Quelle: Moving Europe

“This is not an equal distribution of rights”
[Refugee from Pakistan in Belgrade, 23/1/2016]

During the last weeks we talked to around 100 people who are stuck in Belgrade. Through the conversations and discussions with these refugees, we realized that the stories we listened to were not only single and isolated personal experiences, but that they form a pattern: A pattern of structural violence, which is enacted upon the refugees to prevent them from travelling on and to regain control over their lives and futures. This is not done by Croatian authorities alone. This strategy is part of an EU-wide strategy to restrict flight, migration and the freedom of movement.

„I want to go to a different place. Some nights I sleep on the streets in Belgrade, some nights I take the train to Šid to sleep in the camp there, without money, without anything, with the hope they let me pass, as we are many. We have to hide to enter in the camp in Šid as our documents expired. We sleep there, and we try to pass again, and again, and again. Two days ago I tried to enter the Krnjača camp. They didn’t let me in because they said my documents expired. The guard at the entrance didn’t let us in, he was saying “Go, go, go away!”. I asked him why other people are welcomed to sleep in the camp, and we are treat like animals. We are left to sleep in the streets, in the cold and snow, while others can at least get warm in the camp. I didn’t try to pass the border on foot. It is too cold and I don’t know if I could make it in these conditions. There are many people that tried to cross on foot, but Croatian police caught them. I have seen police violence; I saw many people assaulted by Croatian police.“ (M., 26 years old)

Read the complete report here