Tunis, Tunisia – Edna Mossay, a 32-year-old mother of four, fled Freetown, Sierra Leone, three years ago due to the lack of food, medication, and education, as well as the violence and corruption in the country. She now resides in a small makeshift shelter outside the Tunis offices of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), hoping to transit to Europe with her family. Despite the challenges and the knowledge that Europe is trying to keep people like her out, Mossay remains determined to seek a better life for her family.
Clash of principles and realpolitik?
Mossay’s story is just one of many in the IOM tent city, where refugees and migrants from Sudan trade for food and scraps, and individuals struggle against a system that is working hard to prevent them from escaping. On the other side, European authorities have recently struck a multi-billion-euro deal with Egypt to create a buffer zone along the southern Mediterranean shores, reinforcing the walls of “Fortress Europe”.
These individuals are fleeing unimaginable horrors, striving to reach safety or support their families, while facing the challenges posed by the European authorities. Despite the obstacles, they remain determined to seek a better future, highlighting the clash between the persecuted and the policies of externalization implemented by Europe.
Source from www.aljazeera.com