CENTRAL NEWS
Millions of people are leaving their homes because of the wars, political problems, unjust income distribution and economic conditions. Many people’s dreams and longings are buried in the cold waters of the sea before reaching the future, while those in range experience a life they never expected.
Mert Can Özkan from Bitlis, Norşînli (Göroymak), who had to live a refugee camp in order to avoid imprisonment in the KCK case, is one of those people. Özkan said that he had been staying at the Horst Camp, which is 40 kilometers away from Hamburg, for about 5 months.
Özkan stated that he had come to Germany for asylum after being sought after in the KCK case. “Since I didn’t know the camp life before, I thought it was under state control and I couldn’t have any problems. The camp is 5 km away from the nearest town of Lauenburg.
Since buses do not come to camp on weekends, most people are trapped here. Asylum seekers are not given access cards. When we miss a bus we have to wait an hour or walk 5 kilometres. The population of the camp is far above its capacity. There are about a thousand people right now. Since there is no clean drinking water in the camp, most of the time we supply water from toilet taps. Since the camp is out of town, we stay away from social life. ”
No safety
Mert Can Özkan stated that “there is often no access to the internet in the camp and therefore they have serious difficulties in reaching their families. Most of the people we have problems with are also pro-ISIS people. When they hear that we are Kurdish, they show a hostile attitude towards us. There are frequent fights in the camp.
We do not want to share the same environment with ISIS sympathizers. Since we don’t have safety, we often either lie in a room collectively or keep a watch. There are security guards at the gate. But the number of those entering and leaving the camp is unclear. It is possible to come across all kinds of drugs in the camp. A lot of people trade it.”
‘Psychological problems emerged’
Özkan continues to explain the negativities in the camp as follows: “We have repeatedly filed petitions with the foreigner’s police regarding the problems we have experienced. But we have seen no results. Although it is a camp for a thousand people, there is a serious interpreter problem. Because of the circumstances we have, many people have serious psychological problems. It’s like we’re running from one prison to another. We are left to our own destiny.
Even in the smallest controversies, the camp administration cuts off the power of the prison camp. Everything that is done here is done to destroy human dignity. The authorities need to make our voices heard and listen to all this. It is our right to live under more humane conditions, even if everyone is imprisoned in this camp.”
Yeni Özgür Politika/MEHMET ZAHİT EKİNCİ
