Reports | 25 05 2020
Dima al-Sayed – Istanbul After losing his house, job and all hope in the future of his country, Mazen decided to get into Europe illegally. He is one of millions of Syrians aspiring to escape their country and the hellish civil war to make better lives for themselves and their families. Many of them are even forced to leave their families behind in increasingly difficult and dangerous circumstances. Mazen is well aware of the dangers of his trip and realizes that he might even die before reaching the land of his dreams, yet he cannot overlook any opportunity, regardless how dangerous, to give his son a better and safer life in a land where human rights matter. Abu Hisham has left his wife and four children also in pursuit of a better and safer place for them. Abu Hisham, who says he is knows what is happening inside the security services branches, says he does not want his children to live in a place where regime thugs and soldiers are horrifying civilians and children, and where looting and kidnapping have become everyday realities. The harshness of life has forced Talal to spend everything he owns to get to Europe. It was a risky and difficult journey where he had to walk for long hours through extremely dangerous roads. The sea journey was even more horrifying and dangerous. Syrian passengers had to wait more than 24 hours for inflatable boats. Then 20-25 passengers had to get into boats designed to fit 8, to start a hazardous 3 hours journey surrounded by death and hopelessness.