They leave with a myriad of dreams and expectations in mind, always hopeful of improving their lives and those of their loved ones. Yet, along their journey, some cease to communicate with their families abruptly. All of the sudden, without notice. And so, for those who remain, a pernicious anxiety takes hold. Has something happened to them? If so, what?
Many families then become detectives, attempting to trace the path taken by their missing loved ones. Soon enough, there’s a conviction that they are imprisoned somewhere. Or worse, the unspeakable tragedy: the person is dead.
Some devastated mothers would rather know that their child has passed away than to suffer endless silence. Disappearance is a constantly renewed pain, difficult to manage, disorienting, disruptive, and deeply hurtful. This is what Leila confides, the mother of Bader, who disappeared on July 27, 2022. Instead of drifting without a point of reference, she asserts that she is ready –finally– to hear the worst. Perhaps that would allow her to grieve. “The earth absorbs, and the heart heals,” she says softly.
This platform aims to collect in one place the search efforts for missing persons who have left and/or passed through Tunisia, without making hierarchies or distinctions based on origin or gender. It also strives to be an artistic and activist tool for families of the disappeared. Families are encouraged to make this platform their own in order to become protagonists in actions of remembrance and protest.
“Where are our boys?” Tirelessly, the families of the disappeared ask this simple yet powerful question, breaking the silence imposed by absence. It’s a challenge thrown at European migration policies that anonymize the victims. Families are encouraged to counter this anonymity by presenting the humanity of their missing loved ones, giving them a face. By creating traces.
To the families of the disappeared, we insist: Take this space, it’s yours. This platform can only thrive through the interconnection of families, local associations committed to the struggle for the dignity of individuals, and activists from here and elsewhere.
The idea of this collaborative platform dates back just over a year. We were in an art gallery in Sousse when Souad, Layla, Dalila and Rachida created their first “message in a bottle.” The audience did not expect this kind of encounter in an artistic space. It prompted us to ask questions. Can there exist committed art in a country that finds it difficult to listen to the demands of families? We wanted to create a symbolic projectile for future demonstrations, to break through the screen and touch the hearts of those who want to listen to us!
I deeply thank all the families who have since cared and taken the time to share their pain and resilience, as well as all the associations tirelessly working to make the missing visible. Thank you for welcoming me aboard and participating in this militant work of engaged art. Your activism teaches us to survive, to resist, and to fight against deadly oblivion.
We stand in solidarity with you!
Séverine Sajous & Hamza Msalmi – Jungleye Collective.
