Aunt of Syrian toddler found washed up on beach blasts West for doing 'NOTHING' to end war
THE AUNT of a Syrian toddler who drowned on his way to Europe has hit out at Western countries for doing “nothing” to end the country’s conflict.
Alan Kurdi's aunt says West hasn't done enough
The image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi’s body washed ashore in Turkey sparked global headlines in 2015 and a large public reaction.
The child was travelling across the Mediterranean Sea to the Greek Island of Kos when he was found face down on a beach in the holiday resort of Bodrum.
His death promoted politicians in many Western countries to relax their borders and take in more refugees fleeing Syria.
Tima Kurdi said the West had done "nothing" to end the Syrian conflict
Bring Syria to peace so you don’t see those refugees in your country
But Alan’s Aunt, Tima Kurdi, believes the West soon forgot about the image and it was “back to their everyday business”.
Speaking on Russia Today, she accused countries of not pulling their weight to end the crisis in Syria.
She said: “The day after the image of my nephew went all over the media, to me was the wake-up call to the world."
Alan Kurdi's aunt said people "forgot" about the suffering a short while after image's release
“The image was a message from God to the world that enough is enough. That’s when everybody, including politicians, started to open their borders.
“But, a few months later, they started to forget that image and just got back to their business, but the suffering continued.”
The Syrian-born Canadian lawyer said the country was being “destroyed by outsiders” while shaming Western countries for “not doing anything about it”.
The Syrian-born lawyer said it was in the interest of the west to end the conflict
She suggested it was in the West’s best interest to stop the conflict so countries did not have to bear the pressures of Syria’s refugees.
“I encourage the Government in each country to help find the political solution,” Ms Kurdi continued.
“No military solution, no more killing in my country, and bring Syria to peace so you don’t see those refugees in your country."
Ms Kurdi said the image of her nephew was a "wake up call" to the world
“Until that solution happens, we need to help those suffering refugees.
“I want people around the world to understand one thing: what will you do if you will be forced to leave your country one day and leave everything behind? What would you want the others to do for you? Do it for my people!”
By January 2017, there were over 4.8 million Syrian refugees who had fled the country, according to figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Neighbouring Turkey has taken in the most people, with 2.7 million heading across the border, the highest compared to any other country.
Lebanon, Jordan and Germany were also among the top contributors to rehoming refugees.
Former Prime Minister David Cameron pledged last year Britain would resettle 20,000 refugees by 2020.
So far, the UK has taken in around 5,100 according to the latest figures.