A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea(66)
It took the sudden surge of Syrians arriving in Europe in 2014 and 2015 to rouse governments to pledge more support to the refugees in the region. Europe suddenly recognized that they could no longer leave Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey without support while refugees struggled amid dire conditions. An international conference in London in January 2015 garnered unprecedented funding pledges for humanitarian organizations and host countries, as well as for educational and employment programs. A deal was struck with Turkey that offered billions of dollars to the country in exchange for help in preventing refugees from fleeing. Border fences were installed in the Balkans to block refugees that were already in Greece and to discourage others from making their way to Europe. But the financial pledges that have materialized in the wake of the conference have fallen far short of the needs of the refugees, and there is little visible improvement to their living standards.
Doaa’s story is the story of millions who live in limbo waiting for asylum and watching the news of the fighting back home. It’s also the story of international powers becoming entangled in regional rivalries and how they are either unable or unwilling to stop the war.
Doaa and her family are now restarting their lives in safe and generous Sweden. Doaa, Hanaa, and Shokri spend their days in Swedish classes learning the language, and Saja, Narawa, and Hamudi are enrolled in local schools. But I have to ask, why did Doaa have to risk her life, lose her fiancé, and witness the death of five hundred others to finally arrive at this place of refuge and opportunity?
What if Bassem could have been given a visa to work abroad? What if Masa and her family had been given the chance to formally unite with their other family members already in northern Europe? What if none of them had had to take that risk? What if there were a legal avenue to reach Europe from Egypt to study abroad? Why is there no massive resettlement program for Syrians—the victims of the worst war of our times? Why are the neighboring countries and communities hosting five million Syrian refugees being offered so little funding and support for infrastructure and development? And of course, the main question: Why is so little being done to stop the wars, persecution, and poverty that drive so many people to flee for the shores of Europe?
The simple truth is that refugees would not risk their lives on such a dangerous journey if they could thrive where they were. Migrants fleeing grinding poverty would not be on those boats if they could feed themselves and their children at home or in bordering host countries. Nobody would resort to spending their life savings to hire the notorious smugglers if they could apply to resettle in a safe country legally. Until these problems are addressed, people will continue to cross the sea, endangering their lives to seek asylum. No person fleeing conflict or persecution should have to die trying to reach safety.
Doaa’s hope is that none of her fellow passengers on her boat will have died in vain. She is outraged that the bottom of the sea was the only place five hundred refugees, including the man she loved, could find refuge. She feels grateful to Sweden for offering her and her family asylum and a new start, but she worries for her two older sisters who are struggling with their families as refugees living in Jordan and Lebanon. Doaa spends several hours every day in Swedish courses and one day hopes to start university and study law. With a law degree, she believes she will be able to fight for more justice.
In May 2015, Doaa traveled to Vienna, Austria, to receive the OPEC Fund for International Development’s Annual Award for Development. The award committee chose Doaa for “her bravery and her determination to draw greater attention to the refugee crisis by sharing her story.” The prize money will go toward furthering her education and helping other refugee shipwreck survivors. When she accepted the award, she stood before an admiring high-society crowd wearing ball gowns and tuxedos and told them, “No man wishes to end his life by taking off his life jacket. No family ever dreams of displacement.… These journeys take refugees from despair to death. Tonight you have given me some peace.”
A Note from Doaa
In this book, I have shared my suffering with you. It is only a small glimpse of the hardship and pain that refugees around the world endure. I represent just one voice among the millions who risk their lives every day in order to live a life of dignity.
The perilous journey refugees take in order to reach safety in Europe often leads to despair and death. But we put our lives in the hands of cruel and merciless smugglers because we have no other choice. We have been confronted with the horrors of war and the indignity of losing our homes. Our only wish is to live in peace. We are not terrorists. We are human beings just like you. We have hearts that feel, yearn, love, and hurt.
Every family in my country has lost so much that they have had to rebuild their homes in their hearts. We have lost our homeland, and our dreams are all in the past. If only all the tragedies we have lived through were just a nightmare that we could wake up from.
The people responsible for the war in Syria don’t care about shedding the blood of a child, tearing apart families, or destroying homes. And the world doesn’t seem to mourn for all the people that have drowned in the sea during their search for sanctuary.
My fiancé, who was the love of my life, slipped out of my arms and drowned right in front of my eyes, and there was nothing I could do about it. Now, my life without him feels like a painting without any color. More than anything, I just wish he were still with me.
When I was afloat in the sea, I did my best to keep Masa and Malak alive. Over those four horrific days, they became a part of me. When I learned that precious Malak took her last breath after we were rescued, I felt like someone tore my heart out of my chest. But I do find comfort in knowing that she has made her way to heaven. A heaven where she has at last found safety, and there is no fighting or wars.