Erdogan: Turkish humanitarian aid disregards religion

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday praised the humanitarian work and generosity of Turkey in helping hundreds of countries regardless of their religions in five continents.

His remarks came in an address at Uludag University located in the western province of Bursa, where he was awarded an honorary PhD.  

"Turkey has become the world's third most generous country with $4.5 billion assistance to more than 140 countries as of 2014 without discrimination 'this is Muslim, this is non-Muslim'," Erdogan said.

Erdogan said Turkey has become a country that increased its aids most in the world when this assistance was compared with the gross national product.

"We have no oil wells, natural gas reservoirs and underground treasures. But, we have a conscience as big as Anatolia [the Asian part of Turkey]," said Erdogan.

"Extending a hand to those who are in need without discriminating race, language, religion and sect is part of the essence of our national culture," the president added.

- "Callused conscience"

In his remarks, the president touched upon a letter written by a Syrian girl who called on the "Angel of Death to take her soul and eat in heaven since she was hungry".

Erdogan said the will revealed once more how "callous" consciences have become.

"Which conscience can endure such an outcry? How can small bodies of children carry heavy loads such as hunger, death and war?

"Who can close their eyes to despair that turns the Mediterranean into a refugee cemetery?" Erdogan asked. 

 Syria has been gripped by violence since the regime launched a crackdown in response to anti-government protests in March 2011, triggering a civil war in which more than 250,000 people have died. 

The conflict displaced half the population, with some 4 million Syrians seeking refuge in neighboring countries, mostly in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 781,000 migrants have arrived in Greece by sea since the start of the year, mostly from Turkey. 

There were 632 deaths in the Aegean up to Dec. 14. According to the UN’s refugee agency, more than 950,000 people have reached Europe by sea this year.