Taylan Yıldırım – Mustafa Oğuz – Mücahit Bektaş / İzmir, Sep 3 () - “We are living deads already. We know that we will die if we stay, at least we’ll have a chance to survive by crossing over.”
Hansa Baken, a migrant of Syrian origin with six grandchildren tells how desperately they choose to face risk of death on inflatable boats in attempt to fled Syria and cross into European countries, with these words. Baken is one of the migrants waiting to leave Aegean town of İzmir in Basmane district known to host illegal migrants waiting for their journey to Europe, sleeping on streets.
While two boats have capsized having left 12 people dead, displayed in heart-wrenching pictures of toddlers drown and washed ashore, Syrian families do not give up on their “journey towards hope”.
Another migrant, a sight disabled Syrian Müslim Zeto also said there weren’t anybody left in his family and he believed crossing over to Europe was the only way for him to rescue himself. “I have a relative in Europe, that’s where I want to go to. Others who have lived in my village also help me. That’s why I wait, that’s what I strugle for. To cross over illegally…”
As a fresh horror sparked across Europe regarding the migrant crisis, hundreds of Syrian migrants keep waiting in Basmane district, their turn to flee the town. Most of them told they would take their chance, despite the recent chain of tragedies.
Video Stream
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Interview with Syrian migrants
Interview with Head of Association of Syrians in İzmir
Families waiting in Basmane
Syrian families waiting at a mosque courtyard
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