Abschied von der Mare*GO

Abschied von Marie und Raphael.

Wir sind traurig, dass unsere Freund:innen von Zusammenland aus gut nachvollziehbaren Gründen aus der Seenotrettung aussteigen.

Ihr wart in Licata seit unserem 1. Einsatz 2023 an unserer Seite. Ihr seid zwei Monate früher einsatzbereit gewesen und habt uns im NGO-Dschungel und seetechnisch zur Seite gestanden. Uns verband unser politischen Ansatz, dass wir auch ein kleines Graswurzelprojekte sind und eine Freundschaft.

Wir wünschen euch und der alten MARE*GO wunderbare neue Projekte, ohne Frontex, Schießeinsätze auf dem Wasser und restriktive sogenannten SAR -Zonen., bzw SR- Regions. Viel Freiheit für euch und die MARE*GO und Bewegungsfreiheit für alle!

Wir vermissen euch in Licata.

Fair winds
Ina, Johannes, Katja und Matthias und das CompassCollective ⛵

—

Wir dokumentieren hier eine schöne Antwort auf Maries und Raphaels Farewell von einem Weggefährten:

“ Dear Marie, dear Raphael,

thank you for your your thoughtful decision process and the clear result. It shows that our step as Mare Liberum was totally right to hand our ship over to you and let you pour all your heart into the project after we had to abandon our mission, just like Sea-Watch trusted us back when they had to find a new playground for the vessel and chose us.
Thanks to all your crew and you two as the driving force, the 107 year-old lady kept on saving lives after we had no energy left in us regarding operations in Greece, and those lives that Mare*GO saved will stand forever. Everyone within Mare Liberum is eager to hear which next chapter will extend the happy childhood of our old lady.

I know, I’m repeating myself, but please hear me out: A million thanks to the founders and the crews of Sea-Watch who started our whole scene of multiple NGOs with this little fishing boat that was later gifted to us. Thanks to everyone who kept going under the flag of Mare Liberum, keeping her in the fleet against the odds and the authorities. Thanks to everyone in Mare*GO keeping the project alive with that much love and passion. And neverending thanks to every single crew member in every single NGO out there all along Europe’s borders, fighting for justice and equality and humanity and solidarity. Sometimes it’s a fight against death and sickness, sometimes authorities and neglect, sometimes the laws itself, then against the weather and the conditions, sometimes just against wear and tear and, yes, in the end it’s also simply a fight against rust.

Whatever your part of the fight is: Thank you for saving lives, be it with binoculars or with a welding torch or a social media account in your hand. Our family of NGOs will never suffer an energy crisis, even if we as individuals sometimes do. As a community, we keep being unstoppable, even if our floating devices are not.

All the best to everyone and lots of love!
Christof
(Mare Liberum crew and Iuventa crew before that)“