Homevideo Joke Kaviaar, 30 augustus 2021

Free The El Hiblu Three

They were a hundred-and-eight on March twenty-six
It was 2019, they left Libyan hell
The boat was small, the night was dark
Many children on the boat as well

The following day the rubber boat began to sink
The waves, they were going to take their lives
To the rescue came a cargo ship
took them aboard so they all survived

Saved from drowning all were relieved
As the captain of the El Hiblu swore
to take them to a port of safety and
not return them to the Libyan shore

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Free, free, the El Hiblu Three
Standing accused of piracy
The warriors of the border sea
Let’s stand in solidarity!

During the night, when most couldn’t sleep
the ship turned back to that Libyan shore
Another push back for all to see
Torture camps be their fate once more

‘It’s better to drown than to be returned’
All began to protest cause they were afraid
And they all decided ‘We won’t get off!’
They had to do something, it couldn’t wait

They were fifteen, sixteen, nineteen years old
As they reasoned with the captain not to go ahead
Relief again to all their fellow refugees
as The El Hiblu went to Malta instead

refr.
Free, free the El Hiblu Three
Standing accused of piracy
The heroes of the border sea
Let’s stand in solidarity!

Saved the lives of all hundred-and-eight
Arrested as terrorists as they reached the port
The captain claimed they took control
So three young men stand accused in court

But piracy can be no crime
not even if this would be true
The real crime is the European law
which borders kill while justice is due!

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Tekst en muziek: Joke Kaviaar, 26 augustus 2021