Refugees fleeing the same people that attacked Paris, heads of refugee

Greek Forum for Migrants (GFM) President Ahmed Moavia and Greek Forum for Refugees (GFR) President Yunus Muhammadi appealed against linking the refugee issue with the terrorist attacks and said the answer was to arrive at a political solution in Syria. They also expressed concern that Europe will succumb to the extreme right voices clamouring for borders to be shut to refugees and migrants.

"The refugees are themselves victims of terrorism and Islamic State. It would be a mistake to link the terror attacks with the refugee issue and thus be led to stripping the rights of migrants and European citizens," Moavia pointed out.

He warned against "repeating what happened on September 11, when we saw a withdrawal on human rights issues," and noted that Europe had the means to protect its borders and societies.

Moavia also pointed out that the culprits in Paris came from a specific group of third- and fourth-generation migrants that had been marginalised and felt exploited, not from among the refugees.

"Already there are many that are demanding that European countries should not accept refugees and I fear that the European Union will retract the measures it had announced for the refugees. We have real and serious problems, such as the rise of the far right that is exploiting the incident in Paris. But raising walls does not solve the problem. Europe must seek real solutions at the source of the problem; it must find a political solution in Syria," he said.

Muhammadi, on his part, emphasised that the refugees arriving in Europe were trying to reach a safer place and escape the war and acts of violence occurring daily in their countries of origin.

"There is no evidence that there are terrorists in the refugee flows. The terrorists in Paris were European citizens. Even the passport that was found was fake. We fear, however, that the events in Paris will lead some countries to close their borders... Even if all the borders are closed, however, that will stop prevent terrorists from coming. They are the privileged and have every means of coming. The route of the refugees is not the route of the terrorists," he said.

Muhammadi expressed hope that Europe will not change its stance toward refugees, even if it feels afraid, and understand that the refugees are themselves fleeing terrorists.

"I hope that Europe understands how many thousands of refugees are lost through violence and terrorism and also how many are lost on Europe's doorstep and take the serious decision to stop the war in these countries...The refugees do not want to be forced to leave their countries. But when there is a war in Syria they must leave because it is their last hope of finding a place where they are safe," he added.