Diary from Pozzallo

We talked to a group of Ivorian women composed of 11 individuals; with them 4 children of whom 2 were young twins. “It’s difficult to understand where we are, what is happening, we are still traumatized. We went through a lot in Libya”. We ask them to talk about something. “Where are we? How far is Milan?” The questions aren’t many, whilst the tiredness and the tears take over.Eventually it’s a 15 years old girl accompanied by her 41 years old mother,  that starts revealing the pain endured by some of the women present. Strong and decisive, her eyes shining with courage, she points towards a young woman: “She hasn’t been earinf well since she was young. A yellow liquid comes out of her ears. About 8 months ago while we were trying to escape from a prison in Libya, she threw herself from a wall and broke both her feet. Look now, her feet are deformed and bloated but she’s a bit better, she’s in a lot of pain”. She wants to tell us about another woman with some urgency, “ Have you seen my mother? She can’t walk well. She also has a problem with her foot. The first time we left  Libya it was August 2018, we were in a lapalapa (boat, editor’s note), people were tight and when the food was finished, people started to move and they crushed my mom’s foot multiple times. Then the fuel spilled and burned my mom’s leg. Everyone was throwing themselves into the sea. Two children and two men died. Only then, did the Libyans arrive to take us and bring us back”. These women have arrived in the hotspot a couple of hours ago, when the police arrive to take away the alleged smuggler, some of them start crying, whilst their children look at their mother’s tears with apprehension. “It’s not that man’s fault, he didn’t drive the boat, only God brought us here safely” someone cries out.

Emotions are many, strong and disruptive. Welcome. There is only this to say today. Welcome.