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| Khalan's Story | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I am Kurdish, | (KURDISTAN) | man from North Iraq where life is very difficult. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| All my life I know war from President Saddam Hussein not likes Kurds and make life very difficult for us. My father, motor mechanic and this what I want also because is tradition that sons do as the father. From small age I learn repair motors in cars and lorries. I marry when 18 years and the first year I was father of girl and the next year after also I had son. Than boss of my father sold his shop and my father had such bad accident he cannot work as mechanic any more. The new boss says business is bad and now no work for me also. Now my wife is pregnant once more and I with no job. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| My friend Ararat go to Germany to work and send money to his family in Iraq. He also sends letters to his parents and wife that life is better in Germany and I think I must do so also. So many Kurds go in Europe there are businessmen who arrange to help them but they are not good or honest people. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| But I am very desperate because soon I will have three children and no job and myfamily will be starving so I talked with Shin, war from the businessman. But the money was too much so I kiss my wife and children and began to walk. The father of Ararat say his son go to Istanbul, where he stay in the Ozturk Hotel in Laleli district before before Germany. He say that many Iranians there and I decide to go there also. When I come to Zakho-Silopi on the border to Turkey I see many Kurds waiting who have not money to pay officials and one night follow some across the border. This is very dangerous because many Turkis soldiers there to stop Kurdish people from Iraq. Very cold and all people very frightened that soldiers shoot to us. Mothers must put clothes in little babies mouth so that they must not cry. One soldier lorry come very close but not see us very quiet on ground. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After long walk, next day market in Zakho_Silopi I see broken lorry and say I can repair motor if man is going to Istanbul. But man did not allow me. I spent days begging on the streets, but Turkish people do not like the Kurds and would spit at me and a group of men kicked me until all may teeth fell out. I get a job in a kitchen somehow, but it was very low pay and th hours where long. I have little money and I think of my wife and children in Iraq. I must go to Germany. I manage to steal money from some coats in the restaurant and someone takes me to Izmir. I have enough money to find room and get job as a mechanic and send little money to my wife. I meet Turkish man called ERKAN who can take people to Italy. He put me in, from Italy he say is easy to go to Germany for someone asking asylum but I must pay 1000 US $. From the lorry man I have more and say okay. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Erkan say I must go to | Smyrni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| where boat is waiting to go to Italy. He give | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| me paper with place and name of man. Some others and I go to Smyrni where small fisherman boat went take us to boat called Brelner some kilometers from land. When I come to it with so many people from Iraq and Turkey and even black people from Ethiopia I was very astonish and worry there is no place for me but Turkish captain say there is many places, no problem. But boat only 50 meters long and very old and when it begins for Italy are more than 700 people in it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brelner | is completely full with many children also and only | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Every place in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| some bread to eat and little water to drink but nothing for washing. It was very bad with bad smells because no private place and everywhere is where people make toilet. Also when the wind became strong many people are sick and that was on floor also. The wind and rain very cold and people shaking and sitting where they are sick in the rain and very hungry. More than 100 children and babies crying. For me I think I may die for I am very sick also. It was like Hell for me. And than the motor stops and in such a big storms the boat situation become worse. Even captain of Brelner was frightened and also the crew. I say I am mechanic perhaps I can repair but there is no tools to work on motor. For some days and nights the wind and rain and sea was coming over boat and making every one completely wet and sick and no sleep. Then boat from Greece navy arrive with ropes and pull Brelner to Greece island Zakynthos. People of Zakynthos very kind and come with food and clothes and police arrest Turkish .... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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