Most of us have seen the heart wrenching photo of this little boys body washed up on the beach in Turkey.
Its news worthy, its tragic and shows the plight of the refugees. Or does it?
Sadly this young boy is one of the victims of smugglers charging desparate people money to escape a war torn country. He is one of many victims but what is he really a victim of and what does this mean?
Apparently the boys body was moved, staged on the beach for a better photo opp. It gets worse, now the boys own father is accused of being the smuggler.
~
Aylan Kurdi's father is a people smuggler, woman claims
A woman who was on the boat carrying drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi has accused his father of being a people smuggler.
Channel Ten reported Zainab Abbas, who lost two children in the tragedy, claims Abdullah Kurdi was at the helm of the boat when it sunk off the Turkish coast.
"He was a smuggler, yes. He was the one that was driving the boat," the woman told Ten over Skype from Iraq through a translator.
Ms Abbas claims Mr Kurdi was speeding before the boat capsized and pleaded with her while they were still both in the water, "please don't dob me in".
Advertisement
The Wall Street Journal said Mr Kurdi had denied Ms Abbas' claim, saying the boat's Turkish captain jumped into the water shortly after the engine stalled.
"I lost my family, I lost my life, I lost everything, so let them say whatever they want," he told the newspaper.
Ms Abbas claimed she met Mr Kurdi and another man in a cafe and handed over $US10,000 to get them to Europe.
"[The other man] told me, 'You have to give me the money and when you get safely to Bodrum, the island, you call me and tell me that you arrived safely'," she said.
Ms Abbas said he told her the boat was safe to make the perilous journey.
"He said, 'Don't worry, the captain of the boat, the driver, is going to bring his two kids and his wife'," she said.
Ms Abbas said there were too many people in the boat and not enough life jackets when it capsized.
Her husband had asked Mr Kurdi to slow down, but he didn't listen, she said.
Crying, Ms Abbas said she and her husband and daughter held on to a life jacket but her other two children, a boy and girl, were lost.
"I was screaming, calling out for them, but there wasn't anyone replying," she said.
"They were my life, I have no life now. Right now I can't believe they are gone."
Ms Abbas said she heard Mr Kurdi claim in the media that a Turkish man had driven the boat, but that this was not the case.
"I've lost my kids, I've lost my life, how can he lie to the media?"
Source
