Yes, we have a refugee crisis raging along the coasts of the Mediterranean. And, no, we don´t have an immediate solution at hand.

Some people seem to think that it´s OK to let people drown or shovel them back to where they came from, i.e. Libya. But most refugees have come from other African countries and Libya can not really be considered a safe haven for them. The pressure to migrate starts on the south – in a drought ridden Somalia or South Sudan. In countries torn apart by civil wars and poverty – where industrialized nations like to exploit the raw materials, like to flood the markets with their products and definitely like NOT to share any of the wealth.

We have structured the economy to exploit the African continent – we help African rulers to hide their money in tax havens – we drive climate change without caring for a second about the devastating effects it has on sub-saharan Africa. And while we watch the continent head for another disaster, drought and famine, we tell people that they should stay out – that they are needed to turn their home into a more successful state.

Well, people do know how dangerous the trip towards Europe is – they are not stupid. But the dangers look still better than the immediate threats they are facing. What we seem to overlook: There is no safety net – if drought hits, people die – and, well, before we lie down to die, we usually try everything to get away. How many Europeans fled death and hunger towards the paradise they hoped to find in the US? Well, this is the same drive – Europe is just not as empty as the US used to be back then.

So, we have people driven by poverty seeking out a better life – ready to risk life and limb on the way – ready to pay criminals for the „privilege“ to risk everything on more or less rickety boats. Since we do not have anything like an immediate alternative – it boils down to the question: Do we let people drown?

Anyone who criticizes NGO´s for saving lives, anyone leaving Italy and Greece to face the crisis on their own, anyone nominating Libya as the saving grace – you are sentencing people to die.

And, no, I am not as naive as to believe that everyone can make a living in Europe – if people had some choice, most would not even want that. So, the only longterm solution is to give them a better choice. To curb climate change and the effects it has – to share economic wealth in a better way to allow more people a sustainable future – to support people locally.

Right now, we all act on a very racist premise: „The industrialized nations have the right to order humanity around – and we happen not to want to share too much. We like the raw materials and the economic gains – and touristing around Africa. But we don´t like to spread opportunities. And should you fear imminent death by starvation, famine, poverty, preventable illnesses … well, please just shut up and die.“

Do we really expect people to listen?

Every day – we see the boats. Every day – we see people taking risks. Every day – we discuss on how to find ways to close off a whole ocean.

The pressure will only lessen when we learn to share more. We have learned to mistrust Trump´s MAGA-agenda (Make America Great Again), because we fear to get hit by repercussions. Is our attitude any better? – well, no, it´s not.

When identitarians paddle around the Mediterranean trying to hinder NGOs at saving people´s lives – they demonstrate the sheerest and most pure form of racism that I have witnessed in my lifetime. They seem to believe that they have the right to decide who drowns, who gets to survive and who gets to share in the world´s riches. I applaud every single one of the NGOs trying to save people´s lives – and every single person they manage to save adds to the pressure to find long-term solutions for African states to allow people something you could call survival.

If you feel afraid of too many refugees setting their sights on Europe: Well, then work towards a better future way down south – get ready to share the world with all of humanity.