lives of their children on unsafe smuggling boats primarily because they have no other choice.” This three-year-old little boy, Aylan Kurdi, his mother, brother, and five other refugees drowned when their boat capsized. His body washed up on the shore of Turkey. His father was offered asylum, but refused, saying he’d already lost everything he was trying to save.

The Arab Gulf States, while having pledged financial support to the countries supporting the refugees, have taken in zero refugees. And with Europe and the US making asylum so difficult, the burden is placed on Middle Eastern countries with poorer infrastructure and less money.

We are facing our biggest refugee crisis since World War II We are facing our biggest refugee crisis since World War II. 11 million people have been forced from their homes, fleeing with only what they can carry. Hundreds of thousands have died because of this horrific civil war. It’s time we, as one strongly interconnected people on one small planet, step up and help our brothers and sisters in need. This isn’t only Syria’s problem. What if one day we were in their place? Wouldn’t we want someone to lend a hand?

Julie Stinson November 2015 English 2010 All images courtesy of Creative Commons