터키 해변에 숨진 채 떠밀려와 난민 사태의 비극을 전세계에 알린 세 살배기 시리아 난민 아일란 쿠르디의 친척이 캐나다에 정착했다.
28일(현지시간) AP통신과 캐나다 CBC방송 등에 따르면 쿠르디의 삼촌인 모하마드 쿠르디가 아내, 5명의 아이들과 함께 이날 캐나다 밴쿠버 공항에 도착했다.
모하마드는 여동생 티마 쿠르디를 비롯한 캐나다인들의 열렬한 환영 속에 도착한 후 "캐나다, 고맙습니다. 행복합니다. 정말 행복합니다"라고 영어로 인사했다.
이어 아랍어로 "꿈을 이룰 수 있게 해준 캐나다인과 캐나다 정부에 감사 드린다"고 전했다.
티마 쿠르디도 "난민에게 문을 열어주고, 다른 나라들에게 난민 위기를 어떻게 대처해야하는지를 보여줬다"며 쥐스탱 트뤼도 캐나다 총리에게 거듭 감사를 표했다.
모하마드의 가족은 캐나다 정부가 내년 2월 말까지 받아들이기로 약속한 시리아 난민 2만5천 명 중에 포함됐다.
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(Yonhap) |
<관련 영문 기사>
Relatives of drowned Syrian boy land in Canada
Relatives of a Syrian boy whose lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach, sparking worldwide concern for the refugee crisis, have landed in Canada
Mohammed Kurdi, his wife and their five children arrived in Canada as refugees on Monday, sponsored by Mohammed’s sister Tima Kurdi, who wiped away tears as she greeted her relatives at Vancouver airport’s arrival gates.
Speaking through his sister, who translated from Arabic, Mohammed Kurdi thanked Canadians and the government for making his dream come true.
“I’m happy! Very happy!” he said in English to a crowd of reporters gathered around the family.
His teenage son Shergo said he was looking forward to going back to school and starting a new life.
The reunion comes at the end of a difficult year for the family.
Tima and Mohammed’s three-year-old nephew, Alan Kurdi, drowned along with his five-year-old brother and their mother while crossing the waters between Turkey and Greece in September.
The boy’s father Abdullah Kurdi said after the tragedy that the family was trying to get to Canada to join his sister Tima. Abdullah has since declined to come to Canada. He lives in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Tima said she wished Abdullah was in Canada. “All of us here wish you were here with us,” Tima said when asked if she had a message for him.
Mohammed Kurdi has been in Germany since leaving his family in Turkey seven months ago to find work. He had yet to meet his youngest child, who was born in July, but the family reunited in Frankfurt before flying to Canada.
The Kurdis are among 25,000 Syrian refugees the Canadian government has pledged to welcome by the end of February. Immigration Minister John McCallum said last week the government will likely not meet its target of having 10,000 of them on Canadian soil by Jan. 1. The federal website that updates progress listed 2,413 refugees as having arrived in Canada by Dec. 26.
Mohammed Kurdi, his wife and children will all stay with Tima Kurdi and her family for now. The brother and sister are planning to work together at Tima Kurdi’s new hair salon in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Kurdi Hair Design.
“Thank you Canadian people. Thank you Prime Minister Trudeau for opening the door and showing the world how everyone should welcome refugees and save lives,” Tima Kurdi said.
She said hopes other refugees remain hopeful. (AP)
