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| Esmail Alqublani |
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| The green branches of hope are inside us |
Esmail Alqublani, former Yemeni journalist, sent this letter to The Korea Times from Jeju Island, where he together with other Yemenis is trying to get a refugee status. ― ED.
The true meaning of our lives I saw here on this wall those dry branches represent everything that went on until the war. It is really painful to see your whole life as dry branches on a wall smoking next to it every day while the green branches of hope inside us still grow as if our lives now represent Jeju Island, the island of humanity in South Korea.
So far, most of those who have left Yemen because of the war are looking for a safe and stable life, some of whom they have found and some are still on the way to it. Some of them are stuck in other countries living a safe and unstable life, some of whom died a few days ago.
I feel the faces of young Yemenis who died drowning in the Mediterranean a few days ago and their bodies were returned to Libya. I can only say that fate works in mysterious and frightening ways sometimes and ask: How were their last moments with life, where there is no land to embrace them, no sky except to leave and the last farewell in the sea?
Very long distances no one dreamed of crossing, but the war forced us and we are now safely here on the island of humanity Jeju I am grateful to thank the Korean government and the immigration bureau of the local government and all those who helped in helping us and standing with us in any way.
For those who stood up against us, we must respect their opinion and accept it with full confidence. The war forced us to go to different parts of the world. Some even got stuck or drowned because of the fools who sold our country to war.
Finally, we have to learn from these great Korean citizens: how does a citizen have the right to defend his country and protect it in any way? But with all peace they can be told that humanity is above all else. We are just innocent citizens and refugees only.
