It’s February and the weather is very cold in Lesvos, Greece. The wind is blowing north and the waves are huge. The possibility of another shipwreck is a daily fear. Every day we wake up and think, I hope all the people who are travelling and trying to reach the shores of the Greek islands have arrived safely. The fear becomes greater even if they survive the waves because no one knows if they will escape the Greek authorities who take the boats and drag them back to Turkish waters, or who might kidnap them from the island, hide them and dump them back in the Aegean Sea to fight the waves. These are everyday people, trying to escape wars and hardships, looking for a better future.
These people were hoping to reach a safe haven, somewhere where they would be treated better than where they were forced to leave. Somewhere where they would be allowed to breathe freely, to love, fall in love, play, and raise their children. But in the end, what has this journey evolved into? Fear! They are afraid to arrive to Greece, afraid of the journey to get to the shores of Lesvos, afraid to call the Greek authorities in the event they are pushed back. They hide for hours in the forests, hoping that someone will find them. Hiding and freezing, praying and doing what they can to stay warm and survive.
We shout it loudly: open the borders! We shout it loudly: don’t endanger people’s lives! CPT – Aegean Migrnat Solidarity stands with migrants. We will be present with them and advocate and organize alongside them to demand a life of dignity and the right to live it!
We pray for a better and safer right to movement, with open borders, love and solidarity!
