The biggest problem with the crisis is that most failed attempts tend to have disastrous results, causing the injury or death of dozens of people, said Egypt’s Al Ahram.

“Illegal immigration has reached a state in which a father has no qualms in ‘threatening’ to send his young son to any European country, despite the fact that the father was giving an interview on a TV programme following the death of one of his sons on an illegal immigration journey. One of the aspects that caused the crisis was lack of work opportunities for the youth. However, another aspect that should not be deemed any less important is the way some citizens are taking the matter of illegal immigration so lightly and the fact that a person has to suffer so much, trying to pay large sums just to book a spot on a boat that would transport him or her from an Egyptian coastal city to a European one on the Mediterranean,” the paper said.

The refugee crisis brings to light a painful and distressing reality around the world today, said Oman’s Al Watan.

“The world is witnessing a notable transformation and decline in values, and a collapse of ideals, ethics and humanitarian principles. Meanwhile, world powers with a colonial past are looking to take advantage of the current crisis. They view it as a versatile device for achieving their goals and colonial projects around the world. This utilisation of the crisis was a success for the aforementioned world powers as they achieved their self-interests. They invested to the refugees issue under a false humanitarian guise to turn the gears of their economy and to deprive the targeted countries from talented youth who are capable of protecting their nations.”

The rising number of refugees indicates that the world today is unbalanced due to wars and conflicts and highlights the international community’s inability to resolve them, said Qatar’s Al Raya. “The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that 65.3 million people were classified as displaced at the end of 2015. On an average, 24 people were forced to flee each minute in 2015, four times more than a decade earlier, when six people fled every 60 seconds. These numbers are very worrying and terrifying, and call for joint international efforts to rescue refugees and provide them with the necessary protection, shelter and aid. The refugees are the victims of the general paralysis afflicting the world’s governments, who are refusing to bear their responsibility. The crisis that is driving all these refugees to take the path of escaping their homeland has been going on for years. The Syrian crisis has so far forced 18 million Syrians to seek refuge either at home or abroad.”

Among the millions of refugees are also people from Somalia and Eritrea who have despaired of peace and security at home, said the Saudi Gazette. “Countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali are engulfed in civil strife, but the majority of the sub-Saharan Africans making the perilous journey are almost certainly economic migrants, funded by their families to make it to Europe, find work and send back money. Such an ambition is understandable, but unfortunately their presence in the already-considerable flow of desperate people who really do need somewhere else to go, is adding to the political pressure being felt by Brussels. A far tougher stance must be taken with this class of migrant. If screening reveals them to be opportunists, they should be sent straight home. Europe is having enough trouble coping humanely with refugees who legitimately need a welcome.”