STILL ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
This article of mine was written 5 years ago, a time when the world was abuzz over the rising scourge of illegal immigrants taking life-threatening risk to reach Europe in pursuit of better life. The slave trade report in Libya , the inhuman experience in border nations and the massive deportation of migrants to their home countries by various African governments were believed to be the anti-climax of the ugly trend. It is however, disturbing that over 50 Nigerians were among about 110 migrants rescued en route Italy . It is against this backdrop that I visited the archive and dug out this article. The remains the same. "We have become used to the suffering of others. Has any one of us wept for these persons who were on the boat? For the young mothers carrying their babies? For these men who were looking for a means of supporting their families? We are a society which has forgotten how to weep, how to experience compassion." The above ...