Tima Kurdi, aunt of late brothers Galib and Alan Kurdi, as she speaks outside her home in Coquitlam,

Tima Kurdi, aunt of late brothers five-year-old Galib, and three-year-old Alan Kurdi, is greif-stricken as she speaks outside her home in Coquitlam, British.Columbia, today. Alyan, Galib and their mother Rehan died as they tried to reach Europe from Syria. Tima Kurdi said she doesn't blame the Canadian government, but says the world could be doing more to end the war in Syria.
Photo Credit: CP / Darryl Dyck

Alan Kurdi’s aunt in Canada speaks

Alan Kurdi’s death in the Aegean Sea, along with his brother and mother, when the jet-powered dinghie they were crossing in, capsized off the coast of Turkey. has become a turning point in the global response to Syrian and Kurdish refugees. It was also a turning point in the Canadian federal election campaign.

Yesterday the leaders of Canada’s three major parties were questioned about their policies and proposals for a response to the growing refugee crisis in Europe. Over the last 24 hours, the photo of the lifeless, bent body of the little boy at the water’s edge, was the catalyst for impassioned debate.

It culminated in Chris Alexander, the minister of Citizenship & Immigration, suspending his campaign for re-election, to return to Ottawa to deal with the Kurdi family situation, and the growing crisis in Europe.

“I did all in my power to save them”

But at the heart of the debate, is the Canadian family that was doing what they could to help each other. Tima Kurdi, is the sister of Abdullah Kurdi, the father, and only survivor of the family.

She had been in constant communication with her two brothers, one in Germany, attempting to make his way to Canada. Abdullah, in Turkey, who had made the difficult decision to attempt the journey with his wife and children.

Tima Kurdi relayed how afraid her sister-in-law had been of crossing the water. She couldn’t swim and she was worried. The family had talked about Abdullah making the journey alone, but he was too concerned about leaving his wife alone with the two boys. Tima said in one of her last conversations with her nephews, Galib had asked for a bicycle.

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Alan, left, and his brother Ghalib Kurdi are seen in an undated family photo courtesy of their aunt, Tima Kurdi. © CP/Ho

Today. Tima Kurdi spoke with reporters outside her home in Coquitlam, British Columbia, relaying what her brother told her of the tragedy. And a warning, just as the image of Alyan is so hard to look at, hearing Tima’s version of events is not easy either:

Listen

Abdullah Kurdi, and his family, were making the two- mile crossing from Akyarlar, Turkey to the Greek Island of Kos, which usually takes a half-an-hour. Smugglers are reportedly charging 1000 euros for the trip, which is about $1500 Canadian.

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Categories: Immigration & Refugees, International, Politics, Society
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