In the midst of Covid19 the refugees of Moria are faced with a different dilemma than the rest of the world. Most people around the rest of Europe are worrying about having to stay indoors and occupying their time. Here for us refugees it’s different.
I was talking with a young syrian guy last week and he said to me something that resonated with me and probably many others; if we die, we die if even one of us has the virus and then we will all die.
In Moria everyone is scared, many people are already suffering from pneumonia and chest infections as well as other underlying conditions, water is cut off for several hours a day in the camp. When the water comes back, the dilemma starts. Should we wash dishes first or shower, should we wash their clothes or should we go wait for hours in line for food? If we go get the food and manage to receive it the dishes will be dirty, if we go get the food there won’t be water long enough to wash our clothes, or to shower. If we go to wash their clothes and shower we won’t be able to stand in line for food so we will sleep hungry. One of our most basic needs in life is water, whilst others get to worry about Covid19, we are left to worry whether we will be able to have water to wash our hands.
But despite everything the most important is that we through it all will keep hope that we have survived war, we have survived militias, we have survived crossing the sea and now we will survive this virus together.
Don’t listen to those who say there are no solutions, there are many solutions, the lives of those in the camp unfortunately don’t seem worth the effort to those in charge. Covid19 response seems so well orchestrated everywhere else, refugee camps once again are forgotten.
Yousif Alshewaili, Naya Tselepi
April 2020
References of Yousif Alshewaili:
https://alshewailiyousif.wixsite.com/y-as
https://www.facebook.com/yousif.a.shalal
https://instagram.com/yousif_alshewaili?igshid=19waih79kce7c