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"The picture did not change much" - father of drowned migrant toddler Aylan Kurdi speaks out

It’s one year today since a photo of Aylan’s lifeless body on a Turkish beach shocked the world.

aylan Aylan and Galip Kurdi Tima Kurdi / AP Tima Kurdi / AP / AP

THE FATHER OF Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian refugee boy whose body washed ashore on a Turkish beach one year ago today, has denounced the world’s failure to stop the bloodshed in his home country.

“The politicians said after the deaths in my family: Never again!” bereaved father Abdullah Kurdi, 41, told Germany’s Bild daily.

Everyone claimed they wanted to do something because of the photo that touched them so much. But what is happening now? People are still dying and nobody is doing anything about it.

Kurdi speaks on the anniversary of the tragedy in the Mediterranean, in which he also lost his wife Rehab, 35, and their other son, five-year-old Galip.

aylan2 AP AP

The haunting picture of the toddler’s lifeless body went viral as one of the most searing images of the migrant crisis.

Kurdi, who hails from Syria’s Kurdish community, told Bild that it was right for the photo of his son to be published worldwide.

“These things must be shown to make clear to people what is happening,” he said.

But in the end the picture did not change much. The horror in Syria must finally stop.

Kurdi now lives alone in an apartment in Arbil in Iraq’s Kurdish north, in a compound guarded by the local authorities’ peshmerga forces.

He has kept his late son’s stuffed toys in a cabinet in the living room. Chainsmoking throughout the interview, Abdullah broke into tears as he recalled the tragedy.

“Now I’m probably safer than I’ve ever been in my life,” he said. “But for what?”

aylan3

Three months after the deaths of Aylan, Galip, and Rehab, Abdullah’s brother Mohammed, his wife, and their five children arrived safely in Canada, also as refugees from Syria.

They were sponsored by Abdullah’s sister Tima, whom he and his family had originally hoped to reach by crossing the ocean to Greece from Turkey.

“All of us here wish you were here with us,” Tima said at the time when asked by reporters if she had a message for him.

With AP

© – AFP, 2016

Read: Police officer who carried drowned Syrian boy speaks of ‘indescribable pain’

Read: Smugglers jailed for four years after death of Syrian toddler on beach

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    Mute Mark Fitzmaurice
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    May 24th 2015, 5:48 PM

    Here’s hoping they got out and walked away!

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    Mute Hermes
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    May 24th 2015, 6:05 PM

    What if they were drug dealers ?
    Just asking like …

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    Mute Ron North
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    May 24th 2015, 6:10 PM

    You’re an idiot Hermes.

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    Mute Elma Phudd
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    May 24th 2015, 6:12 PM

    Stay off the Miami Vice Hermes.

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    Mute Brian Gormley
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    May 24th 2015, 6:12 PM

    Mark, read it again, Gardai confirm there are casualties, if they are minding their own business I hope they’re ok, up to no good fcuk ‘em

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    Mute Ron North
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    May 24th 2015, 6:14 PM

    You Brian are also an idiot.

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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    May 24th 2015, 6:17 PM

    Two injuries reported on the news. Difficult area to reach, but they’re alive.

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    Mute phillius fogg
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    May 24th 2015, 6:29 PM

    What sort of a Moronic comment is that Hermes

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    Mute Frank Flanagan
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    May 24th 2015, 7:20 PM

    Don’t be speculating, Denis Reidy….
    Wait for the facts.

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    Mute Ron North
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    May 24th 2015, 7:32 PM

    He’s not speculating, he is saying what was reported on the news.
    .
    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculating

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    Mute Frank Flanagan
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    May 24th 2015, 7:42 PM

    He WAS speculating… He said they were alive – when in fact they weren’t.
    Shouldnt believe everything you hear in the media…
    May they rest in peace.

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    Mute Ron North
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    May 24th 2015, 7:51 PM

    He said “Two injuries reported on the news…etc. etc. “.
    The news channel may have been speculating but he wasn’t, he stated that something was reported on the news, which to the best of my knowledge was a fact (that it was reported on the news).

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    Mute Hermes
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    May 24th 2015, 7:52 PM

    I didn’t read the story – I reacted to the original comment ……………..

    May they rest in Peace whoever they are – had it indicated that they were dead I would have not commented at all !

    N.B. – Stories change as the hours, days or weeks progress ……

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    Mute Tinkers Toenail
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    May 24th 2015, 8:00 PM

    What’s the craic lads. What have I missed?

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    Mute Mark Fitzmaurice
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    May 24th 2015, 8:11 PM

    Brian, I commented when the story was just that there had been a plane crash. They’ve updated it now to say there are people dead so my comment now looks ridiculous.

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    Mute Mary Costello
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    May 24th 2015, 8:22 PM

    One of the men was my first cousin Brian. He would have celebrated his 70th birthday later this year with his twin brother. Brian was one of the nicest men I have ever known. We are all heartbroken. RIP.

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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    May 24th 2015, 8:27 PM

    @Mary, My sincere condolences.

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    Mute Mary Costello
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    May 24th 2015, 8:44 PM

    Thanks Denis.

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    Mute Hermes
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    May 24th 2015, 8:48 PM

    Mary my condolences as well….

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    Mute Mary Costello
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    May 24th 2015, 9:20 PM

    Thanks Hermes.

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    Mute Mike Clinton
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    May 24th 2015, 9:57 PM

    May they rest in peace.

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    Mute Avina Laaf
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    May 24th 2015, 9:57 PM

    Sorry to hear that Mary.

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    Mute Paula Kehoe
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    May 25th 2015, 7:39 AM

    Sorry for your loss. Xxxx

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    Mute Ross
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    May 24th 2015, 10:41 PM

    Can’t believe some of the comments on a report of a terrible accident and the deaths of two men out for a flight on a Sunday. There sure are some black-hearted, mean-minded people out there.

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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    May 24th 2015, 8:01 PM

    Just read the update. Sad news. RIP.

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    Mute Dave Byrne
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    May 24th 2015, 7:45 PM

    RIP fellow aviators

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    Mute Ciaran Pender
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    May 24th 2015, 6:54 PM

    I could see where the helicopter was hovering its a remote enough area now!

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    Mute Ciaran Pender
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    May 24th 2015, 6:56 PM

    We live on the mountain and we can’t see the plane but from where the helicopter lowered its a remote area!

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    Mute Glen
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    May 24th 2015, 6:16 PM

    Apparently it crashed in a hard to reach area.

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    Mute Denis Reidy
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    May 24th 2015, 6:18 PM

    How’re ye Glen, you multi tasking too?

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    Mute Ciaran Pender
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    May 24th 2015, 8:05 PM

    We spotted the crash site, they so nearly made it over the mountain, very very remote area

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    Mute fuve
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    May 24th 2015, 8:03 PM

    Rest in peace poor men :(I hope it was swift. Deepest condolences to their families

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    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
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    May 24th 2015, 7:27 PM

    Rescue 117 just confirmed on Facebook that occupants X2 RIP :’(

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    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
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    May 24th 2015, 7:30 PM

    Correction, Irish Coast Guard page on Facebook. Rescue 117 had been tasked.

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    Mute Sandra Turner
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    May 24th 2015, 8:10 PM

    Possibly on the way to or from the ILAS fly in in Wexford today? RIP

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    Mute Chris
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    May 24th 2015, 8:11 PM

    Sad story, RIP.

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    Mute Mark Fitzsimons
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    May 25th 2015, 1:14 AM

    RIP! Terrible to here!

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