Europe may turn its back on refugees this winter. But our rescuers won’t

[umbertino]

Syrians fleeing terror now have to brave Europe’s hostility as well as the Mediterranean’s. At Moas, we are determined to save lives from the sea

 

 

Monday 14 December 2015 09.00 GMT

By  Christopher Catrambone 

 

 

 

“Don’t go by sea. Stay in Syria, however hard it is.” So said Ali Alsaho, a Syrian man whose wife and seven children drowned last week while making the crossing to Greece. It seems children must die to remind the world of the shocking death toll the sea takes.

 

As I write, official estimates put the number of migrants and asylum seekers who died in the Mediterranean this year at 3,671. The real figure is likely to be higher, as hundreds more deaths remain unaccounted for, but they were all just statistics until the public saw the limp corpse of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, who drowned along with his five-year-old brother, Galip, and their mother, Rehan, trying to cross to Europe from Turkey on a raft.

 

Moas, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station – our charitable search and rescue organisation – received a global outpouring of support and donations within 48 hours of that sad event, and it emboldened us to expand our operation into south-east Asia and the Aegean sea during the hostile winter months.

 

The drowning of men, women and children fleeing war, poverty and oppression at sea remains a daily occurrence. Since August 2014 Moas has rescued almost 12,000 people from the water. The EU is predicting that 3 million refugees and migrants will have reached its territory by 2017. This will have a positive impact that will stimulate the economy. Ultimately that is why people are coming, will continue to come and cannot be stopped from coming to Europe. They seek the same thing we all want: something better. The reality is that these people will contribute to, not take away from, our economy. Yes, it will be rough in the beginning, but they are becoming part of Europe’s future, whether we like it or not.

 

Following the terror attacks in Paris and political scaremongering that followed, we have started putting these people at risk again. The human tragedy of people fleeing by sea to escape terrorism is being diminished by vitriolic accusations, the building of walls, and a fear that these refugees are coming to kill us. Most are just escaping war in the Middle East. But even when trapped between European anger and the violence that drove them out of their country, refugees still brave the worsening seas.

 

There are no words that could comfort Ali Alsaho. And maybe he is right about Syria. His family might have lived longer had they stayed put. But what else do you do if you see no future for your children? If you can’t send them to school and you can no longer earn a living? What do you do when you know there is no end in sight and you could soon be targeted by arguably the most inhumane terrorist group the world has ever seen?

 

Moas has a team on the ground in Turkey. We know that refugees will continue to seek out smugglers. They will still be sold lifejackets that absorb water and be put on boats designed for swimming pools. Far from home, and with no way to go back, they will still pay the smugglers handsomely as they hide from the authorities and wait to make the short but often deadly crossing.

 

There is one thing they will all take with them: hope. Hope that they will be among the lucky ones to reach shore alive. Hope that they will find work. Hope that one day they will have a family that is not missing loved ones.

 

Our motto, “No one deserves to die at sea”, has become a simple way for caring people to show that the world has not lost its humanity. If you look around you this winter and see a world full of fear, anger, suspicion, and hatred, just remember that Moas, with your help, will be out there rescuing people at sea.

 

 

A Migrant Offshore Aid Station (Moas) boat comes to the aid of refugees left to float on a raft near Malta.

Photograph: dpa/Corbis

 

 

Catrambone is a US Citizen

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/14/europe-refugees-syrians-terror-moas

[The Machine]

yeah ..... ok so they want a better life for themselves and their children so they risk there lives at the worst time of year when they would probably be fine in what ever country the vast majority of these people came from ....... but instead they would rather invade Europe while they can.

 

I do feel sorry for the Syrians as ISIS is not there fault and nobody likes being pushed from there home, but the vast majority of these people are not Syrians.

 

I suppose this is supposed to be Europe's and Americas penance for creating the ISIS problem in the first place ........ all in the name of what, some cheap oil, to remove a dictator they didn't like, trying to start WW3

 

 

 

oh yeah and on another note, they always have stories about all these children dying on the boat crossings ......... every photo I've seen is of boat loads of grown men.

Edited December 14, 2015 by The Machine

[bohica]

These countries that are stupid enough to let them in,,,America included...is a problem waiting to happen.  If Obutt was really interested in helping he would target the Christians, Jews, Kurds, etc and not the well fed Syrian 'refugees'.

[divemaster5734]

Send those stinking cowardly bastards to stand up and fight for themselves!

They are NOT political refugees, they are NOT running because they are Christian among Muslims, they are desperately trying to get to the country with the most FREE.

There are trains with 90% YOUNG MALE MUSLIM "REFUGEES", demanding their free stuff immediately, or they will riot.

They throw away water, food, clothes.

They want free housing, free money, free medical.

So they can breed themselves into numbers high enough to take over.

 

I usually give you the benefit of the doubt, but by now, there is NO DOUBT about their intentions.

 

All I can say is it's REALLY REALLY REALLY good that a few people out there have an ounce of common sense, and a drop of honesty, otherwise, those bastard Muslims will take over Italy, and you would have to fight for your life.

I shouldn't be so surprised, but I am.

 

How can you be so blind?

How can you ignore all those women being raped????

Do you HATE yourself so much?

Do you hate your Italian woman so much?

Do you hate Italy so much?

79% of ALL rapes are being committed by your new best friends, Muslim refugees.

They make up 1% of your population.

Do you honestly think they will be your friend for helping them???

 

Show me ONE PLACE the Muslims refugees have resettled and HAVE NOT TAKEN OVER!!!

 

Every city, every country, around the globe.

 

I don't get it.

 

Why?

 

 

[sandfly]

YEP DIV

[TPSprayduster]

best way to stop this flood and agree DV which i never thought would happen, sink those boats bringing those refugges or turn their asses back to turkey or whereever.  Nothing but men and few women and children?  Yeah right take your asses back home and fight.