The Human Cost of Mediterranean Crossings: A Battle and a Graveyard
Introduction: The Perils of Migration across the Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea has become both a political battlefield and a graveyard for those seeking a better life by embarking on treacherous journeys across its waters. The increasing number of crossings, including refugees fleeing war and persecution as well as economic migrants, has caught Europe off guard. However, the risks and desperation faced by these individuals have largely gone unnoticed by the general public. This article aims to shed light on the human cost of Mediterranean crossings and the challenges faced by those attempting to reach Europe’s shores.
The Journey and its Soundtrack: Harga Music
In Tunisia and other North African countries, migrants who embark on the dangerous journey are known as “slack” or “burners.” Their journey is captured in a whole body of music known as Harga, which revolves around themes of desire to leave, the perils of the journey, the suffering of exile, and acceptance of divine will. These songs serve as a cultural outlet and a means of sharing experiences for those who find themselves on ships, seeking solace in troubled waters.
Personal Connection and Responsibility
One artist, Ghali, who experienced the journey himself, understands the plight faced by migrants. He carries the weight of guilt for potentially endangering his cousin’s life with his own youthful bravado. Ghali uses his talent to raise awareness and empathy through his song “Mother,” inspired by his cousin’s attempted stowaway to Italy. The lyrics reflect the struggles and dangers faced by migrants, highlighting the desperation that drives them to risk their lives for a better future.
European Response: A Failure to Act
While the Mediterranean crossings have escalated, European countries have largely focused on halting departures from the departure points rather than addressing the root causes of migration. The European Union (EU) has outsourced border control to countries with questionable human rights records, effectively turning a blind eye to the suffering endured by those seeking refuge and a better life. Deals with countries like Turkey and Libya have led to allegations of human rights abuses, including murder, torture, enslavement, and sexual violence.
Expanding Perspectives: The Humanitarian Crisis
The Mediterranean migration crisis is not simply a matter of border control or political maneuvering. It is a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention and action. The policies implemented by the EU have consequences that extend beyond political considerations, affecting the lives of thousands seeking safety and refuge. By viewing the Mediterranean solely as a border to be enforced, Europe has failed to fulfill its moral obligation to protect and assist those in need.
The Search-and-Rescue Initiative: Filling the Void
In the midst of this crisis, independent organizations and activists have taken it upon themselves to fill the void created by Europe’s inaction. Ships like the Mare Jonio have become search-and-rescue vessels, dedicated to saving lives and providing aid to those in distress at sea. These initiatives serve as a testament to human solidarity and compassion, reminding us that the value of a single life should never be compromised for the sake of political expediency.
Conclusion: A Call for Humanity
The Mediterranean crossings represent not only a physical journey but also an emotional and moral one. It is a journey driven by desperation, hope, and the longing for a better life. The European response has been marred by political calculations and a lack of empathy, resulting in countless lives lost and human rights abuses left unchecked. It is time for a shift in perspective and a reevaluation of priorities. The lives of those seeking refuge and a better future should take precedence over political agendas. Only through compassion and collective action can we begin to address the human cost of Mediterranean crossings.
Summary:
The article explores the human cost of Mediterranean crossings, focusing on the experiences of migrants and the challenges they face. It delves into the cultural significance of Harga music, which encapsulates the themes and emotions associated with the journey. The personal connection of an artist, Ghali, highlights the responsibility felt by those who have experienced the journey themselves. The European response is critiqued for prioritizing border control over humanitarian concerns, resulting in human rights abuses and loss of life. The article also discusses the role of independent search-and-rescue initiatives in filling the void left by Europe’s inaction. Overall, the article emphasizes the need for empathy, compassion, and collective action to address the human cost of Mediterranean crossings.
Additional Piece:
Understanding the Multi-faceted Nature of Migration
Migration is a complex phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a single narrative or explanation. While economic factors often play a significant role in motivating individuals to leave their home countries, it is essential to recognize the diverse range of reasons that drive people to embark on perilous journeys across the Mediterranean.
War and Conflict: Escape from Persecution
For many refugees, fleeing war and persecution is a matter of survival. The devastating conflicts in countries like Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq have forced millions to leave their homes in search of safety and security. These individuals face unimaginable horrors and often have no choice but to risk their lives in the hope of finding a better future elsewhere.
Socioeconomic Factors: Opportunities and Desperation
Economic migrants, on the other hand, are driven by a desire for better opportunities and a chance to escape poverty and unemployment. These individuals often come from countries with limited resources and limited prospects for upward mobility. The disparity in wealth and opportunities between their home countries and Europe makes the journey across the Mediterranean seem like the only viable option.
Environmental Challenges: Climate Change and Displacement
Another significant factor contributing to migration is the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and desertification have displaced communities and made their traditional livelihoods unsustainable. The lack of economic and environmental prospects pushes individuals to seek new opportunities elsewhere.
The Role of Smuggling Networks: Exploitation and Vulnerability
The dangerous nature of the Mediterranean crossings is often exacerbated by the involvement of smuggling networks. These networks exploit the desperation of migrants, charging exorbitant fees for unsafe passage. Migrants find themselves at the mercy of these networks, often enduring extreme hardships and abuse throughout their journey.
Solidarity and Shared Responsibility
Addressing the human cost of Mediterranean crossings requires a collective effort and shared responsibility. It is not enough for individual countries to implement restrictive border control measures or outsourced arrangements. The international community must come together to develop comprehensive and humane solutions that address the root causes of migration, provide safe and legal pathways for asylum seekers, and ensure the protection of human rights throughout the process.
Conclusion
The human cost of Mediterranean crossings is a stark reminder of the challenges and risks faced by migrants in search of a better life. It is crucial to recognize the multi-faceted nature of migration and the diverse motivations behind it. By understanding the complexities of this issue and embracing compassion and solidarity, we can work towards a more inclusive and humane approach to migration that prioritizes the well-being and dignity of all individuals involved.
Summary:
The article explores the motivations behind migration across the Mediterranean, highlighting the diverse factors that drive individuals to undertake perilous journeys. It examines the role of war, conflict, socioeconomic factors, and environmental challenges in shaping migration patterns. The article also highlights the exploitation and vulnerability faced by migrants due to the involvement of smuggling networks. It emphasizes the need for collective action and shared responsibility in addressing the human cost of Mediterranean crossings. By understanding the multi-faceted nature of migration and embracing compassion and solidarity, we can work towards more comprehensive and humane solutions.
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In Tunisia and other North African countries, those who make the journey are known as slack, or “burners”, because when they get to the other side, they have been known to set their identification documents on fire so that the European authorities cannot find out who they are or where to deport them. a whole body of music exists on the Harga, the crossing. The songs revolve around recurring themes: the desire to leave; the dangers of the journey; the suffering of the exile and the family left behind; acceptance of the divine will. Those on ships seeking to calm their nerves in troubled waters sometimes sing the songs together. Ghali eventually wrote one himself.
One summer vacation, when he was 16, Ghali arrived from Italy and began talking to his Tunisian cousin about life in Milan. Soon after, his cousin, only a few years older than Ghali, disappeared. The family searched for him for hours. He finally returned late at night, covered in motor grease. He had been caught trying to stow away on a ship to Italy.
For years, Ghali shouldered the blame that his youthful bragging could have cost his cousin his life. He wrote the lyrics for the song. “Mother” based on experience. In the video, a young Tunisian in an Italian soccer team jacket plans to take off in the middle of the night. Ghali sings:
He looks at me, my Nike Airs, and thinks that
It’s easy to make money but he doesn’t know it’s not like that.
And it will end like the others do wesh wesh, explosion explosion
But Ghali knows that he won’t be convinced, because Ghali knows that if he too had been born in Tunisia, he would make the same decision to leave. Instead, he heads to the sea:
Sea or sea, don’t get angry
Please take him to a safe place.
Sea or sea, please don’t be angry or I will drown
Make sure it arrives, bring it safely to shore.
If Ghali was acutely aware of crossings and drownings, that was generally not the case for Italians, let alone Europeans in countries further afield from the Mediterranean. But then crossings, which include refugees fleeing war and persecution as well as economic migrants, more than tripled in 2014, partly due to the Arab Spring. The large influxes caught Europe off guard, as if he had forgotten that many of these countries were on the other side of the Mediterranean. In time, the sea would become as much a political battlefield as a graveyard. Since 2014, more than 27,000 people have died or disappeared trying to cross, largely because Europe has viewed the Mediterranean as a border to be enforced, not a search-and-rescue zone to be actively patrolled, a void that ships like the Mare Jonio are trying to fill.
To stay ahead of arrivals, the European Union has focused on halting departures from departure points, essentially turning off the tap, while the pipeline remains. To do so, it has effectively outsourced some of its border control to countries with far less stringent human rights standards across the sea. The EU pioneered this approach following the 2015 migration crisis, when almost a million people, some 80 per cent of whom were fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, came to Europe by sea. Most left Turkey, but after a 2016 deal with the EU for six billion euros, Turkey prevented large numbers of people from leaving its shores. (The deal also simultaneously strengthened the hand, domestically and internationally, of Turkey’s increasingly authoritarian leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.)
The following year, Italy signed an EU-sponsored deal with Libya, its former colony, to reduce sea crossings originating there. Human rights groups continue denounce the deal, having documented the use of murder, enforced disappearance, torture, slavery, sexual violence and other acts committed by Libyans against people seeking to cross into Italy.
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