The way to go about refugees

It would be sad, indeed tragic for some, if, as reported, certain nations, including several European countries, the US and Canada, would have a change of heart regarding receiving Syrian refugees in their countries, after the horrible terrorist attacks in Paris last week, for fear that some terrorists could be among the fleeing emigrants.

Some states in the US have already served notice that they will not accept any of the 10,000 Syrian refugees that President Barack Obama promised to allow into the country.

At the same time, there are Canadian voices calling for stricter control over the flow of the promised 25,000 Syrian refugees that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had pledged to allow into his country before the end of this year.

European nations, who have already hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers from Syria within their borders, are now putting obstacles in their path.

The reluctance, while perhaps understood in view of the carnage in Paris, is unfair to the refugees, forced to leave a merciless war in their country, braving weather, an often perilous sea crossing and hostility at the end of their journey, who have nothing to do with terrorism.

The wise and prudent way of dealing with the issue is to screen the incoming refugees — admittedly a big undertaking, considering their numbers — keeping particularly close watch over the age group that has the potential to include extremists.

Children, old or middle-aged men and women should be presumed innocent.

If the doors of the international community were to close in the face of the Syrians, their hardships and suffering over and above what they have had to endure due to international neglect of their country for over five years are only going to be compounded.

That is not how humanity should respond to the plight of people in an often life and death situation.