"I remain sometimes hungry. I know people who are hungry cause they need food."

The respondent is a woman aged 18-25 from Uganda who arrived on the island of Samos between January and June 2023. She explained that when they reached the "bush" upon arrival on the island, they just followed the rest of the group and walked for what felt like nearly the whole day. She remembered they climbed "over 2,5 mountains" and she climbed barefoot because her shoes remained in the water. 

After walking for a long time, they heard the coast guard. They then ran to hide because "[they] knew that if the coast guards finds you, they will push you back". A "rescue team" reportedly arrived, gave them clothes and shoes and moved them to where the coast guards where. She explained that when the coastguards saw them, they were very angry because the group was over 40 people. The respondent explained that they removed their phones and the way they talked to them was very scary. 

« They drove us to the camp in a van. but when we sat in the van they didn't allow us to talk, they didn't want to hear anybody eating, when they heard plastic bags they would shout terribly, we thought maybe they would push us back, we were all quiet. You felt like you were not supposed to look at your friend, it was really really scary». 

The respondent explained that they gave them their phones back after 2 days. The respondent described that she found the way they asked for the phones very scary so they had to give it to the officers. «Most of the time when they push people back they make sure to remove all phones and throw them in the water ». 

The respondent explained that they were over 40 people and everyone entered the camp. She described the coast guard: they had masks, it was just possible to see their mouth and eyes, they had guns with them, they were reportedly rude and showed anger. The respondent reports they were four Coast Guards, judging by their uniform.

The respondent stated that the Coast Guard took belongings from the group, like their passports. She reported that when they took the phones they asked for the password. 

« You couldn't have said no when they asked for the password because when you're new you have to follow the rules ». 

The respondent reported that, upon the group’s arrival in the camp, they were taken to a room where they “do the checking” (she thinks it was the room number 9), and during the "checking" they would take the phone, this was another security team. 

She explained that they had to remove all their clothes, they were naked in the container with other people, and men and women were in different parts.

 « I felt very bad about this but you can't do anything, they touched us, they have to check you thoroughly, we were standing, we stood, we pulled our trousers down ». 

The respondent explained that she didn’t experience inappropriate touching and she was able to keep her underwear. 

She explained that she was then in the quarantine zone for 1 night. She was provided with blankets but reports that the door was not locked and it was not possible to wash or be clean. 

« The quarantine place was horrible, the place was very dirty, there was no water, you couldn't flush the toilet. Everyone who arrives has to go to the quarantine, that night there was no water; we just had to wait until the morning to flush the toilet, also no food given ». 

Strip search and procedure for entering the camp 

The respondent reports that she was body searched in the camp. She reports that this happened at the beginning of May. She explained that when they checked in everyone inside the camp, they used to just check the luggages, but one day they were told to stand outside the door and they touched all their body parts « we asked why are you doing this? they said they are just following orders It was very weird, it was disrespectful, it's not right, you can’t touch a woman like that. They don't know my background ». 

The respondent explained that it was women who touched women and men who touch men. She reports they checked people every time they entered and left the CCAC. She recalls being told to stand and open their legs, and they touched all their body parts while men and women stand next to each other. The respondent pointed out that they never asked her to undress. She explains that it happens outside the door, not even in a room. The respondent explained more that other people could look at them when they were being searched because everyone was standing in line. She recalled that when the body searches took place people were shouting that this is not right, they don't want to be touched the way they were doing it. The respondent explained that it was different women searching her. They follow the same process: quick search, open leg, pass hands into the pants. The respondent doesn’t think this happened to minors but doesn't know for sure.

The respondent reported that sometimes the "security people" would talk to each other in Greek and laugh. «we didn’t understand but we had the feeling they were talking about you. I heard other people complain about the way they have been touched, people were saying this is not right ». 

« It is very embarrassing, they do that to everyone. It makes me feel embarrassed and very very bad, it is shameful ».

When we asked about the uniform of the people conducting the searches, the respondent explained that the uniform is blue, which she described as «the security uniform» and they put white plastic gloves. The respondent shared a video in which a woman in G4S uniform can be seen. The video shows people in navy blue trousers, black shoes, a black jacket that looks like a bulletproof vest with “private security” written on it and the logo “G4S” and a white shirt.

The respondent explained that the body searches upon entry and exit lasted one week, after one week there was a break but the respondent reports that, recently, the security started checking the shoes and asked them to remove it. 

On the accessibility of the CCAC the respondent explained that there is a bus to the CCAC. She recalled that when entering the bus they had to show their ID card. After entering the CCAC the respondent reports they have to stand in line, remove their outer clothing like coats, sweaters and hats and place them in a tray which then goes through a machine. She reported that the security guards tell them to remove their shoes. 

«Sometimes you come back, and you are tired and you don’t want to remove your shoes, it takes a lot of time, but they wouldn't allow you. They force you to remove your shoes, you don't leave that place without having removed your shoes, sometimes they call other colleagues to help you remove your shoes, they use violent language, but we don't understand what they're saying, but it sounds like violent language ». 

Lack of privacy

«Our container is not locked, it is not safe. We don’t have keys. I don’t feel safe in this environment. Sometimes when me and my colleagues are outside the room, and when you come back to your room some things are lost and you have no means to retrieve them. It happens quite often. Sometimes people say you have to remain inside for the safety of your things. I lost some of my clothes, make-up, a mat, sometimes, someone takes your food from the fridge».

«Of course it’s bad, especially we ladies need privacy, of course it stresses you, but there is nowhere you can go and complain». 

The respondent explained that she was doing her hair yesterday and she heard someone opening the door. She reports it was people who “work in the camp” who were trying to spray some rooms. She reports that they said “sorry, we didn’t know” and while they closed the door, they locked the door from the outside. She explained that these people take care of the space in the camp, they are no cleaners.

 « I had to bang at the door and shout for someone to come back. How can it be that they refuse to give us keys but then lock us? If I had been asleep, what would I have done? They would have already gone, my neighbors speak Arabic, they wouldn't have understood».

The respondent reported that she has a bathroom in her container but shared with other people (roommates - sometimes 4 to 6 people have to share). In one container there are two rooms. 

«It is really embarrassing because when our friends receive visitors they don't always know they have to knock, so if the person doesn't knock, they will just open the door and enter and see you naked, there is no keys at all ». 

Then, the respondent explained that their male brothers come and sit in her container and try to convince her of a relationship, and as she doesn’t have a key she can't go away and avoid them. «I felt unsafe because of that. I went and complained and said 'I am tired, I don't want the kind of relationship they are proposing to us'. It is really bad to some of us. It is not possible to be protected from that in the camp». 

Cleanliness 

The respondent explained that they have to buy the products on their own. There is water in the morning until 2pm, then it stops and from 6pm it will be back. She reported that the water is not good, reporting that it’s not possible to use the tap water for cooking so they have to use the bottles of water for drinking and cooking. The respondent explained that they received 3 large bottles of water each day.

Regarding the cockroaches, the respondent explained that chemicals are being sprayed in the CCAC but the cockroaches do not die. 

Food

The respondent reported that the food is not good, sometimes they only received one toast and an apple for breakfast. «It is totally not good but you just eat because you have nothing to do». 

She explained that the food is tasteless and sometimes they recook it. The respondent reported that sometimes they received expired food so people throw it away because they feel they cannot eat it. She explained that they don’t receive food during the evening, only for breakfast and for lunch so they have to keep some lunch food for dinner even if they don’t receive a lot of food «I sometimes remain hungry. I know people who are hungry because they need food». 

The respondent explained that the food time was changed last week, now it is 8 am. She reports that some people arrived at 9am and the food had run out. She reports that they had to strike and shout and take videos to get food because most people didn’t get breakfast, nobody reportedly informed them about the time change. She reports that the Reception and Identification Service said they had announced the change but she doesn’t believe them. The respondent explained that if one person is not at the camp during the food distribution, they need to give someone their card. 

She reported that it’s possible for people in the CCAC to cook their own food, although this is not the case for children. She reports that they have to buy the ingredients themselves, once in a while they are given tomatoes as an ingredient by CCAC authorities but that's the only thing they give, maybe once a week. She reports that they have to cut the food before bringing it to the camp because they are not allowed to bring knives and there are no knives in the kitchen. 

«It has happened that there were fights about food, our brothers fight about food. There is nothing we can do, if people refuse the food, they will not throw it away, they will take it back and redistribute ». 

Difficulties for women

« Sometimes ladies need hygiene products, if you need hygiene products, you need to wait for Just Action, because they don't give it to you in the camp. when you ask they would say 'its for mothers, its for babies’ - they do give pads, but only one, they give you one package that contains 5-6 pads and you can't get it again ». 

Other informations

« The lack of privacy and lack of access to medical treatment is stressful, cause they only give you painkillers, that can't cure every disease. It is not easy with the camp doctors, you go and explain to them, they just give you painkillers ».

« Sometimes when you’re stressed or somebody is stressing you, there is nowhere to go and ask for help; when you try to make an appointment with Elena, she is full, you have to go to your container and talk to yourself ». 

« When I was trying to complain about the room, there was a man, I tried to tell the man, the man said 'This is not Africa, this is not a hotel, you are not here to sleep comfortably'. I don't know his name but he works in the camp. He was putting on a uniform. Don't remember the colours. He came to arrange the beds in the container, he was a Greek person ».