Muslim Charities Forum [to 12 September 2015]
https://www.muslimcharitiesforum.org.uk/media/news
[An umbrella organisation for Muslim-led international NGOs based in the UK. It was set up in 2007 and works to support its members through advocacy, training and research, by bringing charities together. Our members have a collective income of £150,000,000 and work in 71 countries.]

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Muslim Charities Forum Statement on the European Refugee Crisis
9th September 2015
More than 2000 refugees have drowned, losing their lives in a desperate attempt to reach Europe. Many of those victims have been women and children. Thousands more are stranded in southern and eastern Europe, desperate to build new lives after witnessing the horrors of war tear apart the fabric of their societies and homes.

So far, various European countries such as Germany, Sweden, & France have opened up their borders to allow in some of the refugees that have made it to the shores of Europe.

We welcome Prime Minister David Cameron’s pledge to allow in 20,000 refuges over the next five years but are dismayed at the comparatively low number in relation to some of our European neighbours. We are also disappointed by the fact that these refugees will only come from the camps neighbouring Syria. Whilst we commend all efforts to help those currently in the Middle East, the UK has a moral obligation to help the refugees that have made it to Europe, and to take its fair share of those refugees in a collective effort with others on the continent who are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

Though the focus has been on the Syrian refugees, we must not forget that many are also fleeing conflict, poverty and abuse from Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Somalia and other countries and need our help and compassion as well.

We ask that this government reconsider the number of refugees it will take in as well as shorten the time span to two years instead of five. We need immediate action now as this is a crisis situation. The UK needs to take a leadership role in this crisis due to its unique positioning in Europe and history in the region.

We also call upon our members to work together with local councils to support and resettle those that will be coming in, as well as coordinate their efforts with other NGOs who are already engaged with emergency relief in places like Calais, Greece, Macedonia and Hungary.