Stories and News No. 603
Ioane Teitiota has applied for environmental asylum to New Zealand, where he lives with his wife and three children, born there.
His homeland, Kiribati island, risks to disappear due to rising water caused by global warming and the resulting climate change.
The New Zealand Government, through the High Court in Auckland, is reviewing his case that could make him or not the first climate refugee in history.
Not the last, in my opinion.
In this story, of course...
Once upon a time there was a planet.
Not ours, so we are all safer.
There were inhabitants on the planet.
Humans.
Well, let’s say almost…
The almost human inhabitants of the planet were many and infinitely different from each other.
It happens.
You know, the equality of shapes and colors is just an illusion.
For the equals in the world too.
Especially for the latter.
One day something happened that disquieted some.
Not all, only a part of the many.
A man named Ioane knocked at the door of those who lived further up him.
"Can you accommodate me and my family? The water is rising and we are in danger of drowning. I have three children here with me..."
Those who lived higher chatted and various voices rose, as often happens when it is necessary to make a choice that will change our lives forever.
The choice was made.
And only time will tell us whether it was the best.
"Sorry, stranger. But we must first think about our problems, our wives and our children. You'll have to save yourself alone."
"Yes, I understand," Ioane said, "but if my family and I are in this situation is also your fault, because if you had not used the car and appliances, polluted air and water planet, the temperature would not be increased so as to raise the level of the sea..."
"This is the usual naive rhetoric propaganda", those who lived higher said.
So they shut the door violently on his face.
A few days and the threat materializes.
The sea overcame the banks and Ioane and his family died swept away by the waves.
A year passed and the water level rose again.
So, those who lived further up found themselves in danger.
They went to speak to those who lived higher.
"Help us," they begged, "otherwise we drown."
"Sorry, foreigners," those who lived even higher said. "We must first think about our problems, our families, etc…"
Thus, the wretches people got the same end of Ioane and his loved ones.
The water rose again.
And even those who were still higher, to save their life, asked for help to those who lived higher.
Same answer.
The water rose.
More.
And more.
The same scene was repeated.
As long as just a family was alive.
One family, who lived on the highest point on the planet.
A small strip of land.
Surrounded by the sea from every point of the compass.
"We must first think about our problems," the father repeated to his wife and their children, "to our home, our job, our..."
Unfortunately he did not have time to finish the sentence because the water rose for the last time and wiped them off the planet.
The end of the story would come anyway.
That's why it is extremely important to choose what answer to give to the life that knocks on our door.
Also on Stories and News:
Ioane Teitiota has applied for environmental asylum to New Zealand, where he lives with his wife and three children, born there.
His homeland, Kiribati island, risks to disappear due to rising water caused by global warming and the resulting climate change.
The New Zealand Government, through the High Court in Auckland, is reviewing his case that could make him or not the first climate refugee in history.
Not the last, in my opinion.
In this story, of course...
Once upon a time there was a planet.
Not ours, so we are all safer.
There were inhabitants on the planet.
Humans.
Well, let’s say almost…
The almost human inhabitants of the planet were many and infinitely different from each other.
It happens.
You know, the equality of shapes and colors is just an illusion.
For the equals in the world too.
Especially for the latter.
One day something happened that disquieted some.
Not all, only a part of the many.
A man named Ioane knocked at the door of those who lived further up him.
"Can you accommodate me and my family? The water is rising and we are in danger of drowning. I have three children here with me..."
Those who lived higher chatted and various voices rose, as often happens when it is necessary to make a choice that will change our lives forever.
The choice was made.
And only time will tell us whether it was the best.
"Sorry, stranger. But we must first think about our problems, our wives and our children. You'll have to save yourself alone."
"Yes, I understand," Ioane said, "but if my family and I are in this situation is also your fault, because if you had not used the car and appliances, polluted air and water planet, the temperature would not be increased so as to raise the level of the sea..."
"This is the usual naive rhetoric propaganda", those who lived higher said.
So they shut the door violently on his face.
A few days and the threat materializes.
The sea overcame the banks and Ioane and his family died swept away by the waves.
A year passed and the water level rose again.
So, those who lived further up found themselves in danger.
They went to speak to those who lived higher.
"Help us," they begged, "otherwise we drown."
"Sorry, foreigners," those who lived even higher said. "We must first think about our problems, our families, etc…"
Thus, the wretches people got the same end of Ioane and his loved ones.
The water rose again.
And even those who were still higher, to save their life, asked for help to those who lived higher.
Same answer.
The water rose.
More.
And more.
The same scene was repeated.
As long as just a family was alive.
One family, who lived on the highest point on the planet.
A small strip of land.
Surrounded by the sea from every point of the compass.
"We must first think about our problems," the father repeated to his wife and their children, "to our home, our job, our..."
Unfortunately he did not have time to finish the sentence because the water rose for the last time and wiped them off the planet.
The end of the story would come anyway.
That's why it is extremely important to choose what answer to give to the life that knocks on our door.
Also on Stories and News: