Copy right slike od organizacije SOS Balkanroute. ( slika sa groblja izbjeglica blizu Zvornika koju ciji nadgrobni spomenici su podignuti uz pomoc donacija ove organizacije)
Last week, we were shaken by the tragedy that occurred on the Drina River when an overloaded boat carrying a total of 28 refugees capsized while attempting to cross the border between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. At that time, twelve (12) people lost their lives, the youngest of whom was a baby named Lana, just nine (9) months old. Even more tragically, Lana’s parents also lost their lives, leaving behind three minor children who are now alone and currently residing in Serbia. The family was from Syria and, along with other refugees from Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Morocco, they were seeking refuge in one of the European countries.
To better understand what exactly happened, representatives from the organization INTERGreat contacted survivors of this tragedy, who are currently in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we spoke with them. Still under great shock and trauma from the event, they managed to recount what happened, from their arrival at the site to the ruthless smugglers who knowingly overloaded the boat, directly contributing to this tragedy.
Two young men, whose names and origins we will not mention for their safety, told us that on Thursday morning around four (4) a.m., they arrived at the spot where a masked man was waiting for them. A total of 48 people from Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Morocco were divided, with the first group of 20 boarding the first boat. This boat, which mostly carried unaccompanied minors, successfully reached the other shore. Immediately after, the masked man operating the boat returned to the opposite side of the river and forced all 28 waiting individuals to board. The visibly overloaded boat capsized shortly after setting off, and nearly everyone on board fell into the river. That’s when the tragedy began. Survivors spoke of a horrific scenario. Some managed to get out of the water, but unfortunately, twelve (12) people were claimed by the Drina, including the nine-month-old baby Lana and her parents.
The person recounting the event told us that after managing to get to the shore, he ran to the nearest houses, banging on doors, calling for help, and saying that people were in the water. Shortly after, locals called the police. Border police and rescuers who arrived at the scene began the rescue operation and started searching for others who were not found on the shore.
The group from the first boat was met by the Bosnian border police on the other side and taken to the field office for foreigners. They were detained and questioned. To reiterate, this group included twelve (12) unaccompanied minors and three (3) adults. Some survivors evaded the police and disappeared in an unknown direction.
In negotiations with Serbian authorities and the Frontex Agency, which officially controls the borders in this country, there were plans to send everyone back to Serbia, effectively carrying out an illegal push-back. Due to pressure from the public and some non-governmental organizations, this attempt was prevented, and all were transported to camps in Sarajevo.
The group that experienced the tragedy and remained on Serbian territory, despite the indescribable experience, fear, and trauma, was not spared. Witnesses told us that some were arrested and deported back to the Macedonian border. The remaining group was returned to camps, and the minor children who lost their parents were, as we learned, placed in a safe house.
A week after the event, the bodies of the victims were buried. Some will be buried on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including two young men from Syria who were only 15 and 20 years old. Other victims were buried on Serbian territory.
What does this event tell us? It tells us that Europe’s doors are closed and that as Europe builds higher walls and installs more barbed wire at its borders, people increasingly fall into the hands of smugglers who use any means necessary to put these people’s lives at risk.
We must not forget that the movement of refugees will not and cannot stop, as we continue to witness ongoing conflicts, poverty, climate change, and other reasons why people decide to leave their homes. We must not turn a blind eye to such and similar tragedies that occur daily at our doorstep. Since 2014, according to information from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 50,000 people have lost their lives. Of course, this number is much higher because the bodies of the missing are still in the depths of the sea, rivers, and forests. This is the result of the brutal approach at EU borders and various agreements with corrupt governments of certain countries that take money for so-called ‘migration management.’
Text written by Sanela Klepić, President of INTERGreat