She had beautiful dreams
Just a couple of days ago a boat ‘went down’ , now we all know what this means – little explanation needed.
A flimsy boat, crossing the open sea carrying precious cargo – humans escaping war – sunk before reaching its destination. It does not register on the main news (I mean, come on, a cray fish escaped a cooking pot in China – much more newsworthy).
Humans who have paid probably 20 x the amount it would cost to travel safely on the ferry, gathered thousands of euros and holding their children’s hands took the journey which was to be their last.
I cant comprehend this situation – a situation where this is allowed to happen..
… people forced to leave their homes, to escape war – have to pay smugglers thousands of euros for the privilege of attempting to cross a small stretch of open sea to seek safety for their families.
I love my family and would protect them with my life, as Muneera Ebo (above) loved her daughters and would protect them with her life, now they become another 3 drowned refugees – numbers, UNHCR statistics. Muneera however, was no number, she was a woman, a mother with dreams – these dreams became dreams of need not want … dreams of necessity and survival…a Syrian, from Afrin, – her home became a place of war and danger, a place she was forced to leave seeking refuge for herself and her children.
Being forced to leave your home is a concept hard to imagine. Being a refugee is a concept hard to imagine – to be without a home, papers, the means to provide for your family.. without rights..
I recently met a beautiful Iraqi poet in Leicester, her name Malka. She has: energy, spirit, talent and intelligence. She has written poetry about her exile from her homeland.
“My home is gone
My heart is broken
My tears said:
write a book.”
Malka al-Haddad
If you read her book “Birds without Sky” you can gain a tiny insight of the pain of leaving your home – of becoming a refugee .. written so beautifully and heart wrenching…extract below from “I’m Human”.
“I had beautiful dreams
I had friends, brothers, sisters, sweet parents and pink hopes
I had green gardens, tall palms and olive trees
I had warm winter
Blue rivers
Red flowers
I was born on land before the crossing of swords on the body
Turned it into a banquet table ”
Malka al-Haddad
You can buy the book from Amazon – link below;
Solidarity for refugees 