Category: Refugees

Fasting for Ramadan: Hunger in 2022

21/4/2022

I'm not going to eat all day today.

It's Ramadan and I'm joining my Muslim friends who have been fasting during daylight hours since the beginning of the month. I've fasted a couple of days each Ramadan for the past couple of years. I wrote about it here last year.

My motivation is a bit different this year though. The first year was definitely in solidarity with my housemates. The three guys I was living with went to a lot of trouble making delicious Iftar meals for us all. The pleasure of breaking fast together in the evening was all the more joyful because it was a shared experience.

Besides from convivial solidarity, my motivations have expanded this year.

Literally billions of people around the world go hungry every day.

By not eating today, I will experience the hunger that many, many people experience due to poverty. Through no choice of their own, half the global population are designated "in poverty". Which surely demonstrates how broken our global community is. The excesses of the West are known to impact the global south through climate change which, as individuals, we have little power to change.

This article from Noema Magazine highlights how "the richest 10% of people are responsible for 52% of cumulative global emissions — and the 1% for a full 15%."

These statics aren't really that shocking anymore, there's been so much publicity about climate change and what should be done. It's easy to feel worn down - like there's little point in stressing about the short journey I just drove when rich people fly around the world on private jets.

“Today, talking about food means talking about a system in crisis,”

Food is really important. It's hard to concentrate on work or studying if your stomach is growling in hunger, and it's hard to do the manual labour needed to plant crops when you don't have enough calories to fuel the work.

This article in Where the Leaves Fall accepts the importance of children being well fed so that they can concentrate and learn effectively. The article isn't all just doom and gloom, but has some good news stories of the successes of projects around the world in providing free school meals. Hurray! The wider impact on the community when children can thrive in a variety of ways is huge. Finland is a prime example, Tanja Grén credits the availability of free school meals with "turning Finland from a poor, war-torn state into a prosperous, welfare nation."

Later on today, when my tummy is rumbling and my mind wanders to what delicious meal I'll be able to savour tonight, I'll think too about those without enough to eat. Of course I'll think of my friends in Bosnia, trapped by the EU's borders. I'll think of my Muslim friends fasting and praying, and I'll think of the millions of hungry children, eager for a better future, whose lives are impacted by the greed of the West.

I usually try to finish a blog post with a call to action, but I'm struggling to suggest a cause to support or charity to donate to in this instance. The issues are too broad. I can only think to suggest that we must all be outward looking, be kind to those around us and consider ways to tackle bigger issues in ways that our own mental health can manage.

As always, comments and suggestions welcome. Do you fast? What small steps can we take to change the inequalities about food availability?

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Back From Bihać, Bosnia: March 2022

20/3/2022

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Sunset over the River Una in Bihac, Bosnia.

Two months back in Bihać flew by. From arriving via treacherous, icy roads to hiking through spring flowers, the seasons changed during our nine weeks there.

Fortunately, the situation is much more stable than in previous years. People-on-the-move are still facing difficult conditions. They are living in broken houses, but neighbours are helping by providing food or phone charging. Sometimes, people are taken to Lipa Camp against their will, only to have to walk the 20 plus kilometres back again, but it’s not too often, and a night in the camp is ok since it's reopening in December.

My previous post details much of the daily work volunteering for No Name Kitchen, and with more time and resources than previously, we tried to make improvements to what we can offer. Fruit and more vegetables in the food bags and a laundry service for those living in more stable places. Doing what we can when racism and corruption prevents people from renting their own accommodation or accessing their money.

A shower in the fields outside Bihać

Another precious resource we had this year, was more time. With more volunteers, we could carve out dedicated space for spending time with people outside of any other activity.

I had a coffee with Sohail, a tall, strong man who had worked as an electrical engineer. He’s got a big beard which makes him look older than his 26 years, excellent English skills as well as his native Pashto (he’s from Afghanistan) and Turkish after years working there. We chatted about Turkey which I had visited recently, as well as getting operational advice on places to meet people where the authorities or neighbours won’t mind or report us.

Sohail was also keen for advice, he wants to work as an electrical engineer in Western Europe but many governments don’t recognise foreign qualifications, so it’s not a straightforward process. And that’s after having an asylum claim accepted - waiting is a part of everyone’s future, even after they have reached a safe place. The time taken for initial interviews is months and then there is further waiting for a response, during which time you’re not allowed to work. Only wait.

The wild horses of Livno, Bosnia - a team trip on our free day.

No Name Kitchen is a family, a community of people who share values, commitment and ambition. And it’s growing - recent calls for translators and legal advisors demonstrates the tireless search for more ways we can help. We’ve had discussions about bases in new places, responding to the changing trends to the Balkan route as well as elsewhere.

The invasion of the Ukraine remains a conversation on everyone’s lips. Some people presume that Bosnia will receive increased numbers of refugees, but logically that’s not the case. Safe and legal routes have been rapidly provided in Western Europe to those fleeing war from Ukraine. A show of humanity that wasn’t extended to those fleeing war in Afghanistan or Syria. Below is the press release issued by No Name Kitchen which entirely and eloquently expresses my views. Please read it.

I know that I’ll be a part of No Name Kitchen as long as there is a need to help those at Europe’s borders. I’ll probably end up back in Bosnia - it’s a wonderful country to visit. Stand by for posts and articles about touristic attractions from capital city Sarajevo and the wild horses of Livno - but who knows where the next adventure will be.

Thank you to everyone at No Name Kitchen for all the hard work, and especially to Stephanie for being my constant companion in everything. There are always difficult situations and hard moments to navigate, and doing it together is always so much easier! If you feel moved to support our work, donate here.
Press Release Below.

Bosnian Coffee in Sarajevo

PRESS RELEASE: The reception of people who have fled Ukraine has proved us right: offering legal channels for migration is possible

17th March 2022. European Union. No Name Kitchen has always been very clear about the solution to the so-called ‘refugee crisis’: providing legal routes for people to escape their war-torn countries and seek asylum in a safe place, as well as for migrants in general.

The war in Ukraine, which has caused the displacement of many people to neighboring countries, has shown us that, as terrible as it is to leave your home and be separated from your family in search of a safe haven, the process can be done in a kind and speedy way in order to avoid suffering as much as possible.

Even so, the European reception response that we are witnessing these days, and which we support, shows immense hypocrisy on the part of a 21st century Europe that has by no means overcome a xenophobia that has left devastating events in our history.

The people we support in the places where we are working - and which are always areas bordering the European Union-, are also escaping from wars, threats, poverty, lack of opportunities or dictatorships. When they try to reach a country where they can seek asylum or start a new life, they find a border full of violence, a Europe that does not comply with its own laws and international agreements, with illegal refoulements.

Why are we saying that the EU's reaction to the Ukrainian people shows great hypocrisy?

- When the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August, very few people were welcomed in Europe to escape, even knowing full well that many of them were in danger because they had worked with foreign governments or agencies. No Name Kitchen collected cases of many, many families who needed to find a safe haven and received no response from the European authorities.

- Some borders are opened, while others are closed. Every day, present in border towns, we meet people with bruises all over their bodies or who have been ripped off their clothes. This happens to coincide with the fact that a large number of the people in Ceuta (Spain) and in the Balkan countries come from Muslim countries. This intervention could lead to greater Islamophobia in society or normalise xenophobia towards people from Asia or Africa.

- We have seen how black people who are trying to flee the country have encountered a lot of discrimination in their flight, as the news have shown in recent days.

- We see that if there is international political will, there are ways to put pressure on a country in a context of war, with economic and political measures. This is something that the international community has refused to do with other countries, as in the case of Israel with Palestine.

With all this, we want to call for reflection on how aporophobia and Islamophobia determine our external border control policies. People fleeing countries like Afghanistan or Eritrea are doing so for the same reason as the nearly two million people who have left their homes in Ukraine today.

Regarding the reception of people from Ukraine, we would like to recall how the asylum applications of people from this country who fled the war that started in 2016 have been almost entirely rejected in Spain. We hope that this decision taken now is out of true humanity and not as part of a political game.

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Bosnia in February: a Bihac update

12/2/2022

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My early morning run. -1C when I start, then the sun rises over the mountains.

After five weeks back here, there have been changes. I now feel like I have an overview of the situation here, read on for more details.

It’s amazing how much the weather affects everything, isn’t it? The snow and ice has gone for now. The sunny days are beautiful, temperatures reach the teens and we can walk in just t-shirts. The nights are still freezing though. As soon as it gets dark, temperatures plummet below zero again.

The warmer weather brings different challenges, the van slips in mud instead of ice as we drive up dirt roads to replenish the water stations. The water is used more quickly by those living in tents or broken buildings now that there’s no snow to melt.

I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned the showers! Another organisation invented portable showers. The boiler, which runs on a gas bottle, is mounted onto a crate with straps - meaning it can be worn like a backpack to transport it to remote locations. We bring a camping shower surround and plenty of water, and the guys can shower for as long as they like. This is a service we could never have dreamed of offering last year. Showers take a while, leaving the van and volunteers standing around in fields for hours, visible to authorities. Most of the work we do is criminalised (due to complex Bosnian law) but both police and locals mind far less than they did last year.

A view of the Bihac from the memorial on a hill.

The showers are amazing. Such a clever design and they are part of a wider programme to promote various other health topics. Scabies is a big issue. The parasitic skin condition requires treating every member of the group with all-over body cream and showers have been essential to this treatment. The blankets, clothes and sleeping bags of everyone staying at the same location have to be washed at high temperatures too. The logistics of the whole process now involves several groups with different skills and equipment.

The improved conditions for people here are the subject of many conversations with journalists, other organisations and donors. But the other day, as I was standing around while a couple of people were showering, the reality of the situation hit me once again.

Yes, a shower is better than no shower, but it’s still outside, there’s limited privacy, and the experience of relying on volunteers to bring you the opportunity is degrading.

The people here want the opportunity for a dignified life, where they can make a decision to shower or not shower whenever they like. They want the opportunity to work and pay their way, to contribute to communities and provide for family members elsewhere. Or not - maybe some people want to spend all the money they earn on a fancy car and expensive TV. Why not? It’s a choice that the rest of us have.

In every sad story there are elements of happiness. I took this report of a violent pushback. The young man from Afghanistan urgently needed dental treatment and whilst we were waiting for the appointment, we were chatting. The details of his most recent illegal deportation came up. Please read the report. It gives in insight into the every-day conditions people here are facing.

Despite improving conditions, the EU is still responsible for illegal acts. But as you read it, you can think of this guy eating a croissant for breakfast, he’s in France. He has new challenges now, but the violence of the Croatian authorities isn’t one of them, and for that I can breathe a sigh of relief.

An outdoor shower is better than no shower, to support our continued work here, donate to No Name Kitchen via this link. Comment of support and encouragement are always welcome!

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Book Launch: Refugees from Eden, boys from Afghanistan

10/9/2021

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Book Cover: Refugees from Eden, Voices of lament, courage and justice.

Everyone is creeped-out by spiders.

My theory is that people who study them or have massive pet tarantulas, who are fascinated by their too-numerous legs and eyes, do so because they are super creepy.

But I must have read something about spider webs, I can’t remember what it was exactly, but it was something along the lines of:

“Personal connections are like spiderwebs.
You might meet someone for one moment and share an experience together.
Now you’re bound by a near-invisible thread,
like the fine, silk chord of a spider’s web.

When you meet that person again, share more time, experiences and conversations,
the thread is reinforced, until you’re bound strongly to that person, with unbreakable strength.”

That’s what happened for this book to be produced. I met Rosemary Power in Calais, France - a fellow brave volunteer during a pandemic. We spent time together at the beach with the other volunteers, and she lent me a copy of one of her books.

In Serbia, I met Aziz and Wahid. Stef and I saw them most days when we’d take hot food and re-charged powerbanks to their group who slept in tents in the woods. The threads of silk, already connecting us, bound us more strongly when we saw them again in Bosnia.

I am extremely proud to share their story in this book. Rosemary Power has collected stories for this anthology of stories from refugees and those from the communities that support them. Each person has a sad, uplifting, devastating and hopeful story to tell.

Aziz and Wahid are my friends - two teenage boys that I care about. But now more than ever, there are thousands of teenage boys like them who have fled Afghanistan, not to mention the other countries with equally harsh realities. There are thousands of families, struggling to keep hope, stuck at borders, their lives on hold.

Aziz and Wahid, along with their friends from Afghanistan meeting us in the rain. Sid, Serbia. Photo credit: Helen Tennyson

The other piece I wrote for the anthology is about the Old Factory in Bihać, Northern Bosnia. Hundreds of people live there. I use the word ‘live’ simply as the opposite of ‘die’, it’s awful.

These people, who are mostly from Afghanistan, have fled the Taliban in the hope of a future. The European Union blocks that future by illegally denying them the opportunity to claim asylum. Time and again people like my friend Romal are pushed back from Croatia - belongings destroyed, hopes dashed.

Romal (not his real name) was in the Afghan Army, he fought against the Taliban before walking most of the way from Kabul to Bihać. A journey of 6,000 km which included danger, smugglers, fear, injury and years of his life. He is stuck in Bosnia despite having reached the European Union on multiple occasions, only for the Croatian authorities to illegally remove him back to Bosnia. A clear and documented violation of Human Rights. You can read more about the complex web of illegal pushbacks at borderviolence.eu

I would love it if you bought the book! Read the stories from around the world, and share what you have read with others. The profits from the book will go to an organisation helping displaced people, and the more we talk and stay informed, the more likely it is that something positive will come out of it.

Buy the book from Wild Goose Publications here.

Let me know what you think of the book, comment below.

Oooooh! I could sign it for you!! If you want a signed copy then send me a message and I’ll start practicing my best hand-writing.

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Riding for women: Sponsored 100km Bike Ride

19/8/2021

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Afghanischer Frauenverein - Afghan Women's Association.

The events in Afghanistan, and the implications that the Taliban rule will have on women and girls, are extremely worrying. Access to education and employment opportunities are just the start of the problems.

***** UPDATE! We did it! Here's the instagram post to prove it.

So we thought we'd try to do something about it. Stephanie and I are going to do a 100 km bike ride in aid of Afghanischer Frauenverein (Afghan Women's Association).

About the Ride - Saturday 28th August

The Radbahn Münsterland is a cycle path in Northern Germany. It follows an old railway line, from Coesfeld to Rheine - with Steinfurt (where we live) right in the middle. So we plan to cycle the whole thing twice - from the middle to one end and home again, and then to the other end and home again. This will be a total of 100 km, and we get to have lunch at home!

100 km on the Radbahn Münsterland will be a challenge - we're just 25 km in in this photo.

About the Organisation

The Afghan Women's Association have been working in Afghanistan since 1992. They work in remote areas to provide life necessities like clean water to drink, as well as providing education opportunities. All whilst ensuring local people are involved, the projects are run by 190 local people. They are a registered organisation in Germany.

Right now they are focusing on emergency response.

We're aiming to raise €/£500 to support people who are now displaced. You can read more about this fund-raising project here, but here is an extract:

"244,000 people, most of them women with small children, have been fleeing the escalating violence in the country since the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan in May 2021 and are desperately seeking protection between the fronts. On August 10th alone, 20,000 refugees from the disputed areas of Kunduz, Baglan, Tachar and Badachschan reached the city of Kabul. Most of them have been able to save nothing but the clothes they wear. Everything is missing: drinking water, food, shelter, hygiene options, protection and medical care."

Stephanie and I are both feeling devastated by the news footage.

We have met people who fled exactly for the reasons we are now seeing. And our friends from Afghanistan have shared with us how scared they are for remaining friends and family members, as well as how sad they are for their country.

But we are both excited to be doing something, as well as having an adventure. I've never cycled that far in one day. And our longest training ride was just over 50 km, so it will certainly be a challenge.

Please donate to this excellent organisation.

You can do so via THIS LINK. And then we'd love it if you posted a comment here to let us know and wish us luck. We aren't able to track the donations directly, so if you fancied letting us know how much you donated so that we can feel smug, that would be great too.

If you are in the UK, you can also sigh THIS PETITION to call for the UK government to show compassion to asylum seekers.

We're ready! Hannah and Stephanie kitted out for their 100 km bike ride.

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Afghanistan: The women left behind

16/8/2021

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Artwork by Afghan Street Artist Shamsia Hassani

Waking up to the news that Kabul had fallen and the Taliban were in full control was shocking but not surprising. Of the many people from Afghanistan that I have met, it was the Taliban that caused them to flee their homes.

I met translators for European forces, NATO, USA and UK troops relied on their skills, but left them vulnerable. Anyone helping troops was an enemy of the Taliban.

I met the brothers of those killed by the Taliban, in the opposition army or because they refused to join the extremists.

I met human rights campaigners who want the rights for women to be equal, who want education for everyone and an end to corruption.

And it is the women who will be most affected.

From A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

The artist Shamsia Hassani sums up the feelings of many in her art work.

"Born April 1988, is the first female graffiti artist of Afghanistan. Through her artworks, Shamsia portrays Afghan women in a male dominant society.

Her art gives Afghan women a different face, a face with power, ambitions, and willingness to achieve goals. The woman character used in her artworks portrays a human being who is proud, loud, and can bring positive changes to people’s lives. During the last decade of post-war era in Afghanistan, Shamsia’s works have brought in a huge wave of color and appreciation to all the women in the country.

Her artworks have inspired thousands of women around the world and has given a new hope to female Afghan artists in the country. She has motivated hundreds of Afghans to bring in their creativity through her graffiti festival, art classes, and exhibitions in different countries around the world."

Artist Shamsia Hassani. Tap to buy a print.

This picture speaks to me directly. What would I do if suddenly I wasn’t allowed to be a musician? If I weren’t allowed to work at my art, or express myself? Not to mention if I had been denied the education to have that art in the first place.

And just to be clear. This isn’t about religion. Islam does not teach the oppression of women. Many Muslim people - men and women - support and campaign for equality and freedom.

What can we do?

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of the devastation. But there are some moves we can make.

Sign this petition

Refugee Action are asking for the UK government to show compassion on those that need to seek shelter and safety by granting asylum.

Donate

Women for Afghan Women is a US based grassroots NGO. It “provides life changing, community based programs to thousands of women, children and families throughout Afghanistan. Our services include family counseling, education, and vocational training.” Donate here

Or Rukhsana Media - a woman-led media company reporting on the issues that affect women in Afghanistan.

And you can follow Shamsia Hassani on Instagram and buy her work.
https://www.shamsiahassani.net/

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ASYLUM DENIED: A Friend's Story - Bosnia

9/7/2021

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The River Una. The crystal clear waters flow beside the now closed family camp in Bosnia. Photo: Zac.

"A sad story that flows like a river all over the world, a story that all human beings are familiar with, a story that has no end, migration.

Migration is done by birds, fish, wolves, etc.

Migration has always been a good option for a better life, an option that costs a lot but is not for everyone and only for the better of us. We ?!? We are the population of human beings who are trying to find a safe place, human beings who behave like human beings and live a normal life.

This is the way we refugees have to go to any destination and work to reach our destination, home, safe house, and this work always continues.

The truth that there is no denying leads us to unfamiliar countries because of security, injustice, and thousands of other reasons. Countries that block our way, countries that take our property, countries that wait like wolves in the skin of a lamb.

But when it comes to the name of a refugee, everyone thinks of borders, and the problem is that they are not just borders, the camps and the whole country are problematic, all those people and their living conditions are problematic, until the justice that happens.

People who have no place in the camps and the police do not leave them outside the camps, parents who make shelter for their children under the trees on the street corners, young men who due to the lack of family members with them, they are not allowed to enter the camps, the problems of the refugees cannot be imagined to be over, but one can expect organization and order in their problems."

Bosnia Herzegovina isn’t a bad country. I’m sure my friends that have had to pass through will have nightmares about the way they were treated. It’s a poor country, which struggles to take care of its own citizens, let alone the thousands of others now trapped there, but the beauty and kindness of people does exist.

I first met Zac* (not his real name) in February 2021. He was 17 then. He speaks excellent English and Bosnian as well as Persian and is a keen photographer. It's his words that start this post.

We met in a cafe and chatted about how No Name Kitchen could use some of his photos. It was then that he told me about the boys living outside near the camp. The camp was for families and underage and unaccompanied boys. When the boys turn 18 then they are no longer allowed to stay inside the camp. So they had found a derelict house to sleep in.

Zac met us and introduced us to the group of boys that needed some help and gave us an overview of the situation in the camp. It was then that I learnt more about him. He and his parents and little sister had left Iran more than four years ago. They had lived in Sarajevo - the Bosnian capital - and the kids had gone to school. They applied for asylum in Bosnia. The glacially slow process took months and then their initial claim was rejected. This isn't at all surprising considering the number of successful asylum applications in Bosnia Herzegovina.

NO-ONE is granted asylum.

Compare this with the number of successful asylum claims in Germany and it’s clear that the majority of people from Iran are considered to be deserving of asylum in Germany. They were rejected because literally everyone is.

https://www.worlddata.info/europe/bosnia-and-herzegovina/asylum.php

https://www.worlddata.info/europe/germany/asylum.php

The day that Zac told me about the rejection, he was crushed. He’s lived the most important years of his life in Bosnia, it wasn’t an option to return to Iran and he knew from other people what it’s like to try and cross into the EU.

He’d just had his 18th birthday - it should have been a time of celebration. In a western European country he would celebrate being an adult, deciding on where to study at university or which job to apply for after school. Instead he was rejected and defeated by politics and nationality.

During that time, Zac continued to help us with translation, connections, photos and the stories of his friends. The last time I saw him, before I left Bosnia, he told me that their appeal against the asylum decision had been rejected and now they had to decide what to do.

On 5th June I had a message. He and his family, along with some friends, had crossed the border into Croatia and been illegally deported. His phone had been taken by the police but he managed to borrow one later to call me and give the details for this report for the Border Violence Monitoring Network.

“[The officers] behaviour, it was f**king bad with us. I was telling him – why do you take our phone, our money? He said to me “my sh*t is better than anyone here.” I said, whatever you want to do, do it.”

Needless to say, Zac was angry and frustrated. The small children in the group had witnessed the actions of police that they never should have had to face. Zac couldn’t understand how it was possible for humans to treat other humans in this way.

Around 10 days later he called me again. This time had been even worse. Not only had the group endured days on end of walking, but the police had mocked them, stolen their belongings and denied their human rights. Zac sounded even more hopeless, but was determined to do something against this unjust treatment. He was so motivated to provide detailed evidence for the report that he injured himself by scratching the numbers of the cars into his skin. Read the next report here.

"The officers asked if the group wanted to claim asylum. The group members replied that they did. The respondent described how the officers first of all said “Ok come with us,” then as the group were getting to their feet, the officers laughed at them and said “what are you doing? Sit down. No one wants to give you asylum.”"

I spoke to him again this week. Another pushback and another report in the making. This time they had reached the city centre of Zagreb. They were at the bus station.

They were in the centre of a European Union capital city and yet still their human right to claim asylum was denied.

Whilst we were chatting, I asked after Zac’s family. “What can I say?” was the only answer he was able to give. I can’t imagine how he or his family are feeling right now. They are stuck in a camp in Bosnia - living in a shipping container.

Zac takes a lot of the responsibility with his language skills and competence, he’s young and fit and has to watch his little sister and parents endure the physical challenges of walking day after day. And that’s without the emotional drain of expecting to be caught at any moment, of knowing what will happen if they are caught but also with the knowledge that they were so close to being safe before.

We've chatted a lot this we about how best to make this blog post and about people we both know. Zac wants to continue providing content for No Name Kitchen. We want to shout about these injustices. The repeated failings of the European Union to show compassion to people that need help.

I'm very proud to know Zac, to benefit from his help while we were in Bosnia, to share creative ideas and to have as a friend. The injustices he has already faced and those yet to come are not acceptable.

It seems really hard to know what to do about this. I know that I and others have felt angry without knowing how to channel that into action. One way to help is by making a donation to No Name Kitchen who are part of Border Violence Monitoring Network and provide volunteers on the ground who collect testimonies.

Like and share my posts on Facebook and Instagram and comment below with messages of support. It really means a lot to me and to Zac.

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Ceuta and Melilla - People-on-the-move on the African continent

2/7/2021

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Border Defences, Ceuta. Photo: Irina Samy and No Name Kitchen

I hear about the situation in France, Serbia and Bosnia, as well as in Greece via different organisations and from friends. But the situation for displaced people on the African continent is something I knew less about.

No Name Kitchen are helping in Ceuta and Melilla. Both are Spanish-controlled ports on the shore of Africa.

map photo CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1471958

As with so much global history - the Europeans made claims on the land long, long ago, and the Spanish have controlled Ceuta since the 1600s. The location of both cities meant that it was possible to monitor and control the sea traffic and that the land was easily defended from invasion or attack.

Today, Ceuta and Melilla are part of the European Union.

Neighbouring Morocco, itself a destination country for refugees and asylum seekers from further south, has a complex history. Oppression and economic problems, lack of women’s and LGBTQ rights. Around 4 million Moroccans live in poverty today.

Covid, of course, hasn’t helped. Previously, some movement between the Spanish areas and Morocco was common. This article by No Name Kitchen explains well what has happened during the pandemic and says:

“Since March 2020, when Morocco closed the borders due to Covid-19 restrictions, people from neighboring cities who previously had the right to come to Ceuta freely, have been separated from their family and friends for more than a year.

The leader of the Polisario Front of Western Sahara is in a hospital in Spain. For several weeks, the Moroccan authorities have been threatening Madrid with a political response. This relative opening of borders (forcing people to risk their lives at the sea) could be the answer. Once again, this would be a tragic use of people in order to achieve political interests.”

Vulnerable people were used as political pawns once again.

This Facebook post by No Name Kitchen from November 2020 gives a window into the situation in Melilla:

This week four young Moroccans died, trying to enter Melilla using a sewage drain. No matter how high the fences are, no matter how much control there is in the water, the struggle to achieve a more dignified life does not rest, even if it involves carrying out increasingly dangerous maneuvers.

The mourning and sadness over the death of these four young people reach the streets of Melilla, where the kids relive their own journeys.

One boy relives it even more intensely, a year ago he used the same route to enter Melilla.

"There were five of us, I was leading, guiding my companions as I knew the route of previous attempts. We were crouched, on all fours and sometimes with our chests on the ground. Everything was dark, we could only see half a meter ahead thanks to the small flashlights that we carried in our mouths. The air could not be breathed, it smelled of fecal water, bleach and there was little oxygen. We spent five hours through the darkness, accompanied by garbage, mud, rats, cockroaches, chemicals and broken glass bottles that ripped our skin. We stopped every fifteen minutes to try to breathe a little better. I fainted, I was unconscious with my whole body under the mud, I was lucky that my companions found me in time. I saw death up close, I thought I would not come out alive from that labyrinth. But my companions encouraged me, their lives depended on me who had to guide them, so I continued. Until we finally managed to enter Melilla. I have never explained this to my family, maybe I will do it when I already have my life settled, I don't know. But on that journey I died, died and was born again. "

The problems in the world are so complex, I certainly don’t pretend to understand them all, let alone to know what the answers are. But I do know that so much of the inequality that exists is avoidable. If there were fair trade deals, ethical investing, safe routes for refugees, no racism or discrimination. If people were treated with dignity and kindness instead of otherness and scorn.

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Struggles Continue in Bosnia: No Name Kitchen Wants to Expand

18/6/2021

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The people I met in Bosnia don't want to be beggars, asking for help, but they have no choice. I will never be able to imagine what it feels like to ask for food so I don't starve, or clean underwear because I haven't been able to wash.

Dignity is in short supply when the authorities beat you, steal your possessions and deny you your human rights.

In March 2020, as the world shut down, No Name Kitchen found a way to continue helping. The voucher scheme works remotely and allows some dignity to the people who need support.

Volunteers across the world receive and respond to messages from people-on-the-move and then provide a code for use in a local shop.

Genius!

You just receive a code, walk to the shop and BUY WHAT YOU NEED AND WANT! Rather than waiting for a food pack, you have a bit of dignity restored as you go shopping in a normal way.

Not only this, but the scheme supports small, local businesses and frees up volunteers on the ground to take on other tasks.

WE NEED TO EXPAND

The brilliance of the scheme means that volunteers don't need to be physically there. There's another town, far away from the two NNK bases already in Bosnia, where families are staying. Local businesses are already in agreement, but we need your help.

I went to this other location a few times, some friends of mine ended up there. A family with a 12 year old and a four year old. It's a calm and friendly little town and the local people want to help, but resources are stretched thin. The teams in Bihac and Velika Kladusa are occupied enough without having to travel further.

Please consider donating via this link.

I'm very proud of NNK and the work every does to think of the very best ways of helping. Involving those that need help in the decision-making of the organisation and of the aid the receive is exactly as it should be, but is lacking in many other organisations. Well done team!

What do you think of the voucher scheme? What other ways can we ensure vulnerable people retain dignity and control? Comment below.

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The G7 Summit: are we doomed?

11/6/2021

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As the leaders of the wealthiest nations meet in Cornwall, UK this weekend, the issues of recovery from the pandemic will be at the top of the agenda.

Yet, as these wealthy nations with successful vaccination programmes, proclaim victory over the virus, poorer countries continue to struggle.

The worst affected countries in the last 7 days are currently Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Where is the international reporting about those countries?

Britain wants “[G7] leaders to seize the opportunity to build back better from coronavirus, uniting to make the future fairer, greener and more prosperous.”

A great slogan, nice use of alliteration there, but a huge contradiction.

"build back better"

The UK announced a drastic reduction in foreign aid “from 0.7% to 0.5% of total national income - a reduction of around £4bn.

Greenpeace UK has been keeping track of the government’s broken promises on cutting carbon emissions.

Power and inequality

Greenpeace and other activists call on citizens to take action. But it’s really hard to make sustainable choices when you have little control over your spending habits or accommodation. The shocking graph provided here shows the dramatic increase in the number of vulnerable people in the UK.

If you’re busy worrying about whether your family will eat a healthy meal, you’re not going to be too worried about the fossil fuel targets being missed.

And thus the divide widens. The effects of climate change are being felt.

“Already, flooding in low-lying coastal areas is forcing people to migrate to higher ground, and millions more are vulnerable from flood risk and other climate change effects.”

Migration. Climate change causes migration.

So people fleeing war, famine and persecution will be joined in the inadequate refugee camps at the borders of the EU, USA and elsewhere. Hoping for protection from a problem they had little part in causing, but now at the mercy of those who caused it.

What CAN We Do?

It feels pretty hopeless doesn’t it?

The corrupt governments of wealthy, western nations act against international law with the full knowledge of their citizens and we can’t do anything.

But there are success stories of people-power leading to change.

The fantastic work of The Good Law Project have held politicians to account over PPE procurement, and the damage done by Trump’s selfish policies has been halted by President Biden.

I’m not going to preach at you about going vegan, donating to charities, reusing your plastic bags or signing petitions. But if any of these ideas has got you thinking, then here are some useful links.

How to go vegan

How to find and donate to a food bank near you

The Joyful Environmentalist

Greta Thundberg’s FridaysForFuture

Do something for nothing

Start the conversation. What should we do? Is it too late to make any changes? Is humanity doomed? Why should I care when I live in a nice house on a hill? Comment below.

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Fasting for Ramadan: Hunger in 2022

Back From Bihać, Bosnia: March 2022

Bosnia in February: a Bihac update

Book Launch: Refugees from Eden, boys from Afghanistan

Riding for women: Sponsored 100km Bike Ride

Did you donate? Anonymously tell us how much.

Afghanistan: The women left behind

ASYLUM DENIED: A Friend's Story - Bosnia

Ceuta and Melilla - People-on-the-move on the African continent

Struggles Continue in Bosnia: No Name Kitchen Wants to Expand

The G7 Summit: are we doomed?

What CAN We Do?

Hannah the traveller

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Hannah the traveller

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