A boat carrying 500 refugees sunk at sea. The story of two survivors | Melissa Fleming

翻译人员: Hong Li 校对人员: 杏儀 歐陽

Every day, I listen to harrowing stories of people fleeing for their lives,

每天我都会听到 人们挣扎求生的悲惨故事，

across dangerous borders and unfriendly seas.

为了生存，他们穿过 危险的边境线或者海域。

But there's one story that keeps me awake at night,

但有一个故事让我夜不能寐，

and it's about Doaa.

故事的主人公叫多阿。

A Syrian refugee, 19 years old,

她是一名叙利亚难民，19岁，

she was living a grinding existence in Egypt working day wages.

在埃及打工糊口，艰难度日。

Her dad was constantly thinking of his thriving business back in Syria

她父亲原本在叙利亚的生意蒸蒸日上， 结果被一颗炸弹摧毁殆尽，

that had been blown to pieces by a bomb.

他现在还在不断怀念昔日荣光。

And the war that drove them there was still raging in its fourth year.

那场迫使他们背井离乡的战争 已经进入第四年。

And the community that once welcomed them there

原本欢迎他们的社区，

had become weary of them.

开始对他们厌倦了。

And one day, men on motorcycles tried to kidnap her.

有一天，一伙骑摩托车的人 试图绑架她。

Once an aspiring student thinking only of her future,

曾经对未来充满憧憬的学生，

now she was scared all the time.

如今生活在恐惧中。

But she was also full of hope,

但同时她也满怀希望，

because she was in love with a fellow Syrian refugee named Bassem.

因为她爱上了另一个 叙利亚难民，名叫巴西姆。

Bassem was also struggling in Egypt, and he said to Doaa,

巴西姆也在埃及艰难求生， 他对多阿说，

"Let's go to Europe; seek asylum, safety.

“咱们去欧洲寻求避难吧， 那里比较安全。

I will work, you can study -- the promise of a new life."

我找份工作，你可以念书， 我们能过上新生活。”

And he asked her father for her hand in marriage.

他还求多阿的父亲将女儿嫁给他。

But they knew to get to Europe they had to risk their lives,

但他们也明白， 前往欧洲要冒生命危险，

traveling across the Mediterranean Sea,

因为要穿过地中海，

putting their hands in smugglers', notorious for their cruelty.

要将性命交到臭名昭著、 手段残忍的走私者手中。

And Doaa was terrified of the water.

而多阿又很怕水。

She always had been. She never learned to swim.

她从小就怕水，也不会游泳。

It was August that year, and already 2,000 people had died

那年八月份，已经有2000人

在试图横跨地中海时丧命，

trying to cross the Mediterranean,

but Doaa knew of a friend who had made it all the way to Northern Europe,

但多阿的一个朋友成功了， 他一路到了北欧，

and she thought, "Maybe we can, too."

多阿就想，“也许我们也能成功。”

So she asked her parents if they could go,

于是她问父母是否能让他俩走，

and after a painful discussion, they consented,

经过一番痛苦的讨论，父母同意了，

and Bassem paid his entire life savings -- 2,500 dollars each --

巴西姆拿出了自己的全部积蓄—— （价格是）2500美金一个人——

to the smugglers.

交给了走私者。

It was a Saturday morning when the call came,

出发那天是一个星期六，

and they were taken by bus to a beach, hundreds of people on the beach.

一辆巴士把他们拉到海边， 那里已经聚集了几百个人。

They were taken then by small boats onto an old fishing boat,

小船将他们分批送上一艘旧渔船，

500 of them crammed onto that boat,

500人被塞进那艘船上，

300 below, [200] above.

船舱里300人，甲板上200人：

There were Syrians, Palestinians, Africans, Muslims and Christians,

叙利亚人、巴勒斯坦人、非洲人， 有穆斯林、也有基督徒，

100 children, including Sandra -- little Sandra, six years old --

其中有100个孩子，包括桑德拉， （小桑德拉才6岁）

and Masa, 18 months.

还有玛萨，18个月大。

There were families on that boat, crammed together shoulder to shoulder,

有的全家人都在船上， 紧靠在一起，

肩并肩，脚靠脚。

feet to feet.

Doaa was sitting with her legs crammed up to her chest,

多阿坐在地上，蜷成一团，

Bassem holding her hand.

巴西姆握着她的手。

Day two on the water, they were sick with worry

在海上漂了两天， 他们担惊受怕，

and sick to their stomachs from the rough sea.

风浪让他们恶心反胃。

Day three, Doaa had a premonition.

第三天，多阿有种不祥的预感。

And she said to Bassem, "I fear we're not going to make it.

她对巴西姆说， “我觉得咱们到不了了。

I fear the boat is going to sink."

我觉得咱们的船要沉了。”

And Bassem said to her, "Please be patient.

巴西姆说，“耐心点。

We will make it to Sweden, we will get married

我们会到瑞典的，我们会结婚，

and we will have a future."

我们会拥有未来的。”

Day four, the passengers were getting agitated.

第四天，乘客们开始焦虑不安。

They asked the captain, "When will we get there?"

他们问船长，“还有多久能到？”

He told them to shut up, and he insulted them.

船长破口大骂，让他们闭嘴，

He said, "In 16 hours we will reach the shores of Italy."

他说，“再过16小时 我们就能在意大利上岸。”

They were weak and weary.

乘客们已经疲惫不堪。

Soon they saw a boat approach -- a smaller boat, 10 men on board,

不久后他们看到一艘船开过来—— 一艘小一点的船，船上有10个人，

who started shouting at them, hurling insults,

小船上的人冲他们 骂骂咧咧，大声嚷嚷，

throwing sticks, asking them to all disembark

冲他们扔棍子，让他们都下船，

and get on this smaller, more unseaworthy boat.

上那艘看起来很不安全的小船。

The parents were terrified for their children,

父母们担心自己的孩子，

and they collectively refused to disembark.

集体拒绝下船。

So the boat sped away in anger,

于是小船（上的人） 怒气冲冲地（开船）走了，

and a half an hour later, came back

半小时后，船又回来了，

and started deliberately ramming a hole in the side of Doaa's boat,

故意在多阿他们的船上凿出一个洞，

just below where she and Bassem were sitting.

正好在她和巴西姆所在位置下方。

And she heard how they yelled,

多阿听到他们在喊，

"Let the fish eat your flesh!"

“让你们都到海里喂鱼！”

And they started laughing as the boat capsized and sank.

船慢慢侧倾和下沉， 而他们在一边大笑。

The 300 people below deck were doomed.

船舱里的300人在劫难逃。

Doaa was holding on to the side of the boat as it sank,

船开始下沉，多阿紧紧抓着船边，

and watched in horror as a small child was cut to pieces by the propeller.

惊恐地看着一个小孩子 被卷入螺旋桨。

Bassem said to her, "Please let go,

巴西姆对她说，“赶紧放手，

or you'll be swept in and the propeller will kill you, too."

否则你也会被螺旋桨卷进去。”

And remember -- she can't swim.

别忘了，多阿不会游泳。

But she let go and she started moving her arms and her legs,

但多阿还是松开了手， 开始挥舞手脚，

thinking, "This is swimming."

心想，“这就是游泳。”

And miraculously, Bassem found a life ring.

奇迹般地，巴西姆找到一个救生圈。

It was one of those child's rings

是那种儿童用的救生圈，

that they use to play in swimming pools and on calm seas.

在游泳池和平静的海面玩水用。

And Doaa climbed onto the ring,

多阿坐上救生圈，

her arms and her legs dangling by the side.

手脚放在两侧。

Bassem was a good swimmer,

巴西姆水性很好，

so he held her hand and tread water.

他抓住多阿的手，在旁边踩水。

Around them there were corpses.

他们周围都是尸体。

Around 100 people survived initially,

最初大约有100人幸存下来，

and they started coming together in groups, praying for rescue.

他们慢慢聚拢在一起， 祈祷有人来营救他们。

But when a day went by and no one came,

但一天过去了，救援没有来，

some people gave up hope,

一些人放弃了希望，

and Doaa and Bassem watched

多阿和巴西姆看到

as men in the distance took their life vests off and sank into the water.

远处有人脱下救生衣， 任自己沉入水底。

One man approached them with a small baby perched on his shoulder,

一个男人向他们游过来， 肩上背着一个婴儿，

nine months old -- Malek.

九个月大的马利克。

He was holding onto a gas canister to stay afloat, and he said to them,

男人抱着一个天然气罐保持浮力， 他对他们说，

"I fear I am not going to survive.

“我恐怕活不下去了。

I'm too weak. I don't have the courage anymore."

我太虚弱了，我没有勇气再坚持下去。”

And he handed little Malek over to Bassem and to Doaa,

他把小马利克递给巴西姆和多阿，

and they perched her onto the life ring.

他们把她放上救生圈。

So now they were three, Doaa, Bassem and little Malek.

现在他们有三个人了， 多阿、巴西姆和小马利克。

And let me take a pause in this story right here

故事先暂停一下，

and ask the question:

我问大家一个问题：

why do refugees like Doaa take these kinds of risks?

为什么像多阿这样的难民 愿意冒如此大的风险？

Millions of refugees are living in exile, in limbo.

数百万难民颠沛流离。

They're living in countries [fleeing] from a war that has been raging

战火已经燃烧了四年，

为了逃离战争，他们背井离乡。

for four years.

Even if they wanted to return, they can't.

即便他们想回家，也做不到。

Their homes, their businesses,

他们的家，他们的事业，

their towns and their cities have been completely destroyed.

他们的家园，都已被破坏得面目全非。

This is a UNESCO World Heritage City,

这是被联合国教科文组织 列为世界遗产城市：

Homs, in Syria.

霍姆斯市（叙利亚）。

So people continue to flee into neighboring countries,

难民持续涌入邻国，

and we build refugee camps for them in the desert.

我们在沙漠中为他们修建了难民营。

Hundreds of thousands of people live in camps like these,

数十万人住在这样的难民营里，

and thousands and thousands more, millions, live in towns and cities.

还有更多的、上百万的难民 住在乡村和城市。

And the communities,

一些社区、

the neighboring countries that once welcomed them

一些邻国，曾经对他们表示欢迎，

with open arms and hearts

真心诚意地欢迎，

are overwhelmed.

如今也不堪重负。

There are simply not enough schools, water systems, sanitation.

因为教育、供水、医疗资源缺乏。

Even rich European countries could never handle such an influx

即便是富裕的欧洲国家， 在没有大笔投资的情况下，

without massive investment.

也无法应对这么大规模的难民潮。

The Syria war has driven almost four million people over the borders,

叙利亚战争已经让 差不多400万人离开叙利亚，

but over seven million people are on the run inside the country.

但仍有超过700万人 在叙利亚内流离失所。

That means that over half the Syrian population

也就是说超过一半的叙利亚人口

has been forced to flee.

被迫逃离家园。

Back to those neighboring countries hosting so many.

而那些接收了如此多难民的邻国，

They feel that the richer world has done too little to support them.

觉得发达国家对他们支持太少了。

And days have turned into months, months into years.

难民们越待越久， 日复一日，年复一年。

A refugee's stay is supposed to be temporary.

而接收难民原本应该只是临时举措。

Back to Doaa and Bassem in the water.

重新说回在水里挣扎的多阿和巴西姆。

It was their second day, and Bassem was getting very weak.

到了第二天，巴西姆变得越来越虚弱。

And now it was Doaa's turn to say to Bassem,

这次轮到多阿 来鼓励巴西姆了，她说，

"My love, please hold on to hope, to our future. We will make it."

“亲爱的，坚持住，想想我们的未来， 我们一定能活下去。”

And he said to her,

巴西姆说，

"I'm sorry, my love, that I put you in this situation.

“对不起，亲爱的， 是我害你变成这样的。

I have never loved anyone as much as I love you."

我从未像爱你一样爱过任何人。”

And he released himself into the water,

巴西姆松手沉入了水里，

and Doaa watched as the love of her life drowned before her eyes.

多阿眼睁睁地看着 自己的挚爱离开了人世。

Later that day,

当天晚些时候，

a mother came up to Doaa with her small 18-month-old daughter, Masa.

一位母亲带着她18个月大的女儿， 玛萨，游到多阿身边。

This was the little girl I showed you in the picture earlier,

玛萨就是之前我给你们看过照片的，

with the life vests.

穿着救生衣的那个小女孩。

Her older sister Sandra had just drowned,

她的姐姐桑德拉已经淹死了，

and her mother knew she had to do everything in her power

她的母亲明白要尽自己全部力量，

to save her daughter.

来救自己的女儿。

And she said to Doaa, "Please take this child.

她对多阿说， “请带走这个孩子。

Let her be part of you. I will not survive."

让她跟你走。我肯定活不下去了。”

And then she went away and drowned.

然后她游开了，慢慢沉到了水里。

So Doaa, the 19-year-old refugee who was terrified of the water,

于是，多阿，这个怕水的19岁难民，

who couldn't swim,

不会游泳，

found herself in charge of two little baby kids.

却成为了两个小孩的依靠。

And they were thirsty and they were hungry and they were agitated,

他们又饥又渴，又累又怕，

and she tried her best to amuse them,

多阿想尽办法逗她们笑，

to sing to them, to say words to them from the Quran.

唱歌，念《可兰经》。

Around them, the bodies were bloating and turning black.

在她们周围，全是肿胀的尸体 并且开始发黑。

The sun was blazing during the day.

白天太阳毒辣。

At night, there was a cold moon and fog.

夜晚寒气逼人，大雾弥漫。

It was very frightening.

令人毛骨悚然。

On the fourth day in the water, this is how Doaa probably looked

落水的第四天—— 这大概就是多阿在救生圈上

on the ring with her two children.

抱着两个孩子的场景。

A woman came on the fourth day and approached her

第四天，一个女人游过来，

and asked her to take another child --

请多阿照顾另一个孩子，

a little boy, just four years old.

一个小男孩，只有四岁。

When Doaa took the little boy and the mother drowned,

多阿把小男孩接过来， 他的母亲沉入了水里，

she said to the sobbing child,

多阿对抽泣的小男孩说，

“你妈妈只是去找食物和水了。”

"She just went away to find you water and food."

But his heart soon stopped,

但小男孩的心脏很快就停止了跳动，

and Doaa had to release the little boy into the water.

多阿只能将他放到了水里。

Later that day,

又过了一段时间，

she looked up into the sky with hope,

多阿充满希望地看着天空，

because she saw two planes crossing in the sky.

因为她看到空中有两架飞机飞过。

And she waved her arms, hoping they would see her,

她挥舞双手，希望飞机能看到自己，

but the planes were soon gone.

结果飞机很快飞走了。

But that afternoon, as the sun was going down,

但当天下午，临近黄昏的时候，

she saw a boat, a merchant vessel.

她看到了一艘船，一艘商船，

And she said, "Please, God, let them rescue me."

多阿祈祷到，“神啊， 求求你，让他们救救我吧。”

She waved her arms and she felt like she shouted for about two hours.

她挥舞自己的手臂， 感觉好像叫喊了很长时间。

And it had become dark, but finally the searchlights found her

那时天开始变黑， 但最终探照灯找到了她，

and they extended a rope,

他们扔下来一根绳子，

astonished to see a woman clutching onto two babies.

惊讶地发现这个女人还抱着两个婴儿。

They pulled them onto the boat, they got oxygen and blankets,

他们被救上船， 吸了氧气，盖上了毯子，

and a Greek helicopter came to pick them up

一架希腊的直升机过来接她们

and take them to the island of Crete.

要将她们带到克里特岛。

But Doaa looked down and asked, "What of Malek?"

多阿在直升机上往下看，问道， “马利克怎么没来？”

And they told her the little baby did not survive --

他们告诉她那个小婴儿没能活下来，

she drew her last breath in the boat's clinic.

她在船上的医务室停止了呼吸。

But Doaa was sure that as they had been pulled up onto the rescue boat,

然而多阿肯定， 当他们被救上船的时候，

that little baby girl had been smiling.

那个小女婴还在微笑着。

Only 11 people survived that wreck, of the 500.

在这场事故中，500人里面 只有11个人活下来了。

There was never an international investigation into what happened.

针对这件事从未开展过 任何国际调查。

There were some media reports about mass murder at sea,

有一些媒体报道了这场海上大屠杀，

a terrible tragedy,

这场人间悲剧，

but that was only for one day.

但也仅仅持续了一天。

And then the news cycle moved on.

之后新闻热点就被转移到 其他事件上去了。

Meanwhile, in a pediatric hospital on Crete,

同时，在克里特岛的 一家儿童医院里，

little Masa was on the edge of death.

小玛萨在死亡线上挣扎。

She was really dehydrated. Her kidneys were failing.

她严重脱水，肾脏衰竭。

Her glucose levels were dangerously low.

血糖水平非常低。

The doctors did everything in their medical power to save them,

医生们竭尽所能来抢救她，

and the Greek nurses never left her side,

希腊的护士们从未离开她半步，

holding her, hugging her, singing her words.

抱着她、哄她、唱歌给她听。

My colleagues also visited and said pretty words to her in Arabic.

我的同事们也去看望了她， 用阿拉伯语逗她。

Amazingly, little Masa survived.

奇迹发生了，小玛萨活下来了。

And soon the Greek press started reporting about the miracle baby,

之后，希腊媒体开始报道 这个奇迹宝宝，

who had survived four days in the water without food or anything to drink,

她在水上漂了四天， 粒米未进，滴水未沾，

and offers to adopt her came from all over the country.

希望领养她的人络绎不绝。

And meanwhile, Doaa was in another hospital on Crete,

同时，多阿在克里特岛的另一家医院，

thin, dehydrated.

虚弱，脱水。

An Egyptian family took her into their home as soon as she was released.

在她出院后， 一个埃及家庭很快收留了她。

And soon word went around about Doaa's survival,

一时间多阿幸存的故事就传开了，

and a phone number was published on Facebook.

他们在“脸书”上 公布了一个电话号码。

Messages started coming in.

不断有人发来短信。

"Doaa, do you know what happened to my brother?

“多阿，你知道我哥哥怎么样了吗？

My sister? My parents? My friends? Do you know if they survived?"

我姐姐？我父母？我朋友？ 他们活下来了吗？”

One of those messages said,

一条短信说到，

"I believe you saved my little niece, Masa."

“我觉得你救了我的小侄女，玛萨。”

And it had this photo.

他还附上了这张照片。

This was from Masa's uncle,

这是玛萨的叔叔发来的，

a Syrian refugee who had made it to Sweden with his family

他同样也是叙利亚难民， 他们一家成功抵达了瑞典

and also Masa's older sister.

玛萨的姐姐跟他在一起。

Soon, we hope, Masa will be reunited with him in Sweden,

我们希望，马萨很快能去瑞典 跟叔叔团聚，

and until then, she's being cared for in a beautiful orphanage in Athens.

在那之前，她会待在雅典 一家很好的孤儿院。

And Doaa? Well, word went around about her survival, too.

多阿呢？她幸存的故事也很快传开了。

And the media wrote about this slight woman,

媒体报道了这名柔弱的女子，

and couldn't imagine how she could survive all this time

他们想象不出她究竟是怎么活下来的，

under such conditions in that sea,

海上的环境如此恶劣，

and still save another life.

她还拯救了另一条生命。

The Academy of Athens, one of Greece's most prestigious institutions,

雅典科学院， 希腊最具声望的学府之一，

gave her an award of bravery,

授予她英勇奖，

and she deserves all that praise,

她对得起这份荣誉，

and she deserves a second chance.

她也应该得到第二次机会。

But she wants to still go to Sweden.

但她还是想去瑞典。

She wants to reunite with her family there.

她想与自己的家人在那里团聚。

She wants to bring her mother and her father and her younger siblings

她想把自己的母亲、父亲、妹妹

away from Egypt there as well,

从埃及接出来，

and I believe she will succeed.

我觉得她一定能做到。

She wants to become a lawyer or a politician

她想成为一名律师或政治家，

or something that can help fight injustice.

或者其他职业，能与不公正作斗争。

She is an extraordinary survivor.

她是一名非凡的幸存者。

But I have to ask:

但我不得不问：

what if she didn't have to take that risk?

如果她根本没有必要冒这次险呢？

Why did she have to go through all that?

为什么她非得要经历所有这一切？

Why wasn't there a legal way for her to study in Europe?

为什么没有一种合法的方式 能让她在欧洲上学？

Why couldn't Masa have taken an airplane to Sweden?

为什么玛萨不能坐飞机去瑞典？

Why couldn't Bassem have found work?

为什么巴西姆找不到工作？

Why is there no massive resettlement program for Syrian refugees,

为什么没有针对叙利亚难民的 大型安置计划？

the victims of the worst war of our times?

他们是我们这个时代 最悲惨战争的受害者。

The world did this for the Vietnamese in the 1970s. Why not now?

70年代全世界都帮助了越南人民。 为什么现在不可以？

Why is there so little investment in the neighboring countries

为什么邻国接收了如此多难民，

hosting so many refugees?

却只得到如此少的投资？

And why, the root question,

还有最根本的一个问题，

is so little being done to stop the wars, the persecution

为什么我们不去阻止战争、阻止迫害

and the poverty that is driving so many people

消除贫困，以致于这么多人

to the shores of Europe?

不得不偷渡前往欧洲？

Until these issues are resolved,

这些问题不解决，

people will continue to take to the seas

人们还是会继续偷渡，

and to seek safety and asylum.

去寻求安全和避难。

And what happens next?

未来会如何？

Well, that is largely Europe's choice.

当然，这主要取决于欧洲。

And I understand the public fears.

我理解欧洲民众的恐惧。

People are worried about their security, their economies, the changes of culture.

他们担心自己的安全， 担心国家的经济，害怕文化冲突。

But is that more important than saving human lives?

但这些难道 比拯救人的生命还重要吗？

Because there is something fundamental here

我觉得有一点是最关键的，

that I think overrides the rest,

比其他事情都重要，

and it is about our common humanity.

那就是我们共有的人性。

No person fleeing war or persecution

那些躲避战争和迫害的人

should have to die crossing a sea to reach safety.

不应该在渡海求生的过程中死去。

(Applause)

（掌声）

One thing is for sure,

有一点是毫无疑问的，

that no refugee would be on those dangerous boats

那些难民如果在自己的家乡 能好好生存下去，

if they could thrive where they are.

那他们谁也不会登上死亡之船。

And no migrant would take that dangerous journey

那些移民和他们的孩子， 如果吃得饱穿得暖，

if they had enough food for themselves and their children.

那他们谁也不会踏上死亡之旅。

And no one would put their life savings

如果存在合法移民的可能性，

in the hands of those notorious smugglers

谁也不会愿意把自己毕生的积蓄

if there was a legal way to migrate.

交到那些臭名昭著的走私者手中。

So on behalf of little Masa

因此，为了小玛萨，

and on behalf of Doaa

为了多阿，

and of Bassem

为了巴西姆，

and of those 500 people who drowned with them,

为了那葬身海底的500条人命，

can we make sure that they did not die in vain?

我们能否保证他们的死没有白费？

Could we be inspired by what happened,

我们能否被这个故事激励，

and take a stand for a world in which every life matters?

去表明我们的立场， 支持一个珍惜每一条生命的世界呢？

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）