First rainy day in a long time

Ventimiglia 24/09/2022

The last week we have already expected it every day, then today it was happening. Until an hour ago it was still raining. It was immediately noticeable that bad weather leads to people having more needs for warm drinks and more food. And the overall mood is more tense and conflicts more difficult to resolve.
One of the few easily accessible dry places here in the city is under a bridge at the riverside. At the same time, it is dangerous for people to sleep there because the water can rise quickly when it rains for a long time in the mountains.
For a few days now, more people have been staying at the site during the day, and the groups that regularly hand out food in the evenings always distribute over 100 portions.

Some groups of people on the move we have been meeting here for a long time. Moving on seems to be difficult at the moment.
On the one hand we are happy to be a bit more familiar with some people after the time we spent together here, on the other hand it hurts us every day to see people again who we know would like to be somewhere else already.

At the moment we can offer food, drinks, wifi and electricity and a hair cutting station. Since our group is so small right now, the medibus has to stay in camp most of the time. For medical needs we take the medical backpack to the site.

medibus

Ventimiglia 20/09/2022

Since a few days it is possible for the group to open the medibus again. There is also a constant need for medical treatment during the day while we are at the site. Many people have large open wounds all over their bodies. We can attribute the problem to the fact that an infection with scabies has taken place. According to people’s reports, the symptoms came after staying in camps in Serbia and Bulgaria. From their stories we conclude that there must have just been large outbreaks there. Most of them have been infected in the last 2 weeks to 2 months.
The bad hygienic conditions of the European camps lead to big health problems of the people. European politics and economics are not only leading to the impoverishment of large parts of the world, but also to inhumane conditions on the territories of European nation states for people who decide to leave these areas. This must come to an end. We can only alleviate a few symptoms here, the root of the problem must go!
Freedom of movement and life for all people!

directsupport helps in ventimiglia

Ventimiglia 16/09/2022

DirectSupport is in Ventimiglia since Sept. 5th! With the infobus and medibus we provide cell phone charging facilities, wifi, coffee & tea and some snacks as well as medical care and hygiene products for people on the move.

Medical care, especially for open wounds, pain and sleeping disorders was requested very often. In addition, wifi and cell phone charging facilities were used a lot. We conducted interviews with people on the move, which we will publish here soon. We distributed many of the product donations to local groups that support people on the move.

In Ventimiglia, there are two local support groups: Venticappa and KeshaNiya, which we are able to relieve some of the workload through our presence and infrastructure. Venticappa has opened a new info store „Upupa“, which has become a meeting point of support structures and people on the move. This is well visited by the people. Since a few days there are problems with the neighbors, so the store had to be closed. We have been provided with more charging stations by Venticappa and are trying to meet the people’s need for charging.

We were also able to support the local political struggles:
On Sept. 6th, a party headquarters of the Lega Nord was opened. The right-wing populist party makes propaganda against people on the move and has become very popular. Through a spontaneous demonstration, which was organized by people on the move and supporters, the image of the party „for the people“ could be disturbed. The demonstration was observed by many passers-by and has repeatedly received support.
We also showed solidarity at a court trial against activists who are threatened with imprisonment because of their work with and for people on the move.

The situation here is very precarious for many people and it needs international support from the political side. We can just make the everyday life of the people a little easier and relieve local groups. For this we are still dependent on donations, especially to buy medicine and hygiene products and to make repairs on the cars and the technical infrastructure.

Donate to:

Medinetz Halle / Saale e.V.
Iban: DE65 8005 3762 1894 0424 05
BIC : nolade21hal / Saalesparkasse
reference line: konvoi

 

Ventimiglia Field Report

Some are tired. It’s been so long. I am only here for some days now and still I realized that I am tired as well. Many stories, a lot of people. Noise. Waste. In the middle of a town that is also a lot about tourism. Some people are rude.  Moremoremore. Give me more. Please, I answer. I am not a machine. And then there comes a Please. I don’t know if its honest. No wonder, so much shit in so many countries. Maybe the third approach to get over the border to France. And now here again. In this town, at this place. In this squat that has been evicted. And yet not all windows are barricaded with metal plates. There are ways inside, for sleeping. Around the squat there is garbage. Take away food boxes, clothes, some empty beer cans. We disperse food. Mostly to male perceived persons.

When female perceived persons are coming, that are accompanied by one or multiple male persons. Its unclear if they are human traffickers. One day I ask 4 female perceived persons at the lot what their route was. Where they come from and what is their destination. How they feel surrounded only by men. They tell their stories. To do that they get a male perceived person. They don’t speak english. The questions about the men they answer with their fingers, gestures showing they are close. Like brothers. Or like cousins. Later someone from the support strucutre tells me that „brother“ and „cousin“ are also terms used to describe human traffickers.

Other men, or people that I perceive as men are actig sexist towards me. I think they reduce me to my gender alone. I lose all interest in talking to them. I wonder who to trust. Is someone crossing my boundaries? Where is that tipping point at which I am not taken serious anymore. When is someone talking about me, in a foreign language, making fun of me?

Maybe I shouldn’t take myself to serious. White, privileged, occasionaly on a social mission, the disperse food and Wifi, to head back afterwards? WIth the expectation that I am being reduced on my gender in all contexts, regardless of the individual socialization?

I think I am to be taken serious. And whats happening here is the same capitalist shit that cannot be separted from patriarchal structures.

How long can I take this? Keep up with these contradictions. I am wondering if I or we might even leave a negative impact. Using our privileges to make other peoples life a little bit better?

The mood here seems much more depressing the at other places I visited in similiar contexts. There there where jokes, laughing, smiles a part of life on the street, despite the aweful situation. Maybe I just didn’t see it but I feel a severe lack of joy here. Maybe its due to the long journeys, the (traumatic?) experiences. So many sleepless nights. I hear a lot of stories of all kind. Experiences from the origin countries, from the way to a better life. And then saying please and thanks to some whity that gives you some pasta with tomato juice in cheap paper bowls and a wooden fork?

The FFP2 mask is sticking to my face and I take another coffee. I desinfect my hands, maybe the 20th time now. The people in front of me are waring masks of different kind. And still the Medi Bus team tells me that hardly anyone asks for a Corona test. People are outside most of the day, staying in groups.

Some of the support crew are thinking about leaving. But the situation here will just go on. And I wonder if this shit will ever stop. How often will I find myself again at wonderful places, beautiful beaches, glowing mountains, water falls, that are still just a big pile of shit.

When will we stop to minimize the damage done by this system? Leaving for „home“ after some weeks. Just to start again after some time?

And then there are the feelings between us. The closeness, sympathy. Inhaling the mood, drawing lines to individual rejection and uncertainty. And then recovering. How many feeling can find place. How many doubts? How many conflicts?

And then still finding a beautiful moment. When the suns shines at the coffee at the morning. When we muss some of the people and hope they managed to cross the border, bringing them closer to their destination. Until the anger and the search for answers returns.

Thanks for your support

Thanks to everyone that are not here now, but made our support even possible! All participating in organizing, everyone that donated monay or things; all that have been to Ventimiglia and traveled on to other places.

The fact that people, supporting People on the move are emotionally fine after 4 weeks is also thanks to you.

Solidarity!

Ventimiglia Field Report April 2021

Directsupport.

This project has been my daily work since December 2019.

In summer 2015 I was part of a structure of different. Some I knew closer, others only remotely. This structure was traveling at different borders on the balkan route to support people on the move to Europe and western countries. Partly I joined because I wanted to understand what was described as „Refugee Crisis“ in a racist fashion by the media. Later known as the „summer of migration“. TV and newspapers showed pictures of people, forced to camp and surrounded by police and soldiers at the train station of Keletti, Hungary. Quickly more and more borders where closed. Inner-european border controls where suddenly back and stayed for months. The Shengen Agreement was put on hold.

What does all that have to do with Ventimiglia in 2021?

For me its these impressions from these places that I visited, that sharpened my political consciousness and my hostility against states and borders. Many of the situation in Rözske, Sid, Belgrad or Rigonze I will never forget.

Scenes of hundreds of people, poorly dressed, without orientation, hungry and intimidated. Escorted by police and military from one place to another. The smell of burned plastic, wet blankets, fecal matters.

When I joined the group of Direct Support project, we planned to travel the balkan route, again. Maybe to Bosnia, where people where stuck at the border. Showing as much solidarity as possible.

However, in March 2020 we realized it would be impossible to reach the place, due to closed borders in response to Covid-19. Therefore the project was delayed and in March 2021 we faced the same problem again. We hat to decide if and how we could move with the existing bus structure in this permanently changing situation.

At the same time we made contact to another self organized group, Kesha Njya, active in Italy for some years.

We decided for a change of plans.

Long story and a lot of thoughts later:

3.5 weeks in Vengimiglia.

Most of my time I spend on the parking lot of Via Tenda in the Medi Bus. Prociding medical and sanitary supply to the people on the move as best as we could.

Our days where long, starting with morning briefing, spending noon into the evening at the Distribution place, afterwards food dispension at the squat or at the beach and group meeting in the evening.

I came in contact with a lot of people.

There where a lot of different situations in the Medi Bus:

Some cases where rather quick, other times conversations took a lot of time, sometimes it was quite funny, trying to communicate by several language app. Some visitors grew familiar over time, some even visitited us every day. However there where also some unpleasant encouters.

I quickly found my way in the daily tasks in the Medi Bus. In the close and protected space it was easy to listen to people, joining into there experiences and help with there problems.

Since we mostly spend our time at the parking lot of Via Tenda, I also experienced the situation at the Info Bus. The different moods, depending on the number of people, the weather and the level of common frustration.

Most days I liked to be at the place. Other days I was stressed and overwhelmed by the number of people and their needs. I realized the first time with me was, that I was sometimes uncomfortable with being with almost only male socialized people.

It has been an intense time for me. I learned again what it means when people are not welcome in Europe. Forced to live on the edge of their existence, struggling every day for survival.

It’s been a very important experience of live – in complete contrast to my live in Germany. To experience and perceive it. I am aware that this is only a short span of time. That I only catched a glimpse. That this time has an determined end for me, but will go on for the People on the Move in Ventimiglia.

In my head and in my thoughts this time will live on. Many scenes and facts I will never forget. It’s important to me to use these experiences and impressions. The short glimpse these people offered me into their lives. This impression teach me to integrate these information in my perception of political proceedings in society. I want to use them, to become more actionable by experiencing and understanding. Surpass the pure shock over what is happening on the streets of Europe.

 

Action!

We want to raise awarenes for an action that is happening at the italian-french border. If you can, spread the word and join!

Between the mountains and the sea

Since the so called Summer of Migration in 2015 many people have crossed Ventimiglia. They try to reach and cross the EU via Italy.

This is very hard though. The border police of Italy might not be interested to stop migrants to leave the country to France. The french state however is pulling a lot of resources to protect itself from people who do nothing more then seeking a safe place and a future for their life. At the border points, the highway, the sea or the green border military and border personnel is stopping people with missing or forged documents.

Even beyond the border, around Nizza and Marseille they still catch people with racist checks to bring them back to Italy.

Besides that People on the Move also face homelessness.

In the touristic appearance of Ventimiglia there is no place for poverty and homelessness. And yet there are places where the inner city and beyond where homeless people can find shelter.

One of those places is an old factory, far from the city core. We already told about this place being a constant target of repression, being evicted and locked up repeatedly by owners and police. Up to 100 persons are living here, if the conditions allow it. The place is plagued with trash and fecal matter. There is a constant come and leave. It is far from a safe place.

The place provides a view at a beautiful mountain landscape on the one side and countless mansions and residential buildings on the other side.

Similar contrasts can be observed at another sleeping place.

At the beach, parallel to the city center, including theaters, cafes and shops many people are finding a place to sleep. However, because of the wind and the lower temperatures, this is challenging. We meet a lot of people we know from the parking lot Via Tenda. They sleep on and below terraces of unused cafes and restaurants. There they spend their evenings and nights, listening to the ocean. The ocean however might recurr traumatic memories with some of them. Ironically their is a clear view to France.

This place is also full of waste, party from the past flood in octobre. partly they draw the was of the many peole that have used and left this place.

Via Tenda – distribution place Ventimiglia

In one of our first reports we mentioned the parking lot Via Tenda as one of the most important places of activities of the People on the Move and us.

In this report we want to portray this location closer and explain its meaning.

The parking lot lies at the edge of the inner city of Ventimiglia. The beach is close. At the highway over a nearby bridge already announces the  french border.

The Distribution Place has been an important part of everydays life of the people for some while now. Police and local administrations mostly tolerate the place, which is crowded by the people who are forced to live on the street.

However, the location is not safe from repression. Quite obvious undercover cops monitor the place constantly. Sometimes supporters are getting are getting checked. We did not observe People on the Move getting checked though. The police does not seem to have much interest in them, as long they disappear after the current curfew.

Multiple solidarity groups and NGOs arrive every day at dawn to supply the people with food, clothing and sometimes with a mobile mobile charging station.

Since we landed in Ventimiglia the Distribution Point has become a regular place to visit for us. A part of our group stays there every day from noon to dawn with our Info and Medi bus.

Our goal is to provide tea, coffee, food, access to internet, power for their mobile phones as well as medical and hygiene equipmetn to the people who are new to Ventimiglia or are stuck here. By contributing to the otherwise quite monotone parking lot and providing a way to contact their friends and family we try to support the People on the Move. We are trying to create this space for momentary rest and recovering. A place where they can thing about their next steps.

The concept has been working out these past week. Many people on the Move integrated it in their daily routine.

The Info bus became a meeting point, where people can talk over a tea or  coffee. Even a barber station has been established. The information, like maps of the local region are being studied.

The Medi bus has gained some attraction as well. Some people visit only visit in need, but many are checking in regularly with smaller requests.

We meet a lot of people here. But here we are happy for them if they do not return. We talk to newcomers and share first information with them.

On the one hand it appears that every day at the parking lot is the same. One the other hand we realized we cannot determine what could happen.  Sometimes the place is crowded by 100 to 200 people and its getting really tight. The next day there might just be around 30 ot 40 people, staying alone or gathering in small groups. It depends on the number of new newcomers and how many people to cross the border last night. These are also the factors that determine the general mood. There can be rough days, bringing arguments and conflicts. The next day the mood already can be friendly and harmonic again.

Its a place that lives with the people.

However, the location is also a place of insufficient humanitarian supply. And a political practice that tries to keep the people from making their way through europe. It shows that even the support for people in distress can differ a lot in europe. People trying to get a residence title in Italy are completely on their own. They are pushed to the bottom of society. They have to fear for their existence.

The parking lot Via Tenda – the people that enter and leave this place are uncountable. People who already went a long way. People who have not finished their journey yet.

 

Interviews

Every day we talk to differend people and listen to their stories, experiences, past and dreams.

Some of them we meet every day, and accompany them at their time in Ventimiglia. One of them is a new friend that shared his story with us.

He offered us a precious view into his experiences, thougts and plans.

Wo do not want to keep his words for us but want to share them. We did so with the Team of the Common Voice Group of Tadio Corax in Halle.

Today, 29.04.2021

 

jeden Donnerstag 16:10 – 18 Uhr كل يوم خميس على الهواء مباشرة الساعة الرابعة والعشر دقائق حتى السادسة مساء every Thursday 4.10 – 6 p.m. هر پنج شنبه بخش زنده ساعت ۱۶:۱۰ الی ۱۸ از موج : chaque Jeudi 16:10 – 18:00

online: https://commonvoices.radiocorax.de/

Right to Live – Now – for EVERYONE!

Nearly three weeks we are now supporting people here in Ventimiglia, experiencing their lives and fate. Some just for a moment, others we know some time now and some will even be here when we leaf this place. Everyone has his*her own story. But they all have something in common. These people, that are stuck in this little place at the interior borders of europe. They are faced with the off-sealing policies of the rich, politival west. They are stripped off their rights. They are left no chance for a safe and human future.

Its hard for the people on the move to find a safe place. They live in homlessness, build and depend on provisional shelters.

These days an important location has been evicted and barred by the police. Its an abandoned building that served as shelter for up to 100 people. Even this place has been taken from them now.

We consider this action a brutal and intrusive act of the state, the government and local authorities. Its obvious that wealth and capital are being secured. There is no interest in sharing resources and providing al people the same protection.

This eviction is another proof that we are far from a just world for all. We demand safe shelter for everyone! Now and everywhere! No power to the capital! Fair distribution of resources!

More information you can here today at 2pm at Corax: https://radiocorax.de

25.04. Day of Deliverance of Italy

In accordance to the Day of Deliverance of Italy we participated in the memorial of vicims of fascism and resistance fighters. We made a banner and put it up at the Distrubution Point in Ventimiglia. There where other groups at the place that also brought banners, that they made together with people on the move.

We are thankful to the brave fighters, who never surrendered in face of fascism and stood up for their ideals. Its their deed to thwart the despicable inhuman reality of fascism in Europe.

We remember all people who fell victim to fascism.

No more fascism! Open all Borders!

Human trafficking

Since we arrived in Ventimiglia our every day life revolves around living realities of people on the move and the shadows state systems draw upon them. Every day we meet people the report of experiences they gathered from their flight to europe or from from their deportation off europe. The stories are full of tragedy and absurditiy. These people are confronted with homelessness, hunger, bad hygiene conditions and lack of medical assistance, emotional stress and traumatization.

But there is another aspect. Many poeple on the move are dependent of organized criminals, dangerous human trafficking. One part of this is abuse.

At places where people on the moves hold out at day or night much more people are perceived to be male, the female or kids. This fact knows different reasons. Many people perceived as female are living in and are dominated by patriarchal, violent structures, often even before they fled from their home. Escape often is only guaranteed in exchange to access to their bodies and heteronomy. Many women are accompanied by „their men“ or so-called „brothers“. They control with who they have contact, if they get access to medical treatment. Under these circumstances women are forced to work for their companions. One kind of work is forced prostitution.

Such constellations are hard to detect. It’s unclear how deep these phenomenons are rooted in organized crime. Therefore its nearly impossible to support the women. It’s very hard to determine which acts and uncovering are helpful to these women or can become a threat to them. Support structures are also in danger to expose themselves to violence.

The knowledge about these situations is overshadowing our every day life, since every person constellations and peoples roles are being questioned. This can lead to uncertainty and confusion. Women accompanied by on or two men quickly raise suspicion, prejudice against the men and paternalism to women.

This topic is creating a constant tension between the need to act, awarenes for the general situation and consideration of individual situations. Human trafficking and abuse is a precarious and current topic. It takes many forms and appearences.

Human trafficking is happening all around and in europe!

Closing and defending borders is responsible four thousands of lifes and a typical catalyst for corrupt trafficking business. This place here, Ventimiglia is another brick in the structural, racist and right-wing conservative defense policy of the EU.

We resist this inhuman practice and demand safe escape and traveling routes!

Solidarity now!

Smash Capitalism – stop human trafficking now!

Border Violence Report 20.04.2021

Last Tuesday at our daily info point we met a group of young people aged between 27 and 31 years. They told us that they where subject to massive police violence last night (19.-20.04.), when they tried to reach France. They reported that they, 10 people from Afghanistan and Pakistan around midnight, hid in a container which was supposed to get transported to France via truck. At 2 am the truck stopped at a parking space, after the driver realized the opened container. When the driver opened the container two italian cops already waited outside, that supposedly where called in advance. The people on the move got dragged out of the container. The group reports that two cops dazzled them with strong flashlights. Then they beat them up  one by one. The cops used batons, maybe flashlights as well.  They where hit on the head, at arms, upper and lower body and legs. Then they where sent into the night, just with a „Go“. Three persons managed to escape right after the container was opened. One person was tackled down by the driver and repeatedly hit by the cops at head and arm. Bruises and scratches where clearly visible. One person suffered bloody shinbones from the beating.

In the following talk the people on the move reported from their experiences with the brutal excessive violence  by the cops from the croatian-bosnian border. They got beaten up, multiple times, ripped off their clothes, mobile phones and shoes. Their belongings where burned afterwards. They told us how they walked without shoes through the nearby river of Kladusa and crossed several kilometers of high snow to get to the next shelter.

Even though reports at the italian-french border are more rare then the painful experiences from the balkan route, beatings and psychological violence of pushbacks are still ubiquitous. The violent, racist border regime of the EU is clearly visible. Just as much as at the mediterranean sea and the camps in Greek and othereuropean countries.

Fight the borders, fight the police!

A day at the Borderpoint / Breakfastpoint

It’s this place where we spend the day. We cooked and talked to the people. We arrived at 9 am and already met 10 people waiting, who welcomed warm tea and coffee. At food dispense we counted 50 people resting at the Borderpoint and preparing for the trip. We documented about 25 pushbacks this day. They failed to sneek unseen past the border, where stopped by the pigs and forced to stay the night in a border container. Because they missed an expensive and hard to get Corona test, because they where denied refugee status, because France will not help them. We met families, women with newborns and many men. Sad and exhausted people, angry people, hopeless people. Also people who gave up at some point to try to cross the border, living in tents or abandoned houses for years now. They visit the Breakfastpoint every day to get some food and exchange some friendly words. There where also human traffickers, offering their services, promising a safe path. Some of them who actually try to help people on the refuge, others exploiting their situation, charging high prices. Some even luring hopeless women into brutal exploitation.

And then there are we. Exhausted from the energies, events and our huge need to be able to provide more for this people then just a tee and some food.

Call for Donations – Ventimiglia 19.04.21

Dear Friends and Supporters,
we, the crew around the Direct Support project, are in Ventimiglia, North Italy since April 10th ’21, right at the french border to Nizza.

In 2015 more and more people of varying background have passed this area to find a place where they can survive or even find a future. However, many of them are stuck in Italy for years or getting deported to Italy from Germany, Austria, France. This is because of the Dublin Agreement that allows countries to deport refugees and people on the move back to the first country they have passed. Here they are lacking basic supply, legal counseling and work. So they have no chance to build up an existence and are pushed on the streets. This is the situation we can observe all around Ventimiglia. Every day, we meet about 100 to 150 people, living in ruins, under bridges or sleeping at the beach. They have little to no access to medical treatment, food, clothes or sanitation. It’s very hard for them to contact their friends and families or getting any information about their situation. Our project Direct Support covers a mobile information infrastructure of an info bus with power and WiFi for up to 60 devices. A medic bus provides basic medical treatment and another car is here for transportation and flexible usage. Every day the number of tasks increase, while we try to support people on the move in Ventimiglia at their current living spaces.
For that we are dependent on financial resources. In the last month we already collected a lot of donations, both in money and contributions in kind – therefore we are very thankful. However we still depend on your soldarity and financial help.

For distributing about 100-150 meals a day, we need food and gas for the buses and the generator, medicine, desinfectants and hygiene products of all sorts. In times of Covid-19 we are also in need of masks and to protect ourselfs and others from infections. All of this costs money and therefore we call for donations and support. Share our blog and this call.

For a borderless world!
No Borders – No Nation!
Solidarity now!
Donation Account:
Medinetz Halle/Saale e.V.
IBAN : DE65 8005 3762 1894 0424 05
BIC : nolade21hal
Saalesparkasse
Verwendungszweck : directsupport
blog : directsupport.blackblogs.org

We arrived / Ventimiglia

After 30 hours of driving, one breakdown and crossing two borders we finally made it. Since Saturday, April 10th we are in Ventimiglia/Italy!

Ventimiglia ist a town with about (officialy) 24,000 Inhabitants in the province of Imperia, Liguria region in about 20km distance from the french border. Many people that have to flee from their origin countries are crossing Italy over the balkan route or the Mediterranean Sea at their way to their destination countries. Since its hard and dangerous to cross the french border, many people on the move/refugees are stuck in Ventimiglia. Every day people are becoming victim of illegal pushbacks from France to Italy, denied the chance to file an asylum request.

Here in Ventimiglia local and regional structures and organisaions are doing their best to support and supply the people. Food is prepared and distributed. Clothes are collected and spent. Shelter and secure spaces are being built. Just to name some of the work that is being done here. There is no official camp here, so people are forced to live on the street or find something else for shelter.

We tried to get an overview in the last days and contact other organisations, determining what is needed. Yesterday we prepared 50 meals in the noon and again in the evening and distributed them at places where people found shelter. Since Ramadan started yesterdy, we are planning to hand out about 100 meals every evening around 9 o’clock. The phone charge stations and free wifi is being used a lot so that 10 to 30 people always gather around the info bus.

Our medics headed to different locations to build up trust and treat people. 12 people are have been treated so far, with wounds, foot injuries and skin irritations.