UNHCR
TITLE: THE SEA ROUTE TO EUROPE
FILE: 2015-06-29-switzerland-geneva-the-sea-route-to-europe
LANGUAGE: NATS/ENGLISH/ARABIC
SOURCE: OWEN FAY/ALEX ST. DENIS/EDITH
CHAMPAGNE
LOCATION: Geneva
SHOOT DATE: 2015 FOOTAGE
AIR DATE:
RUNS: 3:21
FORMAT: 16/9
BACKGROUND:
UNHCR has compiled the most comprehensive data on sea crossings in the
Mediterranean in the first half of 2015. Close to 130 thousand people have attempted
this journey in the past six months. There is no sign of the pace slowing down and
while deaths at sea have dropped considerably, the countries bearing the
overwhelming bulk of the refugee arrivals are struggling to cope with the sheer
numbers.
The statistics regarding sea crossings like this one are astonishing….and as they
continue to climb month after month….it becomes easy to forget that each one of
the numbers is an actual person.
And each one of these people here has been forced to make this terrible
choice….or -like this child- have had it made on their behalf.
Clip, Thohouk, Syrian Refugee (Arabic):
“My life was nice, I was studying and had a school but we were bombed while at
school, but we had a nice life and I had a nice room.”
The nationalities may be different and the circumstances unique…but for
everyone attempting this life-threatening crossing, the rationale is always the
same….however dangerous this might be, it’s still preferable to what lies back
home.
Clip, Sameh, Syrian refugee (Arabic): We have lived a very tough life. We are
now in Europe but our hearts are back in our country.”
GRAPHIC ScaleOfCrisis
And that desperate choice has now been made more than 137 thousand times
this year. Well over 65 thousand people have arrived both in Italy and in
Greece….and there are no signs of this pace slowing down.
GRAPHIC ComparisonToPast5Years
A mere 5 years ago, sea crossings accounted for fewer than 10 thousand
people…in just the last year and a half, that has skyrocketed to 350 thousand.
GRAPHIC ComparisonToPast5Years That trend is being borne out month by
month…compared to the first half of 2014, each month of this year has been
higher. The pattern is continuing to climb.
GRAPHIC CountriesOfOrigin
The majority of those taking the sea route to Europe are refugees and most are
fleeing from war, conflict or persecution at home, as well as deteriorating
conditions in many refugee-hosting countries.
And this is driving the demands that help be given to all those who need it.
Well over 60% of all arrivals this year have been from refugee producing
countries.
This means that EU States have a clear legal responsibility to offer them
protection, in addition to the standing obligation to rescue people at sea.
This refugee crisis is just one of many challenges being faced the world over in
2015…..many millions have been forced to flee just like Ezzideen and his son,
Zuhair. And like all the rest, they are not numbers or statistics. They are parents
and children and families.
Remembering that is essential if this global crisis can be met with a truly global
solution.
SHOTLIST
00:00 Greek Coast guard rescuing refugees near Lesvos 2015-06-13
00:15 Various of Refugees on boat
00:24 Refugees disembarking on port of Catania, Sicily 2015-04-22
00:31 Tohouk walking in Refugee reception tent, Catania, Sicily 2015-02-22
00:36 Clip, Thohouk, Syrian Refugee (Arabic):
My life was nice, I was studying and had a school but we were bombed while
at school, but we had a nice life and I had a nice room.
00:50 Refugees on a boat Sicily 2015-06-17
00:57 Sameh and his family getting out of Italian Caostguard boat 2015-06-17
01:02 Sameh and his family sitting down on port
01:08 Clip, Sameh, Syrian refugee (Arabic):
We have lived a very tough life. We are now in Europe but our hearts are
back in our country.
01:27 GRAPHIC ScaleOfCrisis
01:45 GRAPHIC ComparisonToPast5Years 1
01:57 GRAPHIC ComparisonToPast5Years 2
02:09 GRAPHIC CountriesOfOrigin
02:26 Various of Italian CoastGuard boat bringing Refugees into Catania port
2015-04-22
02:44 Refugees on Italian CoastGuard boat, Sicily 2015-06-17
02:54 Sameh and his family on port
02:58 Refugees on port Sicily 2015-06-17
03:02 Sameh’s wife with baby
03:04 Close up of baby
03:06 Family walking on port Sicily 2015-06-17
03:09 Refugees escorted inside main boat by Italian CoastGuard 2015-03-20