Testimonies of family members
The victims of the borders and walls raised by Europe to hinder people’ s right to move freely (going against the principle of freedom of movement enshrined in art. 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), are not only those who undertake the journey. Their families are victims, too, as they live in the anguish caused by the disappearance of their relatives or in the pain of not being able to give them a proper burial. Here you will find their stories. These families indict European migration policies which do not allow any regular entry and therefore force people to risk their lives to get here. These families demand DIGNITY, TRUTH and JUSTICE for the fate of their relatives! Missing at the Borders has the fundamental objective of compiling as many video-interviews as possible, so that the families can share, with their own voices, their experiences.
Issa Toure
Some family names, like mine,
have difficulty obtaining a Malian passport
and that's why some people go underground.
This situation will persist as long as it remains difficult
to obtain a passport or visa, so we need to find solutions.
Fatoumata Aba Touré
Lamine Keita
I demand the authorities to apply good politics
able to keep young Malians in their country
and to allow them to earn their luck without the need to move abroad.
Because, if our youngsters leave the country to go find themselves their own luck,
many of them lose their life trying.
Nevertheless, white people get here without a scratch.
Ami Konate
Awa Traore
White people come and go
from our country in complete peace.
On the contrary, our parents who leave their homes
are drowning and white people like this,
so they will not help them.
Niele Samake
Sidi Dao
That in Africa, the authorities also assume
their responsibilities so that our children and husbands
who immigrate can go and come back safely
like the white people who come to us with no worries.
Mariam Kanta
Sidiki Diallo
The whites come and go from our country whenever they want.
On the other hand, if our parents decide to leave home death awaits them.
I would like to see everyone treated fairly.
Aminata Kone
Ami Diarra
Migrants dying for nothing, it’s not a pretty thing to see nor to accept.
We must all unite so migrants can go and come back safely.
Tah Coulibaly
Salimata Doumbia
We’re sick and tired of seeing our parents, brothers, sisters...
to see our family dying while trying to migrate.
We want justice!
Sara Diabate
Seydou Sangare
Parents always want him to come back. They believe he is still alive,
and that he’s not giving any news by lack of means to come back to his country.
Awa Sangaré
Bourama Samake
At least, if we could know what occurred him,
situation would be less painful,
but we really don’t know whether he is alive or dead...
we just don’t know.
Baniele Houlale
Khalla Mbaye
My husband left because
he wanted independence for his children.
Yahara Mar
Maguette Mar
Their disappearance is always haunting us,
we don't know where they are.
M'Benda Faye
Thierno Gueye
This burden becomes even heavier
when the breadwinners
were left behind in the ocean.
Yacine Faye
Oumou Sy
If losing one person is terrible,
how can I feel if I lose 5?
My daughter, her 2 children and 2 brothers.
N'Doumboul Niang
Djibril Mar
The night he was supposed to take the boat to Spain he called me,
It was the last time I heard his voice.
Binetou Niang
Mamadou Ndiaye
He called me on 28th August,
saying that he had to go to Mauritania (...)
Since that day, we have not heard from him.
Awa Ba
Alioune Mar
What we ask
is that the European Union
build bridges and not walls.
Yayi Bayari Diouf
Mbacke Dème
So, not having news from Mbacké nor any other girl,
their families reported their disappearing.
But any research did not yield any result.
Rhoudia Mamour Niang
Ibrahima Faye
If he tried immigration, it was to help his family,
to offer them a better life.
Walir Faye
Astou Mbake Dème
We did research in every direction, but nothing came out.
It is so, so hard to bear.
Astou Seck Niang
Babacar Diene
We're tired! Thiaroye has lost so many children
because of the immigration that we can't count.
Tabara Seck
Badreddine Msalmi
It’s poverty that took Badr away from us.
Now, I'm fighting for other young people who disapperead and who will disappear.
Souad BENSASSI
Hamdi Bes Bes
We started our struggle. I did everything.
With the ministry of Foreign Affairs,
with the ministry of Interior, eveyrthing...
Without results.
Please help me find out the truth about my son.
Awatef Daoudi
Mansour Jaouachi
Since that phone call, we haven’t heard anything.
We don’t know if he’s alive or dead (…)
We went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
we went to all sorts of institutions to find some information. So far, no news.
Fadhila Hammami
Mérouane Belabed
"The fact that he was denied
an entry visa so many times,
was the direct cause
of his disappearance!"
Kamel Belabed
Bilal Khalel
"We need certainty about what happened to our children.
We are heartbroken"
Dalila Abid
Salim Benbekai
"We are certain that the Tunisian Navy arrested them.
Nobody has ever been able to prove to me that my son is dead!"
Zahra Asri
Mounir Benstoh
"We will never forget Mounir!
Almost 11 years have gone by, but it's as if he left yesterday"
Beya Boudoukha
Amar Chelbi
"I look at the sea hoping he’ll come home!
Our lives are like a constant funeral!"
Abdelhamid Chelbi
Karim Hamidi
"When I hear a knock at the door, right away I think that he's come back!
I always thought, and still think, that he'll come back!"
Lyamna Hamidi
Nabil Ghuizawi
"His absence is the greatest pain.
Because you don’t know where your husband is. If he’s alive or dead…"
Omelkhir Wertatani
Ali Ben Aldelhamid Ayari
"If we had been able to bury him, we would have accepted God’s destiny.
We would have visited him at the graveyard like everyone else.
We are neither alive nor dead"
Gemma Bensalem
Abdel Basset Hamdi
"I live in the constant hope, that he'll come back.
I always hope that one day he'll come knocking on the door"
Dalila Basset Hamdi
Redouene Djezzar
"We’ll never stop looking for them!
You can’t abandon your own child"
Mohamed Djezzar
Aymen Ben Smida
"Teenagers must be able to see things, get out, broaden their horizon. That's one of their rights. Article 13 states, you have the right to go, to leave and to see"
Mohamed Ben Smida
Ghassen Ben Brahim
"How come the foreigners can come here with just an ID card and without paying? While we have to apply for a visa and pay for it. And in the end we don't even get the visa"
Souad Ben Brahim
Raouf Hidouci
"Everything has changed. This is hell. A hell that I can't even explain to you, that you can't even imagine!"
Bariza Haidouci
Faycel Sabouni
"Do you think I can forget my son? My children are my life"
Boubakeur Seddik Sabouni
Mohamed El Raouafi
"I don’t need anything in this world. Except for the truth about my son"
Meherzia Chargui EP Raouafi