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

譯者: Christian Grey 審譯者: Yuheng Wang

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

每天，我聽著人們為了性命

而橫跨危險邊境與險惡海洋的悲慘故事

across dangerous borders and unfriendly seas.

其中有一個故事更讓我徹夜難眠

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

and it's about Doaa.

它是有關 Doaa 的故事

A Syrian refugee, 19 years old,

她是一位十九歲敘利亞難民

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

在埃及靠著日薪勉強度日

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

她的父親總懷念著

在敘利亞戰爭中被炸毀的蓬勃事業

that had been blown to pieces by a bomb.

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

這個迫使他們遷到埃及的戰爭 已經邁入第四年

And the community that once welcomed them there

原本歡迎他們的社區

had become weary of them.

開始厭倦他們

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

有一天，一位男性機車騎士試圖綁架她

Once an aspiring student thinking only of her future,

曾經是一位對未來充滿希望的學生

now she was scared all the time.

現在她天天活在驚恐之中

But she was also full of hope,

但她仍懷抱希望

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

因為她愛著一位敘利亞難民 Bassem

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

Bassem 也在埃及打拼

他對 Doaa 說：

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

「我們去歐洲吧！ 找個安全的容身之處，

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

我工作，你讀書，

一個新生活的承諾。」

And he asked her father for her hand in marriage.

接著，他向她爸爸提出結婚請求，

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

但他們知道，要抵達歐洲

他們必須冒生命危險度過地中海，

traveling across the Mediterranean Sea,

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

任由惡名昭彰殘酷的走私者擺布，

And Doaa was terrified of the water.

而且，Doaa 怕水。

She always had been. She never learned to swim.

她一直都是如此，她不會游泳

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

時值八月，已經有二千人

在嘗試橫跨地中海時喪命

trying to cross the Mediterranean,

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

但 Doaa 認識一個 成功抵達北歐的朋友

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

因此她想：或許他們也做得到。

So she asked her parents if they could go,

於是，她向父母提出這個請求，

and after a painful discussion, they consented,

經過一番抉擇，他們同意了，

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

Bassem 付光畢生積蓄給走私者， 每人$2,500 美金

to the smugglers.

It was a Saturday morning when the call came,

一個星期六早上，出發的電話打來了。

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

他們被載到海邊， 那裡總共有上百人

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

經由小船， 他們全部登上一艘老舊的漁船，

500 of them crammed onto that boat,

其中五百人擠在上方，

300 below, [200] above.

三百人在下，五百人在上，

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

裡頭有敘利亞人、巴勒斯坦人、 非洲人、穆斯林、基督徒，

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

一百個小孩，包含六歲大的 Sandra

and Masa, 18 months.

與十八個月大的 Masa，

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

船上有許多家庭，

每個人肩並肩腳靠腳蜷縮著，

feet to feet.

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

Doaa 坐著全身縮成一團，

Bassem holding her hand.

Bassem 在一旁握著她的手。

Day two on the water, they were sick with worry

第二天，他們都憂心忡忡

and sick to their stomachs from the rough sea.

並因為海況險惡而暈船。

Day three, Doaa had a premonition.

第三天，Doaa 有股莫名的焦慮，

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

她跟 Bassem 說：

「我怕我們永遠到不了，

I fear the boat is going to sink."

我怕船會沉。」

And Bassem said to her, "Please be patient.

Bassem 跟她說：

「妳要有耐心，

We will make it to Sweden, we will get married

我們會到瑞典的，

我們會結婚的，

and we will have a future."

我們會有未來的。」

Day four, the passengers were getting agitated.

第四天，乘客們開始躁動不安，

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

他們問船長：「還要多久才會到？」

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

他叫他們閉嘴並辱罵他們，

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

他說：「再十六小時 我們就會抵達義大利岸邊。」

They were weak and weary.

人們都已疲憊飢餓不堪，

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

不久他們看到一艘較小的船靠近， 上頭有十人，

who started shouting at them, hurling insults,

開始向他們大吼、辱罵他們，

throwing sticks, asking them to all disembark

向他們丟棍子、吆喝著他們全部下船

and get on this smaller, more unseaworthy boat.

並登上那艘更小， 更不適合航行的船，

The parents were terrified for their children,

父母們為了小孩安全而嚇壞了，

and they collectively refused to disembark.

他們一致拒絕下船。

So the boat sped away in anger,

因此，他們很生氣地把船開走，

and a half an hour later, came back

半小時後，他們回來了，

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

並蓄意在 Doaa 所在的船身鑿洞，

just below where she and Bassem were sitting.

正好在 Doaa 和 Bassem 所坐的位置正下方，

And she heard how they yelled,

她聽到他們是如何大喊著：

"Let the fish eat your flesh!"

「讓魚啃盡你們的肉吧！」

And they started laughing as the boat capsized and sank.

當船翻覆沉沒時，他們開始大笑。

The 300 people below deck were doomed.

在甲板下的三百人注定死亡，

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

船逐漸沉沒，Doaa 抓住船的一側，

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

驚恐地目睹

一個小孩活生生被螺旋槳撕成碎片。

Bassem said to her, "Please let go,

Bassem 向她喊道：「快放手！

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

要不然妳也會被捲入， 然後螺旋槳會殺了妳。」

And remember -- she can't swim.

記住，她不會游泳。

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

儘管如此，她仍鬆手

並開始划動她的手腳。

thinking, "This is swimming."

心想這就是游泳，

And miraculously, Bassem found a life ring.

Bassem 奇蹟似地找到一個救生圈，

It was one of those child's rings

那是一個給小孩在游泳池，

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

或平靜海域使用的救生圈。

And Doaa climbed onto the ring,

Doaa 爬了上去

her arms and her legs dangling by the side.

手腳掛在邊緣，

Bassem was a good swimmer,

Bassem 是個游泳好手

so he held her hand and tread water.

因此他抓著 Doaa 的手泅水，

Around them there were corpses.

他們四周都是屍體，

Around 100 people survived initially,

大約有一百人存活下來

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

他們開始聚集在一塊祈禱著救援。

But when a day went by and no one came,

但過了一天，沒有任何人來，

some people gave up hope,

有些人放棄希望，

and Doaa and Bassem watched

Doaa 和 Bassem 看著遠方的人

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

解開救生衣並沉入水裡自殺。

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

肩膀上揹著九歲大的小孩 Malek，

nine months old -- Malek.

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

他抓著一個裝有氣體的罐子以保持漂浮，

"I fear I am not going to survive.

他向他們說：「我怕我無法活下來，

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

我太虛弱了，我也沒有勇氣了。」

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

他把 Malek 託付給 Bassem 和 Doaa，

and they perched her onto the life ring.

他們將她放在救生圈上。

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

因此現在他們是三個人： Doaa、Bassem 和 Malek。

And let me take a pause in this story right here

在這裡容我暫停一下

and ask the question:

並問一個問題，

why do refugees like Doaa take these kinds of risks?

為什麼像 Doaa 一樣的難民要冒這種險？

Millions of refugees are living in exile, in limbo.

數百萬的難民被迫流離他鄉，

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

他們為了躲避已持續四年的戰火

而居住在其他國家，

for four years.

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

就算他們想回去也不行。

Their homes, their businesses,

他們家園、商業、

their towns and their cities have been completely destroyed.

城鎮都早已被蹂躪殆盡，

This is a UNESCO World Heritage City,

這是位在敘利亞被 UNESCO 評定為 世界遺產城市的霍姆斯，

Homs, in Syria.

So people continue to flee into neighboring countries,

所以人們持續逃至鄰近國家

and we build refugee camps for them in the desert.

我們在沙漠中幫他們搭建難民帳篷，

Hundreds of thousands of people live in camps like these,

數十萬的人住在這樣的帳篷，

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

還有數百萬人住在城鎮和都市裡，

And the communities,

這些一度熱情歡迎他們的社區與鄰國

the neighboring countries that once welcomed them

with open arms and hearts

are overwhelmed.

不堪負荷，

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

沒有足夠的學校、 自來水系統或公共衛生設施，

Even rich European countries could never handle such an influx

就算是富有的歐洲國家， 若沒有大規模投資，

without massive investment.

也無法負擔如此大量的人口湧入，

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

敘利亞戰爭導致約四百萬人 跨越邊界逃入鄰國，

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

但還有超過七百萬人在國內逃命奔波，

That means that over half the Syrian population

這意味著超過半數敘利亞人口

has been forced to flee.

被迫持續逃亡，

Back to those neighboring countries hosting so many.

現在回到這些收留許多人的鄰國，

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

他們認為富有的國家為這些人們付出太少。

And days have turned into months, months into years.

就這樣，幾個月過去了，幾年過去了

A refugee's stay is supposed to be temporary.

收留難民照理說只是暫時性的。

Back to Doaa and Bassem in the water.

故事回到在水裡的 Doaa 與 Bassem。

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

落水的第二天，Bassem 變得十分虛弱，

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

現在反而是 Doaa 鼓勵 Bassem：

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

「我的愛人，拜託振作點， 為了我們的未來，我們可以的！」

And he said to her,

他對她說：

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

「對不起，我的愛人，我讓妳置身如此險境，

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

我從未愛過一人像妳如此深。」

And he released himself into the water,

他鬆手使自己沉入水中，

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

Doaa 眼睜睜地 看著她的摯愛在她面前溺死。

Later that day,

不久

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

有個媽媽帶著十八個月大的 Masa 來找 Doaa，

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

她就是稍早照片裡

with the life vests.

穿著救生衣的小女孩。

Her older sister Sandra had just drowned,

她的姊姊 Sandra 剛剛溺死，

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

她的媽媽覺得她必需盡能力所及

to save her daughter.

來救她的女兒，

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

她向 Doaa 說：

「請帶著這個孩子吧，

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

讓她成為妳的同伴，

我不會活下來。」

And then she went away and drowned.

接著，她游走並結束生命。

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

因此，Doaa，一個十九歲怕水，

並且不會游泳的敘利亞難民

who couldn't swim,

found herself in charge of two little baby kids.

發現自己背負著兩個小孩的生命，

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

他們又飢又渴、躁動不安，

and she tried her best to amuse them,

她盡她能力所及來安撫他們，

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

她向他們唱歌、說古蘭經裡的句子，

Around them, the bodies were bloating and turning black.

四周的屍體開始膨脹變黑，

The sun was blazing during the day.

白日陽光刺眼，

At night, there was a cold moon and fog.

晚上冷月薄霧，

It was very frightening.

景象十分駭人，

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

落水的第四天，這大概是 Doaa 和另外兩個小孩

on the ring with her two children.

在救生圈上的樣子。

A woman came on the fourth day and approached her

第四天，有個媽媽靠近她，

and asked her to take another child --

並請求她再攜帶一個四歲大的男孩

a little boy, just four years old.

When Doaa took the little boy and the mother drowned,

當 Doaa 接過這小男孩，媽媽自我了斷時，

she said to the sobbing child,

Doaa 向啜泣的男孩說：

「她只是去幫你找水跟食物而已。」

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

But his heart soon stopped,

但不久他就沒有心跳了。

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

Doaa 只好放手讓他沉入水裡。

Later that day,

不久

she looked up into the sky with hope,

她充滿希望望向天空，

because she saw two planes crossing in the sky.

因為她看到兩架飛機飛過，

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

她揮動雙手

希望他們可以看到她，

but the planes were soon gone.

但很快地飛機飛走了。

But that afternoon, as the sun was going down,

但當天下午，當太陽開始西沉

she saw a boat, a merchant vessel.

她看見一艘商船，

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

她說：「拜託您，神啊，讓他們救我吧！」

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

她揮舞著雙手

感覺自己連續大喊兩小時，

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

天逐漸暗去

但最終搜救的燈光找到了她，

and they extended a rope,

他們向她拋了繩索，

astonished to see a woman clutching onto two babies.

驚訝地發現有一個女人緊抱著兩個小孩。

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

他們將他們拉上船， 並給他們氧氣、毯子，

and a Greek helicopter came to pick them up

隨即有一架希臘直升機前來，

and take them to the island of Crete.

帶他們前往克里特島，

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

但 Doaa 往下看並問說：

「那 Malek 呢？」

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

他們告訴她這個小孩並沒有倖存下來，

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

她在船上診療室嚥下最後一口氣。

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

但 Doaa 確信

當他們被拉上救生艇時

that little baby girl had been smiling.

這個小女孩臉上帶著微笑。

Only 11 people survived that wreck, of the 500.

在這次船難中

五百名乘客中只有十一人倖存，

There was never an international investigation into what happened.

沒有任何一個國際調查 探究此次慘案的發生原因，

There were some media reports about mass murder at sea,

有一些媒體報導 這是一個海上大規模謀殺、慘劇，

a terrible tragedy,

but that was only for one day.

但僅僅只有一天

And then the news cycle moved on.

其他新聞便隨即佔據版面，

Meanwhile, in a pediatric hospital on Crete,

同時，在克里特的一間兒童醫院裡

little Masa was on the edge of death.

Masa 正瀕臨死亡，

She was really dehydrated. Her kidneys were failing.

她過度脫水，

腎功能正在衰竭，

Her glucose levels were dangerously low.

葡萄糖濃度危險地低，

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

醫生們用盡一切醫療方法急救她，

and the Greek nurses never left her side,

護士們從未離開她身邊半步，

holding her, hugging her, singing her words.

握著她的手、抱著她、唱歌給她聽。

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

我的同事也去拜訪她

並用阿拉伯語向她說好聽的話，

Amazingly, little Masa survived.

奇蹟似地，Masa 活下來了。

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

不久希臘新聞開始報導這個奇蹟寶寶，

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

經歷四天沒水沒食物仍存活下來，

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

來自全國想要領養她的意願如雪片般飛來，

And meanwhile, Doaa was in another hospital on Crete,

同時，Doaa 在另一家位於克里特的醫院，

thin, dehydrated.

骨瘦如柴、脫水

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

當她出院時，一個埃及家庭將她帶回家照顧，

And soon word went around about Doaa's survival,

不久，Doaa 存活的消息傳遍全世界，

and a phone number was published on Facebook.

一支電話號碼被張貼在 Facebook 上，

Messages started coming in.

訊息開始湧入，

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

「 Doaa，妳知道我的兄弟 姊妹父母朋友發生什麼事嗎？

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

他們有活下來嗎？」

One of those messages said,

其中一則訊息寫著：

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

「我相信妳救了我的姪女 Masa。」

And it had this photo.

裡面附著這張她的照片。

This was from Masa's uncle,

這是來自 Masa 的舅舅，

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

一位敘利亞難民成功帶著全家逃到瑞典，

and also Masa's older sister.

Masa 的姊姊也是，

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

我們希望，不久 Masa 可以和他在瑞典團聚，

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

直到那之前，

她都會被一家在雅典的美麗孤兒院照顧。

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

那麼 Doaa 呢？

她的存活消息也流傳開來，

And the media wrote about this slight woman,

媒體報導著有關這弱小的女人的新聞，

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

無法想像她竟能在如此情況下存活下來

under such conditions in that sea,

and still save another life.

並拯救另一個生命。

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

雅典科學院，全希臘最著名的機構之一

gave her an award of bravery,

決定頒給她一筆勇氣獎學金，

and she deserves all that praise,

她應得那所有讚美，

and she deserves a second chance.

她也應得第二次機會，

But she wants to still go to Sweden.

但她仍然想去瑞典，

She wants to reunite with her family there.

她想與在那兒的家人團聚，

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

她想將她父母與弟弟妹妹

away from Egypt there as well,

從埃及帶至瑞典，

and I believe she will succeed.

我相信她會成功的，

She wants to become a lawyer or a politician

她想要成為一位律師或政治家，

or something that can help fight injustice.

或一位可以幫助打擊不正義的人。

She is an extraordinary survivor.

她是一位出色的存活者。

But I have to ask:

但我必須問一個問題，

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

倘若當初她不需要冒這個險呢？

Why did she have to go through all that?

為什麼她需要經歷這一切？

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

為什麼沒有一個合法管道

可以讓她赴歐洲求學？

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

為什麼 Masa 不能搭飛機到瑞典？

Why couldn't Bassem have found work?

為什麼 Bassem 無法找到工作？

Why is there no massive resettlement program for Syrian refugees,

為什麼沒有大規模敘利亞難民安頓計畫

the victims of the worst war of our times?

來安置這些在當今最慘烈的 戰火下的受難者？

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

在 1970 年代， 世界為越戰的難民而這麼做了，

為什麼現在不行？

Why is there so little investment in the neighboring countries

為什麼只有那麼一丁點的投資

給收留這麼多難民的鄰國？

hosting so many refugees?

And why, the root question,

還有最根本的問題，

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

為什麼那們少的心力被投入

來阻止戰爭、迫害、貧窮

and the poverty that is driving so many people

這些迫使人們前往歐洲海岸的因素？

to the shores of Europe?

Until these issues are resolved,

直到這些議題都被解決前，

people will continue to take to the seas

人們仍會持續橫跨海洋

and to seek safety and asylum.

尋求安全與庇護。

And what happens next?

那麼接著會發生什麼？

Well, that is largely Europe's choice.

大致上就是歐洲的選擇了

And I understand the public fears.

我了解大眾的恐慌，

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

人們擔心他們的安全、經濟、文化改變，

But is that more important than saving human lives?

但那有比救人一命更重要嗎？

Because there is something fundamental here

因為有件根本的事情，

that I think overrides the rest,

我認為其重要性超越其他者，

and it is about our common humanity.

它有關我們的共同人道精神，

No person fleeing war or persecution

沒有任何逃離戰爭或迫害的人，

should have to die crossing a sea to reach safety.

應該在橫渡海洋以抵達安全之處時死亡。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

One thing is for sure,

有件可以確定的事是

that no refugee would be on those dangerous boats

如果他們可以在所在之處安然度日，

if they could thrive where they are.

沒有難民會在那些危險的船上。

And no migrant would take that dangerous journey

如果他們有足夠食物給自己和小孩，

if they had enough food for themselves and their children.

沒有任何移民會冒這種險。

And no one would put their life savings

如果有一個合法移民管道，

in the hands of those notorious smugglers

沒有人會將畢生積蓄

if there was a legal way to migrate.

付給那些惡名昭彰的走私者。

So on behalf of little Masa

因此，僅代表 Masa、Doaa、Bassem

and on behalf of Doaa

and of Bassem

and of those 500 people who drowned with them,

以及這五百位溺斃的人們，

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

我們可以確定他們的死沒有白費嗎？

Could we be inspired by what happened,

我們可以因這件事而有所啟發

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

並選擇世上生命皆可貴的立場嗎？

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

(掌聲)