Aylan Kurdi 8 years later.
This week marks eight years since Aylan Kurdi was buried at the age of three. Aylan's father, who also lost his wife and another son during that shipwreck, said at the time, "Let these be the last to die, and may their deaths not be in vain."
Aylan Kurdi was a three-year-old Syrian boy of Kurdish ethnic background whose image made global headlines after he drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, as part of the Syrian refugee crisis. Photographs of his body were taken by Turkish journalist Nilüfer Demir and quickly spread around the world, prompting international responses.“Let these be the last to die, and may their deaths not be in vain.”
The heart-wrenching photo of his lifeless body shook the world and inspired thousands of people to get involved in the refugee crisis. It seemed like a collective wake-up call, where as a society, we said, "Never again." But now, eight years later, people are still dying in their attempts to reach safety in Europe. The Mediterranean Sea has earned the name 'the world's largest graveyard.' Hundreds of children have perished since the day Aylan drowned. The European Commission fails to create safe migration routes that could prevent these tragedies. Dangerous routes and exorbitant fees to smugglers remain the status quo. Aylan's death seems to have been in vain.
Furthermore, the Commission turns a blind eye to the atrocities occurring at our borders, such as the illegal pushbacks and violent measures to keep people out. Instead of bringing these issues to the European Court of Justice, the Commission even funds these practices. The Great Border Management Fund has a budget of 1.94 billion euros for 2021-2027, of which Greece received 450 million for 2015-2021. To ensure that these expenditures comply with human rights, countries must establish their own monitoring committees. "It's like the butcher inspecting his own meat," says GroenLinks-EU Parliament member Tineke Strik during an interview at the Radboud University.
The European Commission's behavior is remarkable, given the mounting evidence of violent acts by the Greek Coast Guard. This was recently evident in the tragic Pylos boat incident, where an estimated 600 people lost their lives. Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, like our own prime minister, appears to have a striking lack of "active memories" of these criminal acts. Each time new evidence surfaces, he reacts with surprise, whether it's a wiretapping scandal involving an opposition leader and journalists or a New York Times video showing pushback operations from land.
What’s also worrisome is the growing trend of criminalizing humanitarian aid workers trying to rescue migrants on boats like Aylan's. Mare Liberum was one of the last NGOs monitoring human rights in the Aegean Sea. Due to a repressive law from 2021, they could only do so from the coast since early 2022. In March of this year, the organization completely ceased operations in Greece due to what they deemed "sabotage, obstruction, and repression" by the conservative Greek government. They saw no safe way to continue their mission. Meanwhile, Europe trains and finances the Libyan Coast Guard, which not only attacks boat refugees but also NGO rescue vessels in the Italian Mediterranean. They are even fired upon.
Europe trains and finances the Libyan Coast Guard, which not only attacks boat refugees but also NGO rescue vessels in the Italian Mediterranean. They are even fired upon.
Have we moved beyond hope?
On July 13th, the European Parliament approved a resolution calling for more action against drownings in the Mediterranean. This resolution proposes establishing an EU rescue mission and suspending support for the Libyan Coast Guard due to human rights abuses.
Strik welcomes this decision: “The need for a new pact to detect and rescue migrants and refugees at sea is high, as the current policy focuses too much on deterring migrants rather than saving lives”. The resolution also calls for an independent investigation into the Pylos boat tragedy and emphasizes the necessity of a proactive European rescue operation and safe alternative access routes for refugees to the EU.
Is this a historic moment? According to Strik, it is undoubtedly a powerful political statement, especially because this resolution is supported by a broad political coalition from left to right. In these times of increasing polarization and sensationalism, consensus on this resolution offers some hope. However, she emphasizes that the responsibility for implementing the resolution lies with the European Commission, a responsibility that has often been insufficiently addressed in the past. Regarding the future, Strik expresses her concerns: 'I am not very hopeful. What was considered unthinkable and politically incorrect five years ago has become increasingly normalized. The calls to build walls and keep people out are growing.”
Michiel Hoogeveen of JA21 sees the rhetoric of building walls and preventing migrants as a practical issue that surpasses the theoretical debate. He argues, "I think there is a reason why no action is taken because the countries protecting our external borders can also say, 'come in and walk right through.' That's not what we want." According to Strik, a debate can never catch up with the treaties that are part of international law and binding. Nonetheless, it can reduce political support or increase pressure to take international treaties seriously. “Having legal validity is not enough; political support and commitment are just as crucial, and judges need politicians’ support to enforce certain rules.”
With that said, the resolution takes on an added significance.
How to move forward? Strik believes that European voters need to take a clear stance to bring about change. According to her, this is the only chance to shift the policy. She warns against politicians who first sow fear and then pretend to have the solution through fences, deals with foreign dictators, and border closures. Strik advocates for the restoration of fundamental values and demonstrating that there are alternative approaches that do not compromise human dignity. Let's hope the resolution is taken seriously by the European Commission so we can write a different piece about the death toll in the Mediterranean next year, for Aylan.
In memory of Aylan Kurdi (Alan Shenu).
“Let’s hope the resolution is taken seriously by the European Commission so we can write a different piece about the death toll in the Mediterranean next year, for Aylan.”
Support The Kurdi Foundation: kurdifoundation.com | Sign the petition ‘Europe, stop paying for pushbacks!’ by The Greens/EFA: act.greens-efa.eu/pushbacks
