Dublin's Trap - by Bryan Carter

The summary of the documentary can be found on the title of this post

I must say that being Greek, it felt rather peculiar watching a film about my country, actually made by a foreigner. However, I was astonished by the vast amount of information I was given, such as the statements of the leader of "Chrisi Avgi"  (a neo-fascist group), concerning the fate of migrants should he gains total control of the country. He answered "Surprise!" Now, even more surprising is the fact that according to recent surveys, this very political party is expected to receive 5% of the Greeks' votes. It makes one wonder about what is worse: the future of this country due to the financial economic crisis or this.

Anyway, this documentary as said by the director himself, is not based so much on mere objectivity as on sympathising with migrants trying to have the opportunity of a better future, yet ending to be treated like animals in a foreign country where no one cares for them. Even worse, their inability to understand the language or to defend for themselves and their human rights makes them easy pray for people who want to take advantage of them, mostly by enslaving them and forcing them to earn a living selling illegal products or  begging at the streets.

Migrants often end up in Greece, trying to get to Europe through our country,  yet being sent back here because of the "Dublin II regulation" : an international law according to which, the "asylum seeker" - AKA "the migrant"-  must be sent back to  the state through which the asylum seeker first entered the EU. Thusly, migrants return here, with nowhere else to go and not a hope to live for. 

While not completely objective, this documentary does try to maintain a global perpective of things, by interviewing both parties, the migrants and the locals. It is clearly illustrated in this film that the modern societies become more and more heterogeneous and therefore ethnicistic and racistic tendencies emerge more often and in a greater extend than in the past.Needless to say, Greece has a history of intolerance towards differentiality, let alone the fascist groups like "Chrisi Avgi" mentiοned above, whose members support beliefs and ideologies usually involving the idea that one's own race is intrinsically superior and has the right to rule others.

The vast majority of migrants in Greece live in terrible conditions, having to put up with hunger, poverty and humiliation. They have no source of steady income while facing the uncertainty of tomorrow. The documentary is a real mind opener to those of course willing to take the leap. And certainly, to those among us who still HAVE a mind to use.

Highly recommended 

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