Lost at Sea

Perhaps this is a sign that I should keep my feet on land:

Mar 31st 2009
From Economist.com

Hundreds of migrants drown in the Mediterranean

Reuters

IT IS a grim way to die. Packed into ill-equipped and poorly skippered craft, migrants who attempt to cross the Mediterranean from north Africa risk their lives even in the best of conditions. Wooden boats knocked together to hold some 75 people are often crammed with three or four times that number. Migrants report fellow travellers who have been crushed to death or exhausted, dehydrated and seasick, knocked over board and left to drown. When passengers panic or when fights break out the risk of capsize is acute.

When conditions worsen, the risk of death rises sharply. A broken engine, a bewildered navigator or bad weather can hasten the loss of a boat. This week sandstorms struck as several hundred people set forth from Libya on perhaps four boats, apparently attempting to reach the coast of Italy. Libyan officials said on Tuesday March 31st that, having searched for more than two days, they had fished at least 21 corpses from the sea and had found one boat with a broken engine and 350 people aboard. Hundreds of others, including women and children, are thought to have drowned. A spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration suggested that “more than 300 people have disappeared at sea” in this accident alone.

It is unclear precisely how many people die each year trying to cross to Europe from Africa. In February at least 21 migrants from north Africa drowned as their boat capsized near the Canary Islands. In May last year 47 migrants died of starvation and exposure after their boat broke down en route from Libya to Italy.

Many deaths go unrecorded. In some cases entire boats are lost. Only where survivors offer testimony are death tolls known in detail. Among those who attempt to sail from west Africa to the Canary Islands, some are washed into the Atlantic. In one case a boatload of corpses turned up in the Caribbean, apparently a cargo of Africans drifting far off course. A researcher with the Peace Research Institute, Oslo, estimated in 2007 there were 10-20 deaths per thousand migrants who attempted to cross from Africa to Spanish territory. At least 45,000 migrants reached Spanish and Italian territory alone in 2008. Total movement by migrants across the Mediterranean, including those who travel to Greece, Malta and elsewhere, is significantly higher.

Migrants appear to be dying in much greater numbers than they did a decade ago, for a variety of reasons. The amount of migrants attempting to cross from Africa to Europe may be rising. In addition safer and easier routes of old have been closed, such as from Morocco to the Canary Islands, or across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain. More effective patrols in some areas by Frontex, the European border agency, are forcing migrants to attempt more arduous routes. Some are reportedly setting off for Europe in craft from as far south as Gambia in west Africa. In the Mediterranean new routes have been opening, for example from Egypt to Turkey and from Turkey to Greek islands.

As European governments strike deals with their counterparts in north Africa, more efforts to crack down on migrants are expected. In some cases, in exchange for aid and other assistance, Frontex conducts joint patrols with African navies. In other cases repatriation is made easier, in an effort to deter migrants from attempting their journey. European governments also encourage the likes of Morocco and Libya to deter the arrival of African migrants in their countries in the first place.

But as crossing the border becomes more difficult and expensive, would-be migrants increasingly rely on the expertise of people-traffickers. Migrants report paying hundreds—sometimes thousands—of dollars for passage across the Mediterranean, with the traffickers keen to cram as many fee-payers on to a single boat as possible, in order to maximise profits. As the boats and equipment are abandoned on arrival in Europe, the craft are often cheaply built and carry woefully inadequate supplies. Those who command the craft are would-be migrants themselves, often former fisherman with a limited knowledge of navigation. Few on board even know how to swim.

Frontex has had some success in shifting migrants from certain routes across the Mediterranean, but it is unclear how many, if any, are deterred entirely from attempting the crossing. Efforts to educate would-be migrants about the dangers of taking to small boats, for example with a poster campaign in Senegal, have had little impact. Migration researchers report that travellers, typically young men, are either fatalistic (believing that God decides their fate) or are so strongly motivated to find a better life in Europe that the risk to their lives is brushed aside.

http://www.economist.com/world/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13400731& source=features_box1

Saeglopur

Floating about aimlessly seems such a romantic, unbridled life; letting the current and the wind determine where I end up. So often I want to cast off the ballasts and drift away from everything familiar and mundane. I don't doubt that everyone experiences these types of fantasies - it's what mid-life crises are made of. It's much more an ingrained aspect of my character and personality than it is a desperate urge borne out of a fleeting realization that "this is my life." There is a sense of urgency and desperation that accompanies this desire for ultimate freedom though. At times, it's almost overwhelming; suffocating even.

I have a weekend trip planned and it couldn't be any more timely. I need to get out of town (again). I've taken more time off from work in the month of March than I have in the last 6 months combined, but it's left me unsatisfied, weary and restless. I need a chance to recharge my batteries, find my center. So much has changed so quickly this Spring that I need time to process it all before I go into full-on freak-out mode, abandon everything and head into the wild blue yonder.

Lucky Girl

I was looking back over some old posts today and I was really enjoying how journals (online or hand written) track personal growth in a way that is greater than just chronicling activities. I can read over an entry I wrote over a year ago and remember exactly how I was feeling, what I was experiencing, the people in my life, etc. As I was reading I was also reminded of how perfect timing can sometimes be. I can look back at specific dates, read about how I was frustrated, confused, doubtful, or exhausted and realized that on that same day, or within a couple days something beautiful happened to improve or completely change my circumstances. Those events often go unstated. I've found it easier, or more significant, perhaps, to write about the frustrating circumstances and hardly think twice about all the great things that happen. I felt compelled to write today because I so often let the good periods of my life go unnoticed.

For example, I haven't written anything about how lovely life is right now. Aside from the fact that I find myself loathing my job on a daily basis, everything on either end of 9-5 is fantastic. Really, the job isn't so bad - it's improving in many ways. I have more interesting projects on my desk, better rapport with the head honchos, and I'm recognized as a valuable employee. And even though I feel very scattered in my personal life these days, that only creates minor frustration. I guess what I'm trying to say in a round-a-bout way, is that I'm happy. Life is full of promise and potential right now. Life has also become more serious for me though as I face choices that will impact the rest of my life. They're exciting choices, but I cannot make them as lightly as I have made similar decisions in the past. Suddenly it's a two-man team rather than a solo flight. So while I may have been able to pick up and leave at the drop of a hat a few months ago, that's no longer an option - nor do I want it to be. Now, there are two suitcases to pack, two tickets to purchase, and greater adventures to be had. It's good, but, like anything else, it's an adjustment. For the short amount of time I've had to come to terms with all this, I think I've adapted well, and the only thing I believe I have neglected in this process is the insistent pile of dishes in my sink.

War on Drugs

I've been thinking a lot about drugs, the failed "war" on drugs, the current violence in Mexico related to drug policy, drug education in America, and legalization as a policy solution. Last night I got in to a heated discussion on the matter with someone I respect. While we both agreed that legalization seems to be the best option at this point, we disagreed sharply on the issue as to who is responsible for educating American youth, effectively, on issues such as drugs, alcohol, sex, and tobacco. He argued that the government must provide this education as they are matters of public health and safety. I argued that us, as citizens, must be responsible for ensuring youth know how to appropriately deal with these matters. There are good arguments on either side, but what it really boils down to is that we have fundamentally different views on what the role of government should be in American society.

My stance on just about any issue is that the government's role must be limited to allowing American citizens to enjoy freedoms to the fullest extent, with as little involvement in daily life as possible. This means that the government must protect it's citizens from both external and internal threats to individual freedoms. However, I also strongly believe that in order to enjoy individual freedoms, people must take personal responsibility for the costs and consequences of their actions. I believe that the burden of responsibility has fallen too heavily to the government as citizens begin to demand that the government remand every social ill. What I fear will happen is that as we require the government to meet more and more social needs, it will invade and revoke more and more of our personal freedoms. For example, if citizens demand that the government develop and implement a comprehensive drug education curriculum, we are allowing the government (and all the special interests that influence it so heavily) decide what children are taught about drugs. As unsuccessful as the D.A.R.E. program was, I can't imagine what a nationwide (or even state-wide) curriculum would include.

My solution, instead, is to require companies that manufacture and/or distribute products related to a public health issue, should be responsible for informing the public as to the hazards of use. The Truth Campaign is one example of this already in effect - and having a greater, more positive affect than any former anti-smoking campaign in American history. American teenagers today have a much better informed opinion about the health hazards of cigarettes than any other point in time.

If we're concerned about social responsibility, and you're one of the many people who believe that the collective good has fallen by the wayside to an extremely individualistic mindset in American culture, what better way to create mutual concern for our fellow citizens than to shift the responsibility for each others' well-being back onto society? Government cannot legislate a sense of collective good in society. Businesses that profit from products that create or relate to a public health concern should take responsibility for their product and its consequences. Just like Big Tobacco has had to warn America as to the hazards of smoking cigarettes, and the alcohol industry must include a disclaimer in all advertising to "please consume responsibly," why shouldn't the contraceptive industry be responsible for informing the public about safe sex? Or, should drugs become legalized, why shouldn't that industry be responsible for informing society about the effects and hazards of drug use? It's a matter of personal/corporate responsibility. In the event that drugs are not legalized, why not allow the medical profession to take the lead on this discussion but permitting more and better research on the matter? If we remove the stigma and allow an open debate on the use, misuse, and general effects of drugs , there will finally be room for clear-headed thinking and open discussion.

Hitting the Wall

A common frustration many runners face in a long-distance race is hitting "the wall." It refers to the physical sensation of when your body just gives up. It's not just exhaustion or discomfort, it's that dreamlike feeling of running in cement. I feel like I'm hitting an emotional wall today. Everyone has periods of time when it seems like no matter how hard you push or how hard your try to smile and move through frustrating experiences, you just can't get anywhere.

Over the last couple years I've dealt with these walls by taking some time to make a list of goals and start checking things off. I go for a hard run, I take a yoga class, explore a new hiking trail, read a new book, plan a trip; something to inject a sense of adventure in my life. Right now, I'm doing all those things. I should be happy. I should be energized and inspired. But I'm not. I'm tired, frustrated, and even feeling a bit lonely. This makes it all the more frustrating. I have so much good in my life right now. I have many exciting opportunities and plans. I have a great guy who cares about me (maybe even loves me). I still feel listless.

I think it all comes down to my job at this point. It's a drain on my time and energy. I'm so unmotivated at work. I let things pile up on my desk because, no matter how quickly the deadline is approaching, I can't seem to find the time and energy (between my chatting at the water cooler and internet surfing) to actually get the work done. I had full intention of coming in this past Saturday to try and make a dent in the pile. The thought of spending my precious free time back at my desk made me angry - so I cleaned my apartment, snuggled with Oliver and watched The Big Lebowski instead - much better uses of my weekend.

I was complaining about my job, yet again, in the car last night, and I realized that expend so much negative energy on the issue than if I would just buckle down and get my desk cleared. I know it would change my entire outlook to just get it all done. And yet here I am, writing about how miserable I am at work instead of actually working. I've let my responsibilities slip and I need to exercise a little self discipline to bet back on track - regardless of how I feel. It's just like running a race; I finish it no matter how I feel at mile 20. The difference is, there's a finish line in a race - here there's no real end in sight.