Writing Feedback /
the death boat speaks [4]
I will be so pleased having your insightful suggestions and grammatical touches in correcting some mistakes and errors in this essay.The Death Boat SpeaksAfter a long time of tracing and struggle, lately, we could find a way out to conduct an interview with the most ravenous, heftiest and the most wanted creature in this nation. We talk here about the death boat.
Question: With no introductory greetings. Your existence between us today is a disgrace for us. Any way, it seems that you are always busy and we are too lucky to snatch these couple of minutes from you to conduct this interview with you. Isn't it?
Answer: Well, I'd like, before answering your ironic question, to express my disappointment for the way you hosted me that doesn't reflect my respectful status and value that I enjoy within a large tier of Moroccans. Therefore, any kind of misbehaviour towards me is a humiliation for those who appreciate me, those who long for my priceless services, those who regard me as their onliest hope to proceed in life, and those who dream day and night to ride me towards the never-never land. Back to your question, I and my fellow boats have consecrated ourlives for our work. We don't have holidays, any leisure except when the weather is terrible and not conducive. In fact, we are up to our ears. My services are highly recommended and the favours that I offer are hailed for. Also, the desperate circumstances in this distressed nation contribute a lot to the flourish of my commerce. And you can notice the evidence, my phones doesn't stop ringing. My email box receives tens of emails from people all over Morocco and elsewhere, asking to make their dreams come true. My devotion to my work makes me glad and self-satisfied as my mission is a noble one. I rescue people from the heart of darkness to the light; from bitter pessimism to a reviving optimism, from frustration to hope for a new tomorrow, that what makes me spare every minute for my noble mission.
Question: How can you be cocky and self-satisfied while you are accused of murdering thousands of Moroccans, throwing them as meals for sharks in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic?
Answer: take it or lump it, I am the emblem of innocence. And I have my cards to bring you round to my point. My mission is displaying favours and services only. I do not force them to resort to this kind of immigration. They seek me out of their free will after being objects of the merciless whips of wrath, and oblivion. Therefore, I'm innocent. Instead, the finger of accusation should be pointed to those who are the avatar of this country. I mean those who are involved in a way or another in pushing our desperate sons to seek my help. Thus, I plead with you to rid yourself out of these half-baked ideas and insipid excuses and be insightful and critical in addressing or accusing the real culprits. To stay here or immigrate is not a matter of choice, hope for the change, or seeking a welfare state as it is circulated by newspapermen and pimps in TVs, rather it is a matter of dignity, pride, and more, it is a matter of existence. Either Life or death. We are invented by needy Moroccans, for the needy Moroccans and to the needy Moroccans. In short, "Need is the Mother of invention"
Question: Could you introduce yourself to us and to those who don't know you?
Answer: (he laughs) Thanks to the miserable status of the Moroccans, my fame has reached every nook and corner not only in this country but in the south Sahara countries. But out of modesty and humbleness, I shall introduce myself in few words. My name is the death boat and I have got other names such as Floka, Zodiak...etc. I was born in Moroccan shores. Wrath is my father, son of oppression and slackness. Crisis is my mother, daughter of corruption. I grew in a predicament called "political failures", dedicated, since early times, to get the riches richer and the poor poorer. I am a post graduate in Illegal Immigration Studies; option "Brain Drain". Currently, I am the Head of the prohibited National Association of Means of Illegal Immigration that include not only the boats but buses, planes, lorries... and I seize this opportunity to announce that new means have adhered to our Association such as working contracts in Spain, Visas, the American Green Card. These means, though being lawful, become one of our major allies to improve the performance of our Association. I'd like also to add the marriages either from within the family members or via chatting on the net that become the salient strategy to get there safe and sound. It doesn't matter how the wife, her family, her reputation, her religion, profession is. The only condition asked for is nationality par excellence. It really impinges on me when I see a handsome young Moroccan male sacrificing the flower of his youth with an American or European hug whose weight could surpass the weight of the groom's entire family. Isn't this another way of a slow suicide.
Question: What future that you look forward especially if you know that some voices pledged to destroy and burn you?
Answer: It is true that we face many constraints that hinder the flow of our activities. However, we are not worried to the extent to give up as we have our fiendish strategies to avoid such kind of restrictions. As you know money does miracles. As for those meeting and conferences that aim at destroying and burning us, we believe that they are merely tricks and manoeuvres to sip and alleviate the anger of the host countries in Europe and nothing but that; Simply, because this is not the solution. To cure this phenomenon, those hypocrites should start by tackling the causes and the roots not the branches and the consequences of the problem. To say the least, any kind of restrictions or constraints, before being against us, it is against the nation implicit interests and the public utility. Just be insightful and you will get my point.
Question: How come?!! Could you please elaborate more on this point?
Answer: Of course, by helping people reach the never-never land or die between the raging waves we are offering the government a great favour that is going to be written in history. As you know, this national institution's, since independence, all promises and actions fell short of claiming. The government proved to be unable to offer appropriate living conditions for its people. Hence, our intervention is urgently sought to help lessen the escalating number of desperate voices that beg for only a crumb of bread, a pill, a job, and hovel. Since I started this work, I have been carrying people of different races, males, and females, old, young, kids, handicapped and the likes. People of different educational levels; Doctorate holders, post graduates, graduates, illiterates... Aren't these people a heavy burden on the government?!! Whose only analytical treatment of the problem is another heavy licking in front of the parliament? Thus, being heavy on each other, one should part, leaving his place to the other. This is the bitter conclusion reached lately after a long time of self-resistance and hesitation.
Question: in your opinion, what is the main impulse that leads our sons to immigrate in such a risky way?
Answer: It is clear more than crystal that the major element that led to the prosperity of our trade is poverty and scarcity in everything in this country. Scarcity is the motor that pushes people to seek refuge in Europe and leave this distressed nation. Scarcity is the title. It is not confined to the financial side but pertains to all the phases of life in this country.
Question: What we know is the fact that people immigrate because of financial problems?
Answer: You are totally mistaken. Our long and experience in our association made us learn that there types and categories of scarcity and poverty that are the reasons for our trade's boom and flourish. Scarcity takes many forms and prevails on different domains. There is scarcity in life opportunities. Scarcity in fairness and quality, scarcity in democracy, scarcity in independence, scarcity in education, scarcity in nationalism, scarcity in faith, scarcity in quality, in freedom of expression, shortage in water, medicine, transportation and the examples are legion. This is the conclusion we drew after a long and close interaction and identification with immigrants from different walks of life in our association.
Question: How do you feel when you see in the national media the way the authorities welcome our immigrants at their arrival home in summers?
Answer: Though the difficulties and the risks we face during our work, we finally find our spiritual solace in that national event. We feel happy and proud because our efforts and ceaseless endeavours haven't gone awry. Each year, we ponder on the results and the fruits of our work. I'd like to offer my warm greetings to the authorities that yearly crown our efforts and legitimate our activities through either this warm hospitality or the organization of festivals, and concerts for their beloved guests who, without our help, would have been in the oblivion like the wretches in here. They are welcomed this way not for the sake of their eyes or the countries they come from, rather it is for the hard currency they bring with them. For the exchanges and the investments they carry in their homeland. We, death boats, have a great role in the improvement of the national economy since thanks to us those immigrants set foot there and therefore come overloaded with money and projects. All the fuss and commotion created by the government and other institutions are merely a show and another phase of a rank hypocrisy enshrined in law, as the proverb goes "The end justifies the means". As they sniff the smell of the Euros, they wink at the way how that money was brought here. It doesn't matter if the money is legal or illegal. Both of them are the same in the eyes of greed, selfishness, and dismal ignorance.
Question: Finally, thank you death boat, but if you have a word to say or a message to deliver the floor is yours.
Answer: Thank you, my first word is for the government. If you are not able to guarantee your people's dignity and the simplest of livings, step back and hand over responsibility to those who can afford. Don't forget that you have done the same in other domains and you let them being run by the private sectors? We firmly believe that this phenomenon of immigration before serving people, it furthers you as a government in a way or another. My second word is for the host countries, we are aware of an economic truth that any community that has less than 300 millions persons within its borders won't achieve the expected economic, industrial and agricultural progress. They sensed the importance of the proverb "United we stand, divided we fall" that led to the foundation of the European Union. It is a matter of existence no more no less. My third message is for the wretches, the vagrants, and the unlucky, desperate and distressed people. I tell them that sooner or later time will smile upon them. If it is not through a safe and guaranteed means then they are more than welcome in our association. To say the least, keep optimistic and never lose hope. Rid yourselves out of grief and sorrow, and look forward to an auspicious tomorrow.
Tell whoever has sorrow
Grief shall never last
Just as joy has no tomorrow
Woe is bound not to last.
....Ciao