14-10-2013
In the course of the last 4 months only in the area of Chop Border Detachment, 20 citizens of Syria were apprehended. As the border guards mark, in comparison with the previous year the number of Syrian illegal migrants has sufficiently enlarged. Recently, border guards detained a family of illegal migrants from Syria. One of them agreed to talk with Zaholovok.com.ua.
Syrian Mustafa Hamam is 18 years old. He is a resident of one of the oldest cities in the world Aleppo. Because of war and fear to be taken to the army, Mustafa planning to enter university had to escape his motherland.
He was apprehended in Perechyn region, Transcarpathia some days ago. However, the trip of Syrian was not planned to be finished in Ukraine. Mustafa told about his escape and ways of illegal migrant to Zaholovok.com.ua.
«I was studying in Syria. I was going to enter university to Medical Faculty. I wanted to study honestly, but the things turned otherwise. I decided to leave my native country. There is only war there and nothing more…There is no water, no food…It is impossible to live there. I was afraid to be taken to the army. I did not want to fight” – Mustafa reported.
Syrian said that his three friends were put to prisons because they refused to join the army: “Syrian puts to prisons those persons, who do not wish to fight. My friends were taken there. Those are also arrested who do not support the authority and do not want to join the army”. Mustafa stresses that he does support neither Syrian army nor rebels: “They both behave bad. I support none of them. I escaped because I do not want to fight. The situation is complicated. Those, who have been living well at the President governing, they support the authority, those who have been living bad – they go to opposition”.
According to the words of Mustafa, he decided to escape to Sweden from Syria. He travelled not alone – together with his mother, brother, his wife and one more minor boy. The dream for everybody was European Union, but the final point of destination had to become Sweden. Mustafa’s brother lives there, who was ready to shelter the relatives. “Oh, yes, Swede. There is my brother there and nice life”, – Syrian says.
As Mustafa tells, it is very difficult to get from Syria: “War, everybody shoots, there is no transport, there is nothing to get somewhere, it is almost impossible to depart the country legally”. – the boy explains. The boy does not want to reveal all details of his trip, however he told that they were transported by car from Syria to Turkey, then from Turkey Mustafa with his relatives arrived by ship to Odesa. After that they got to Transcarpathia and wanted to come to Slovakia travelling though the mountains. But they were caught in the most complicated area”, – Mustafa reports. Mustafa refused to tell about the smuggler. But he confessed that for the “trip” from Syria to Sweden he personally paid $12000. Those, following him, spent almost the same amount
“The price for the trip of this type cost about $5000-6000 per person. But there are cases, as Mustafa’s one, when he paid for his “journey” about $12000”, – the chief of press-service of Chop Border Detachment, Roman Pavlenko reports.
Mustafa Hamamy nothing told about “key person”. As a rule they do not betray their smugglers. It is known that Mustafa with his family was taken to Slovakia by the citizen of Syria, who already for durable time lives in Ukraine: he married Ukrainian woman. He is the relative of Mustafa. This Syrian has not been caught at similar infringements”, – senior officer of Department on works with foreigners and administrative proceeding of Chop Border Detachment, Artem Oliynyk mentions.
According to the words of Mustafa, there are two sisters with husbands left in Syria. He can contact them only via the Internet. Several times I contacted my sister on Skype. Now, I will wait for the Internet connection to appear again”, – Syrian tells.
Mustafa also does not want to tell all the details of his trip, he constantly repeats that it has been a difficult trip and he does not ant to go back: “It was hard to travel. When we were about to cross the border to European Union, we took much water and warm clothes”. Syrian confesses that he is not sure about his ability to get over the Carpathians.
Mustafa speaks among his acquaintances and friends, he was the only dared to escape: “I do not know anybody to escape in such a way. I heard just stories”.
Syrian does not want to go to Sweden in illegal way any longer. He is not against staying in Ukraine. Mustafa applied to Migration Service for refugee status. The procedure is continuous, but the guy hopes that everything will be fine. “I’ll go to study, and then – to work”, – says illegal immigrant.
Mustafa has no plans to return to Syria: “No, I do not want. There is only war there. ” Answering the question if he wishes to see his native country after the war, Syrian says: ” I think the war will go on 10 years more.”
Now Mustafa with his mother and brother hope receiving refugee status in Ukraine. They do not want to return to war and just waiting to come in touch with relatives stayed in Syria.
In the course of the last 4 months, only in the area Chop border guards detained 20 citizens of Syria. “If comparing data of the first six months of the last year, we had no any Syrians. Now, we arrested 20 illegal migrants from Syria in 12 cases. Those applying for refugee status in Ukraine, we send to Migration Service. Syrians residing in Ukraine for a long time use the situation in Syria. They try to break through the border and get into the EU under the pretext of the war. We had several such cases. Two Syrians were from Odessa and one – from Zaporizhya. There are not so many illegal immigrants covering up by the war, the percentage is small, but they are “, – Sergey Kurdelchuk says, acting Head of Department on work with foreigners and administrative proceedings of Chop Border Detachment.
According to data of UNO, about 6000 people leave Syria every day because of military conflict since the beginning of 2013. The UNO has registered 1.8 million Syrian refugees, two-thirds of them left the country in 2013. The civil war in Syria kills 5000 people every month.
Source: http://zaholovok.com.ua/shlyakh-nelegala-cherez-zakarpattya-v-siriyu-za-12-tisyach-dolariv