ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ: ΕΞΕΛΙΞΕΙΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΕΔΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΚΛΗΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

International Commition of the Red Cross in Greece: restoring family links during the migration crisis Η Διεθνής Επιτροπή του Ερυθρού Σταυρού στην Ελλάδα: αποκατάσταση οικογενειακών δεσμών στη διάρκεια της μεταναστευτικής κρίσης Sari Nissi Head of Mission, International Committee of the Red Cross, Athens Επικεφαλής Αποστολής Διεθνούς Επιτροπής του Ερυθρού Σταυρού στην Αθήνα I. Introduction While Europe has provided safety for over one million refugees and migrants these last two years, there are many who did not make it. It is a story of double tragedy. first, it is a tragedy to leave home, and second, not arriving to the destination to build a new home. This was the case of Basheer. Basheer’s story Basheer was 18-year old syrian who wanted his family to get to safety ineurope from the horrible war in Syria. Basheer decided to go ahead first, and chose the land-route from Turkey to Greece, by crossing the river evros a cold January night more than a year ago (2016). His parents and five siblings stayed behind in Turkey. Regardless of being a healthy young man, Basheer drowned in the stream of evros river, and his body was discovered a month after he tried to cross. The only docu- ments found on him were a phone card and an unreadable passport. His body was taken to the General Hospital of Alexandroupoli. A DNA sample was collected and an identification number was assigned to him. Basheer did not have a name any- more, he was reduced to a number. Basheer’s family kept looking for him. When