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Respectable families who this time last year were probably spending their Sundays drinking tea with their nearest and dearest in local parks before going home to their orderly homes, are now camped out in Bodrum's covered market and are quietly waiting with what ever dignity is left to them, for the chance to get into a rubber dinghy and cross to a Greek island and from there who knows where they will be sent.
Ordinary folk, just like you and me. Not a 'flood', not a 'hoard' not 'economic migrants'. Just mothers and fathers trying to do the best for their children.
(Will they get to Europe? The Turkish Coast Guard has picked up 33,000 refugees from the Aegean Sea so far this year).
So sad. I don't really know what to say.
ReplyDeleteNothing we can say. A situation without a solution.
DeleteI wish to god someone would find a solution and fast. This situation is deplorable. I just cannot imagine the despair these people must feel.
ReplyDeleteI think the authorities are now in full flood panic. Those that are on our doorstep now will be knock at Europe's door tomorrow.
DeleteThis is all just so heartbreaking isn't it. We've seen nothing in Fethiye - guess because the nearest Greek island isn't quite so close - but we follow happenings daily on Twitter. The big push at the moment from 'tweeters' is to keep stressing that these people are REFUGEES. The media seem intent on using the words 'immigrants' and 'migrants.'
ReplyDeleteReally hope they get to return to their homes at some point in the future and, in the meantime, be looked after.
The scale of the problem is scary. It is only 10 weeks since I was surprised to come across a Syrian family on the street in Bodrum.
DeleteIt's a human drama on a massive scale and nobody seems to know how to handle it.
ReplyDeleteI saw this on the news last evening and wondered if you would mention it. It is so sad - the dinghies appear to be very dangerous and too flimsy filled with so many adults and frightened little wide eyed children.
ReplyDeleteAt another time and place it could be you or me.
. . there is a solution - Europe/US/NATO need to stop waging economic and real war on these and other countries and get the f^(% out of them and leave them alone!!
ReplyDeleteThe fault lies with the U.S. and its crony governments...but they are not going to provide a solution.
ReplyDeleteThese are families; how would we feel if they were our aunts, uncles and cousins?
We seem to be losing our common humanity, our ability to empathise. I despair.
ReplyDeleteB to B, This has the 'Made in USA (and Europe)' label on it. We can only imagine what a hellhole they have made of their societies in, for example, Iraq, Libya and Syria by flooding these countries with arms to support savage proxy armies that have driven the people to such desperate measures. Where are Americans and Europeans and why haven't they risen up against the warmongers?
ReplyDeleteIt is human tragedy on a colossal scale, so much of it created or at least aided by Western intervention of one kind or another. And it could so easily become even worse if Isis's progress towards Damascus isn't halted. These are people fearing for their own and their families' lives. What other option do they have?
ReplyDelete