It’s not all about us all the time

If tens of dead and hundreds of missing people off the Greek coast do not unite us even briefly, if we cannot hold a serious discussion on all the dimensions of mass migration, then we are in danger of losing all hope of agreement among ourselves.

The state responded to the shipwreck, through all those who took part in the search and rescue operations, in the treatment of the survivors. It declared three days of national mourning. But the protagonists of public debate – the parties, news media and trolls – tried to turn the tragedy into yet another domestic dispute, where one side is accused of “killing migrants” and the other of wanting Greece to be totally unprotected.

When will we understand that not everything is about us? The world is experiencing the greatest crisis of displaced people since the end of World War II.

The refugee, the person who is hungry, cares nothing for Greek quarrels. He is unaware of grandiose conspiracy theories such as the “Great Replacement” of local Christians by imported Muslims, of local workers by cheaper rivals. But the movement of each one of millions of people coalesces into a global wave of migration, it needs to be dealt with at a global level. Wednesday’s shipwreck is proof of the failure of such efforts.

For years now, the European Union has been trying to slow the flow of migrants by funding programs in countries of origin and those on their routes, such as Libya. Nor have the efforts to obstruct entry (which include illegal returns, or pushbacks) been successful. 

Even as it becomes less hospitable the EU continues to promise a better life to those who seek it. In North Africa and the Middle East alone last year some 3,800 people died on land and sea routes. According to the International Migration Organization, more than 21,000 have been lost between North Africa and Europe since 2014.

The issue concerns Greece directly. But not only Greece. And it is complicated. We need a national strategy and cooperation with partners and other countries. We need to see all the parameters of the problem and agree on crucial points. We need to be effective and humane.

When we see everything as an opportunity to beat each other, we undermine all our efforts.