While the Libya-Italy route is significantly more dangerous than the path from Turkey to Greece, the closing of the Balkan route and the implementation of the Turkey-EU deal has brought a huge spike in numbers of those forced to risk and lose their lives in the tumultuous Mediterranean.
A few months ago I met a man on Lesvos who spoke eagerly and confidently about being reunited with his family in Germany in only a few weeks. My heart plummeted as he became more and more excited, thinking maybe he hadn't heard, thinking maybe I would have to be the one to break the news about the border closures that had come in to play just a few days prior.
"Oh, uh, did you hear the news? The Macedonian border is closed now.. I, mm, I don't think they will let you through..."
He smiled, puffed his cigarette, and responded, "For a smuggler, there are no such things as closed borders."
The closer I get to this crisis, the more I've seen the truth in his words. Closing borders, treating humans as numbers, and blocking routes will not stop a mother from risking everything to ensure the safety of her children.
The only thing it guarantees is that refugees will be forced to either live in danger and squalor or find new paths which are ripe with exploitation and even death.
"You have to understand
That no one puts their children in a boat
Unless the sea is safer than land"
If you are still learning about the refugee crisis, this is a wonderful link with lots of helpful information about what is happening and why so many people are willing to die to escape the reality in their own homes.
http://www.vox.com/2015/9/
