Refugee Doaa Heart-wrenching Saga: A Survivors Tale From Death Boats

[laserhaas]

Melissa Fleming, a United Nations Refugee Agency ( UNHCR ) journalist, brings us a heart-wrenching tale (here) of Syrian refugee Doaa, who watched over 100 people, including her boyfriend and mothers of children left behind, die in their journey across the Mediterranean, seeking new life.

According to Melissa, of all the tales she tells and knows of, Doaa's saga keeps her awake at nights. It most certainly brings this grown man to weep, as my heart groans over the fact that people suffer this way, due to our country and others, desires for war.

Before you watch the video below - please get your tissues ready - Doaa's strength and perseverance is sorrowfully amazing.

[br][hr][br]

[center]
[font size=6]The Death Boats: A Survivor’s Tale[/font]
The sea may have taken the love of her life,
but Doaa still found the strength to save a young child.

DOAA'S STORY

Every day, I listen to stories of people fleeing for their lives, across dangerous borders and unfriendly seas to reach safety. The story of a young woman, Doaa, is so troubling it still keeps me awake at night.

[/center]

She is a Syrian refugee, 19 years old, an aspiring student who was forced by the war to live a grinding existence with her family in exile. Last month, I told her story to a TED audience in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Without a work permit in Egypt, Doaa struggled through day shifts for low wages. As the months passed, she was getting more and more scared. One day, a motorcycle gang tried to kidnap her on the street. The war in Syria that drove her family away was in its fourth year. And the people who once welcomed them in Egypt had become weary of them.

So Bassem paid his life savings to smugglers, US $2,500 each, to get them onto an old fishing boat. It was so packed with people that Doaa’s knees were bent to her chest.
After two days at sea she started to get worried, and on the third day she told Bassem: “We will never reach the shore. We will all sink.”

On day four another boat approached the vessel. It was rusty and when the passengers were ordered to get on, they refused. The smugglers left angrily, and then returned to ram a hole in the side of the hull. “Let the fish eat your flesh,” they shouted, and then they laughed. Within minutes, the boat capsized and sank, with 300 people trapped below deck.

“The sea went black,” said Doaa. “I heard people screaming, and water crashing. I felt like I was going to drown.” She watched the propeller cut a child to pieces. Miraculously, Bassem found a water ring. He held Doaa’s hand and treaded water. There were corpses everywhere. The 100 survivors came together in small groups and prayed for rescue.

[br]
Terribly, over 100 people drowned - including Doaa's love Bassem

As her love of life, the man who gave her hope of a better way, apologized and died from being too tired, Doaa received from two mothers, who also drowned, their children. Doaa managed to keep and herself alive, for days, without food and water. Then a merchant ship, amazed to see a woman with children floating in the sea, rescued Doaa and the 2 children; but one child passed away - in the medical room.

Doaa hopes to become an activist, maybe even an attorney, to fight injustice.
[br]

0 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Doaa's saga as a refugee, is heart-wrenching; but her tenacity/ temerity is inspiring.
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. found an article about her story

[laserhaas]

2. I posted the link, in the comments above

And debated about posting the words.....

guess I'll do so now - for those who don't wish to watch the video (as the journo writes better than she speaks)

http://tracks.unhcr.org/2015/06/the-death-boats-a-survivors-tale/

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. yes, best to post her story

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. kick for.more exposure

[laserhaas]

5. it's a holiday weekend

Mist are (properly) giving social media a rest

[Marrah_G]

6. Vice has done some excellent reporting on the refugee situation