In the north of Paris, nearly 200 people have taken refuge in an abandoned school building.
Paris:
As tens of thousands flee conflict ridden regions via deadly land and sea routes to reach Europe, the continent is facing its biggest refugee crisis since the second World War.
In the north of Paris, nearly 200 people have taken refuge in an abandoned school building after their street camps were evacuated forcefully. Refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and other African countries live here without any basic amenities.
Malistan, who left Afghanistan seven months ago, told NDTV he came to Europe because his life was under threat from the Taliban. He says he spent Rs 15 lakh and undertook an arduous journey of five months to get to France in the hope of getting asylum.
"I walked through jungles and mountains, went hungry," he said, and added, "I went to Iran then to Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia and then finally from Hungary I travelled in a container with 60-70 people to get off in Germany and then come to France."
Malistan took us to what used to be the school kitchen. Ironically, food is not easy to find. Malistan sleeps on a stone slab with three other men. 20 others from Afghanistan sleep lined up on the floor on old mattresses they found in streets. Lack of hygiene, they say, causes them distress and some are in need of medical care.
"We ran away to save our lives from and thought we will be able safe in Europe but we're dying here too," said Malistan. "I had my last meal yesterday and have to go scrounging now if I want to fill my stomach. I hardly have time to do much else."
17-year-old Ismail left Sudan five months ago and came to France via Libya to Italy in an overloaded boat with 150 people, including women and children, who spent three days at sea. All Ismail wants now is to get valid papers so he can "live in a more dignified way."
A group of local Parisians who found these refugees living in streets around their homes have pitched in to help the refugees with paper work and with finding household items and clothes from the streets.
Iris, a French Professor told NDTV, "These refugees have a slogan 'Fleeing the war to land in streets' and we realised that the atrocities in their lives are the result of wars that have been to a large extent provoked by Europe including by France."
While these refugees streaming into European cities battle every single day for survival, European leaders have failed to come up with a pan-European policy to tackle the crisis.
Their slow response is exacerbating the full blown crisis and prolonging the suffering of tens of thousands of asylum seekers.
A meeting of European Ministers is due to take place on September 14 in Brussels but countries are divided over the question of "sharing" refugees under a quota system.
In the north of Paris, nearly 200 people have taken refuge in an abandoned school building after their street camps were evacuated forcefully. Refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and other African countries live here without any basic amenities.
Malistan, who left Afghanistan seven months ago, told NDTV he came to Europe because his life was under threat from the Taliban. He says he spent Rs 15 lakh and undertook an arduous journey of five months to get to France in the hope of getting asylum.
"I walked through jungles and mountains, went hungry," he said, and added, "I went to Iran then to Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia and then finally from Hungary I travelled in a container with 60-70 people to get off in Germany and then come to France."
Malistan took us to what used to be the school kitchen. Ironically, food is not easy to find. Malistan sleeps on a stone slab with three other men. 20 others from Afghanistan sleep lined up on the floor on old mattresses they found in streets. Lack of hygiene, they say, causes them distress and some are in need of medical care.
"We ran away to save our lives from and thought we will be able safe in Europe but we're dying here too," said Malistan. "I had my last meal yesterday and have to go scrounging now if I want to fill my stomach. I hardly have time to do much else."
17-year-old Ismail left Sudan five months ago and came to France via Libya to Italy in an overloaded boat with 150 people, including women and children, who spent three days at sea. All Ismail wants now is to get valid papers so he can "live in a more dignified way."
A group of local Parisians who found these refugees living in streets around their homes have pitched in to help the refugees with paper work and with finding household items and clothes from the streets.
Iris, a French Professor told NDTV, "These refugees have a slogan 'Fleeing the war to land in streets' and we realised that the atrocities in their lives are the result of wars that have been to a large extent provoked by Europe including by France."
While these refugees streaming into European cities battle every single day for survival, European leaders have failed to come up with a pan-European policy to tackle the crisis.
Their slow response is exacerbating the full blown crisis and prolonging the suffering of tens of thousands of asylum seekers.
A meeting of European Ministers is due to take place on September 14 in Brussels but countries are divided over the question of "sharing" refugees under a quota system.
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