"Even leaving the camp is a problem, you leave they are watching you, you go back they are watching you."

The respondent is an 18-25 year old man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who arrived on the island of Samos at the end of 2022.

Arrival

The respondent reported spending two days in “the bush” [the forested areas of the island] when he arrived to Samos. He explained that at around 10am the arrival group reached the shores and decided to spread out to reduce the risk of being pushed back. He reported being the first person to leave the boat. 

To start with, the respondent reports being alone, but after around 30 minutes he saw a woman from the arrival group, who stayed with him. They slept outside and had water and biscuits in their bag as provisions. The respondent reports being in “the bush” for almost two days. Then, at around midnight, the respondent and the woman arrived in a town (the respondent is not sure which town they arrived at) where there was a church. The respondent reports that 15-20 minutes later the police arrived. 

He explained that when the police arrived, they started to ask questions to understand how it was possible for them to be there - they searched the respondent but not the woman with him and then they left the church together by car, it was a minibus, according to the respondent. 

The respondent recalled that he arrived at the Samos Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) with the woman. He reported that the police asked them some questions, took their identity information, searched them and then put them in the quarantine zone of the CCAC (he spent only a few hours in quarantine), before going to the first reception. The respondent reported that there was a French interpreter to explain all the different steps of the procedure. 

Conditions in the CCAC 

Privacy

The respondent reported that they have to buy themselves cleaning products to clean the container. He explained that some people received brushes from the First Reception of the CCAC after the quarantine. However, when he went to the room of the people who take care of hygiene in the camp, they told them that it was no longer available and that the stock had run out. He reports being told, « You have your card now, you can pay by yourself ». The respondent reports that, a few days later, the "control ladies" went into his container and he presented the problem to them and they told him that if he had not received the products it meant that there was no more stock but that with his bank card he could buy himself rather than having some in the camp. 

He explained that at the beginning they were six in the same container and then five. He reported that no one had a key to close the container. This affected the respondent's feeling of privacy, he explained that because of the stress this caused them, when someone is in the shower the others stay outside. He also reported being afraid that someone could enter the container at any time. He shared that when he or his roommates have to go outside, one of them stays in the container to keep watch over their belongings. He reports that when he leaves the container he checks his belongings to be sure that when he goes back his belongings are there because some people come into the containers and steal things - the respondent explained that he made a complaint about this to the CCAC authorities, but they reportedly didn’t do anything and told him that it’s his responsibility.  

Food & Money 

The respondent reported that he rarely eats the food distributed in the camp - sometimes he takes the breakfast but that’s it. He explained he feels it’s not good food, « junk food », and it’s repetitive,  «they don’t consider us ». 

He explained that he spends the days in his container.

« I don’t like the camp, I never lived in such an environment, I didn’t expect that, I thought it would be different, I didn’t know that it would be an open-air prison, I feel under surveillance». 

The respondent explained that he rarely comes to town because he has a limited budget, of 70 euros per month. He explains normally it’s 75 euros but they have to leave five euros on the account for the card to function. He received his card after two months in the camp so during the first two months he didn't have any cash assistance. He reported that he uses the cash assistance to buy some food which he shares with his roommates.

Medical care 

The respondent reported that the medical care in the camp is «not good», he explained that when people in the camp do not feel well, they are given medicine without explanation. He reported that one time he went to see EODY (the state medical actor in the CCAC) but he was spoken to badly. He recalls that when he arrived in his office they forced him to wait outside the container even if it’s raining or windy and even if there is enough space to wait inside the container so he decided to not go there anymore and just go see MSF. He explained that it's as if he were scolding him and that happens often. He also explained that sometimes EODY calls the security and they kick you outside the office. 

Regarding the psychologist in the camp, the respondent explained that at the beginning she didn’t want to have an appointment with him, he insisted so he was able to talk with her but they only have 25/30 minutes.

 «I don’t want to see her one more time. If you want to have an appointment with her she tells you to come back next week and when you come back she tells you the same thing even if she is not busy - I experienced that 3 times ». 

Entry and Exit 

« Even leaving the camp is a problem, you leave they are watching you, you go back they are watching you ». 

The respondent recalled the process of leaving and going back to the camp. He explained that when leaving the camp, people have to show their asylum card and when you go back to the camp you have to wait in line («It’s the war»). He explained that before they enter the camp, security searches them and asks them to remove the shoes «as criminals». The respondent reported that if people refuse, the security will call the police. The respondent reported that some people try to enter the camp with beers and security in the camp doesn’t want that - he explained that it’s not possible to enter the camp with shavers or metal cutlery so to cook in the container you have to use plastic forks.

The respondent explained that, because of the conditions in the camp, he has trouble sleeping. «I fall asleep after everybody and I wake up before everybody. Sometimes I slept only 3 hours and also I was thinking of my daughter, she will turn 1 year old on the 19th July and I never saw her only by video (…) so this situation with my daughter, plus the conditions here, is stressful». 

Other information

The respondent reported that he is very worried about the lack of financial resources and he would like to go to another place to work and wait for his decision. 

He also explained that there is a lack of information regarding the procedure to get an open card (the card that allows people to leave Samos, and not be subjected to a geographical restriction). He reports being on Samos for 6 months and shares not understanding why some people get open cards while others do not. He feels frustrated that he is stuck on Samos while others are able to leave.