Letters from Athens
This blog presents a selection of press articles and
Greek-speaking blogosphere translated into French.
Snapshots of a human tragedy that continues, by Efi Latsoudi
One comment
This blog presents a selection of press articles and
Greek-speaking blogosphere translated into French.
Snapshots of a human tragedy that continues, by Efi Latsoudi
One comment
The bodies of 21 migrants were found on a beach on the Aegean island of
Lesbos, December 15, 2012, after the sinking of their boat.
A young Afghan of 16 years, one of only two survivors indicated that
the boat had left the coast of Turkey, had thirty
people aboard, mostly Afghans, when it capsized
because of bad weather. Efi Latsoudi, resident and volunteer Mytilene
the charity « To Chorio tou Oloi Mazi », which
helped the families of the victims in their efforts, discusses the
moments of this drama, and the obstacles, and indifferenceof the
authorities.
One Saturday morning in December, the Thermi beach of Mytilene fills with
corpses. "We're upset, its the same story for so many years
, So many deaths, it's awful - they are human beings, "says an
old man we met in the small port. The search of the
Coast Guard, after the sinking of Friday, only started on
Saturday with the arrival of the first body on the coast. There wasn't
any mobilization on the Friday afternoon, either from the
authorities or the media. One survivor had however been
discovered in a critical condition, but nobody was concerned about the
presence of other possible survivors in the freezing waters.
The young survivor of the shipwreck was found by Frontex (1),
at the point of death, after remaining several hours in the sea
frozen. He remains under observation in the hospital, he identified
the bodies and remains the subject to interrogation. Eight days later, a
charitable citizen bought him a five euros phone card
so he could tell his mother in Iran that he was still alive.
the basic concern for the victim of a shipwreck, An
individual whose parents and relatives are waiting numb with anxiety,
for news. No state mechanism has been called to intervene or is bothered to respond.
According to testimony, there were eight to ten
people in the boat who have not been found. Among them, women and
children. The days passed, the bodies were not recovered. Will they ever be ?
Requests from desperate parents come to Mytilene, that the relevant services and
bureaucracy can not be satisfied. Relatives who live far away,
Afghanistan, Iran or refugees in neighboring countries, will have to wait
months or even years of pain and anguish before getting even
vague information about the fate of their loved ones. If the search is
sometimes hampered for economic limitations the grief suffered after
loss of a loved one is always limitless.
One can only imagine the extent of the mobilization if these bodies had
been those of a passenger cruise ship, a ferry or commercial vessel.
bureaucracy can not be satisfied. Relatives who live far away,
Afghanistan, Iran or refugees in neighboring countries, will have to wait
months or even years of pain and anguish before getting even
vague information about the fate of their loved ones. If the search is
sometimes hampered for economic limitations the grief suffered after
loss of a loved one is always limitless.
One can only imagine the extent of the mobilization if these bodies had
been those of a passenger cruise ship, a ferry or commercial vessel.
One might imagine quite simply that even a part of the
huge funds allocated by the EU to monitor its
external borders might be affected to this tragic situation,
so as to fulfill our duty at least the dead.
Some relatives residing in European countries have had to overcome
countless obstacles to get to come on site to recognize their
dead, and paid for a very expensive process for the repatriation and
burial in Afghanistan. For relatives, the funeral in accordance with
Islam is crucial, and for this purpose no sacrifice is great enough
. As long as they stayed in the city of Mytilene, the
smugglers and some funeral offices gravitate towards
them like a flock of crows, with the intention of providing their
services to achieve maximum profit. In the absence of elementary concern
on the part of the authorities, there will always be individuals
ready to "help" at a high price.
The son of a deceased, in grief, is trying get to Mytilene. He has a
residence permit, he is a permanent resident in Germany. In Piraeus, the
Coast Guard does not recognize his papers, and detains him,
questioning him, and he misses his boat. He arrives by plane the next day
desperate to Mytilene. He looks for the body of his father,in
vain. When he had to go, broken, it took citizens to
accompany him to the airport so he could finally leave. The
Police didn't take into account either the legality of the documents in his possession, nor
the tragic circumstances of his trip, only the nationality
Afghan he wore like a stigma, and that defined him.
Eight bodies are recognized and returned. Bureaucratic procedures
are complicated, but also requests for identification that continue
arrive, preventing the burial of other victims. Two more bodies
will eventually be identified, following the dramatic steps of
relatives to recover them . Almost 20 days have passed since the
shipwreck, a few journalists spot an infamy but what concerns them is not the lack of interest
shown by the State, but that they died without being buried " the smell threatens the city" (2).huge funds allocated by the EU to monitor its
external borders might be affected to this tragic situation,
so as to fulfill our duty at least the dead.
Some relatives residing in European countries have had to overcome
countless obstacles to get to come on site to recognize their
dead, and paid for a very expensive process for the repatriation and
burial in Afghanistan. For relatives, the funeral in accordance with
Islam is crucial, and for this purpose no sacrifice is great enough
. As long as they stayed in the city of Mytilene, the
smugglers and some funeral offices gravitate towards
them like a flock of crows, with the intention of providing their
services to achieve maximum profit. In the absence of elementary concern
on the part of the authorities, there will always be individuals
ready to "help" at a high price.
The son of a deceased, in grief, is trying get to Mytilene. He has a
residence permit, he is a permanent resident in Germany. In Piraeus, the
Coast Guard does not recognize his papers, and detains him,
questioning him, and he misses his boat. He arrives by plane the next day
desperate to Mytilene. He looks for the body of his father,in
vain. When he had to go, broken, it took citizens to
accompany him to the airport so he could finally leave. The
Police didn't take into account either the legality of the documents in his possession, nor
the tragic circumstances of his trip, only the nationality
Afghan he wore like a stigma, and that defined him.
Eight bodies are recognized and returned. Bureaucratic procedures
are complicated, but also requests for identification that continue
arrive, preventing the burial of other victims. Two more bodies
will eventually be identified, following the dramatic steps of
relatives to recover them . Almost 20 days have passed since the
shipwreck, a few journalists spot an infamy but what concerns them is not the lack of interest
Family members continue,at the price of a thousand difficulties, to reach Mytilene
facing the terrible task of recognizing their relatives. Father and mother recognize their child through photographs and asking for him to be buried there, because they have no money for burial in their own country.
the refugees revolt them, the refugees endanger them . Under the pressure
of newspaper articles, the funeral finally took place on the order of
prosecutor. We insist that they take place during the day and not
at night, as that would have required compliance with the letter of instruction.
facing the terrible task of recognizing their relatives. Father and mother recognize their child through photographs and asking for him to be buried there, because they have no money for burial in their own country.
the refugees revolt them, the refugees endanger them . Under the pressure
of newspaper articles, the funeral finally took place on the order of
prosecutor. We insist that they take place during the day and not
at night, as that would have required compliance with the letter of instruction.
Twelve people were buried in the cemetery of the city of Mytilene.
These burials were dictated by the public interest, to avoid
a health risk to the city, not through any human obligation to the
people who die where we live. Bystanders are present, observing
the horror of a mass burial, the authorities are finally
there, at the last minute. The mayor also spoke, moved,
recalling that "they are human beings."
The dead compatriots, Afghans living in the city of Mytilene,
-take care of the graves. They level off the ditches previously made with
a bulldozer, leveling the ground with their hands, and with pain and
respect, make prayers befitting their dead countrymen With
marble slabs, on which were drawn numbers and dates put on the earth with the flowers we had brought, embarrassed, ignorant of their burial customs. "For us,
we don't put flowers, "they told me, however, accepting them with
gratitude. On leaving the manager of the cemetery florist, ran to us
to put on a bouquet of white carnations. "Put this on too,
Please, we can no longer see these people die like that-it is
unbearable! "I could not answer him or hardly look at his face '
These burials were dictated by the public interest, to avoid
a health risk to the city, not through any human obligation to the
people who die where we live. Bystanders are present, observing
the horror of a mass burial, the authorities are finally
there, at the last minute. The mayor also spoke, moved,
recalling that "they are human beings."
The dead compatriots, Afghans living in the city of Mytilene,
-take care of the graves. They level off the ditches previously made with
a bulldozer, leveling the ground with their hands, and with pain and
respect, make prayers befitting their dead countrymen With
marble slabs, on which were drawn numbers and dates put on the earth with the flowers we had brought, embarrassed, ignorant of their burial customs. "For us,
we don't put flowers, "they told me, however, accepting them with
gratitude. On leaving the manager of the cemetery florist, ran to us
to put on a bouquet of white carnations. "Put this on too,
Please, we can no longer see these people die like that-it is
unbearable! "I could not answer him or hardly look at his face '
Comment
Our dead are human beings. Migrants who cross the border,
hunted are humans, and there is no category to classify them in ,
they are no more or less human than others. The
authorities give them racist treatment, in life as in
death. The media label them gluing to them the unacceptable label
“illegal immigrant,” and relegate them to a category of beings
lower than those who may die massively on our
border deprived of burial and mourning. If they survive, they
will be detained in appalling conditions, and dragged lengthily before
authorities give them racist treatment, in life as in
death. The media label them gluing to them the unacceptable label
“illegal immigrant,” and relegate them to a category of beings
lower than those who may die massively on our
border deprived of burial and mourning. If they survive, they
will be detained in appalling conditions, and dragged lengthily before
the justice.
If this racist logic of the state towards migrants does not change
radically in our society, fascism will continue to take root
more deeply, and this pestilence will spread to the Greeks as well as
immigrants, because it does not discriminate.
If this racist logic of the state towards migrants does not change
radically in our society, fascism will continue to take root
more deeply, and this pestilence will spread to the Greeks as well as
immigrants, because it does not discriminate.
PS: The discovery of three new bodies on a beach at the south of the island of
Chios, a few days ago [Saturday, January 13], increases the number of tragic deaths and clearly shows that the drama continues every day.
Le 27 janvier 2013 22:20, Marily <marily@busyshadows.org> a écrit :
sorry only in french..
http://roumelie.wordpress.com/2013/01/27/instantanes-dune-tragedie-humaine-qui-se-poursuit/
Courriers d'Athènes
Ce blog présente une sélection d'articles de la presse et de la
blogosphère hellénophones traduits en français.
Instantanés d’une tragédie humaine qui se poursuit, par Efi Latsoudi
avec un commentaire
Les corps de 21 migrants sont retrouvés sur une plage de l’île égéenne
de Lesbos, le 15 décembre 2012, après le naufrage de leur embarcation.
Un jeune Afghan de 16 ans, l’un des deux seuls survivants, indiquera que
le bateau, parti des côtes de Turquie, comptait une trentaine de
personnes à son bord, des Afghans pour la plupart, lorsqu’il a chaviré à
cause du mauvais temps. Efi Latsoudi, résidente de Mytilène et bénévole
de l’organisation de bienfaisance « To Chorio tou Oloi Mazi », qui a
aidé les proches des victimes dans leurs démarches, revient sur les
instants de ce drame, les obstacles rencontrés, et l’indifférence des
autorités.
Un samedi matin de décembre, la plage de Thermi, a Mytilène se remplit
de cadavres. « On est bouleversés, la même histoire depuis tant d’années
; autant de morts, c’est affreux – ce sont des êtres humains », nous dit
un vieil homme rencontré dans le petit port. Les recherches des
garde-côtes, après le naufrage de vendredi, n’ont commencé que le
samedi, avec l’arrivée des premiers corps sur la côte. Il n’y a pas eu
la moindre mobilisation le vendredi après-midi, ni de la part des
autorités, ni de la part des médias. Un survivant avait pourtant été
découvert dans un état critique, mais personne ne s’est inquiété de la
présence de possibles naufragés dans les eaux glaciales.
Le jeune rescapé du naufrage a été retrouvé par la Frontex(1), à
l’article de la mort, après être resté plusieurs heures dans la mer
gelée. Il est resté sous surveillance à l’hôpital, il a identifié des
corps et fait l’objet d’un interrogatoire. Huit jours plus tard, un
citoyen charitable lui a acheté une carte téléphonique de cinq euros,
pour qu’il puisse prévenir sa mère en Iran qu’il était encore en vie.
Une sollicitude élémentaire pour la victime d’un naufrage, pour un
individu dont les parents et les proches attendent, transis d’angoisse,
d’avoir des nouvelles. Aucun rouage du mécanisme étatique qui a été
appelé à intervenir ne s’en est soucié.
D’après les témoignages, il y avait dans l’embarcation huit à dix autres
personnes qui n’ont pas été retrouvées. Parmi elles, des femmes et des
enfants. Les jours ont passé, les corps n’ont pas été repêchés. Les
retrouvera-t-on jamais ? Les requêtes de parents désespérés arrivent à
Mytilène, des sollicitations que les services compétents et la
bureaucratie ne peuvent satisfaire. Les proches qui habitent loin, en
Afghanistan, réfugiés en Iran ou dans des pays voisins, devront attendre
des mois, voire des années de souffrance et d’angoisse avant d’obtenir
de vagues informations quant au sort des leurs. Si les recherches sont
parfois freinées par des motifs économiques, la peine éprouvée après la
perte d’un être cher est toujours sans limites.
On peut imaginer l’ampleur de la mobilisation si ces cadavres avaient
été ceux de passagers d’un bateau de croisière, d’un ferry ou d’un
navire commercial. On pourrait envisager, simplement, qu’une partie des
fonds gigantesques alloués par l’Europe à la surveillance de ses
frontières extérieures puisse être affectée à cette situation tragique,
de manière à pouvoir honorer notre devoir au moins envers les défunts.
Certains proches, résidant dans des pays européens, ont surmonté
d’innombrable obstacles pour arriver à venir sur place, reconnaître leur
mort, et engager un processus extrêmement coûteux pour le rapatrier et
l’enterrer en Afghanistan. Pour les proches, des obsèques en accord avec
l’Islam sont primordiales, et dans ce but aucun sacrifice n’est assez
important. Tant qu’ils séjournaient dans la ville de Mytilène, des
passeurs et quelques bureaux de pompes funèbres gravitaient autour
d’eux, telle une volée de corbeaux, avec l’intention de prodiguer leurs
services pour réaliser le profit maximum. En l’absence de sollicitude
élémentaire de la part des autorités, il y aura toujours des individus
prêts à « les aider » au prix fort.
Le fils d’un disparu, dans le deuil, tente d’arriver à Mytilène. Il a un
permis de séjour, il est résident permanent en Allemagne. Au Pirée, les
garde-côtes ne reconnaissent pas ses papiers, le retiennent,
l’interrogent, et il rate son bateau. Il arrive en avion le jour
suivant, désespéré, à Mytilène. Il cherche le corps de son père, en
vain. Lorsqu’il a dû s’en aller, brisé, il a fallu que des citoyens
l’accompagnent à l’aéroport pour qu’il puisse finalement partir. La
police n’a tenu compte ni des documents légaux en sa possession, ni des
circonstances tragiques de son déplacement, seulement de la nationalité
afghane qu’il portait tel un stigmate, et qui le définissait
Huit corps sont reconnus et rapatriés. Les procédures bureaucratiques
complexes, mais aussi les demandes d’identification qui ne cessent
d’arriver, empêchent l’inhumation des autres victimes. Deux autres corps
seront finalement identifiés, suite aux démarches dramatiques de leurs
proches pour les récupérer. Presque 20 jours ont passé depuis le
naufrage. Quelques journalistes repèrent une infamie ; ce qui les
préoccupe n’est pas le désintérêt de l’Etat, mais les morts sans
sépulture dont « l’odeur menace la ville »(2). Les membres des familles
continuent, au prix de mille difficultés, à arriver à Mytilène pour
affronter la tâche terrible de reconnaître leur proche. Père et mère
reconnaissent leur enfant via des photographies et demandent à ce qu’il
soit enterré sur place, car ils n’ont pas d’argent pour l’inhumer dans
leur pays.
Les réfugiés les révulsent, les réfugiés les menacent. Sous la pression
des publications, les obsèques ont finalement lieu, sur ordre du
procureur. Nous insistons pour qu’elles se déroulent de jour, et non de
nuit, comme l’aurait imposé le respect à la lettre de la consigne. Douze
personnes ont été enterrées dans le cimetière de la ville de Mytilène.
Ces inhumations ont été dictées par l’intérêt public, pour éviter un
risque sanitaire pour la ville, pas par obligation humaine vis-à-vis de
personnes venues mourir chez nous. Des badauds sont présents, observant
l’horreur d’une inhumation collective ; les autorités sont finalement
là, à la dernière minute. Le maire a aussi pris la parole, ému,
rappelant que « ce sont des êtres humains ».
Les compatriotes des défunts, des Afghans habitant la ville de Mytilène,
s’occupent des tombes. Ils égalisent les fossés précédemment creusés par
un bulldozer, nivellent la terre avec les mains, et, avec douleur et
respect, font la prière qui sied à leurs compatriotes défunts. Des
plaques de marbres, sur lesquelles ont été tracés des numéros et des
dates, sont posées sur la terre, avec les fleurs que nous avons
apportées, embarrassés, ignorant leurs coutumes funéraires. « Chez nous,
on ne met pas de fleurs », m’ont-ils dit, les acceptant néanmoins avec
gratitude. En sortant du fleuriste du cimetière, la gérante accourt pour
nous remettre un bouquet d’œillets blancs. « Mettez celui-là aussi, s’il
vous plaît, on n’en peut plus de voir ces gens mourir comme-ça, c’est
insupportable ! » Je n’ai pas pu lui répondre, ni regarder son visage
peiné. »
Nos morts sont des êtres humains. Les migrants qui passent la frontière,
traqués, sont des êtres humains, et il n’existe pas de catégorie où les
classer, ils ne sont pas plus ou moins humains que d’autres. Les
autorités leur réserve un traitement raciste, dans la vie comme dans la
mort. Les médias leur ont collés l’étiquette inacceptable de
l’immigration clandestine, et les relèguent dans une catégorie d’êtres
inférieurs, celle de ceux qui peuvent mourir massivement à nos
frontières, privés de sépultures et de deuil. S’ils survivent, ils
seront placés en détention, dans des conditions lamentables, et traînés
durablement en justice.
Si cette logique raciste de l’Etat vis-à-vis des migrants ne change pas
radicalement dans notre société, le fascisme continuera à s’enraciner
plus profondément encore, et sa pestilence s’étendra aux Grecs comme aux
immigrés, car il ne fait pas de distinction.
PS : La découverte de trois nouveaux corps sur une plage du sud de l’île
de Chios, il y a quelques jours [le samedi 13 janvier], augmente le
nombre de ces morts tragiques et montre clairement que le drame se
poursuit, chaque jour.
1 – Frontex : agence européenne participant à la surveillance des
frontières extérieures de l’UE.
2 – Des médias ont rapporté qu’à l’hôpital, des gens se sont plaints de
l’odeur venant de la morgue.
Article paru le 18 janvier 2013 sur le site Aplotaria.gr, traduit du
grec par AR.
Lien vers l’article original et le diaporama de Stelios Kraounakis :
Στιγμιότυπα μιας ανθρώπινης τραγωδίας που συνεχίζεται
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