Meeting in Seyssinet-Pariset (France)- April 2011 17th-24th

In times of crisis, the fear of "the other», often increases and gets worse. An anti-immigrant speech is developing all over Europe.
In this last meeting and to conclude our works, the accent has been put on the public-spirited commitment. For that purpose, we started from the idea that we are all human beings, quite often, with the same characteristics, identical feelings… But it is not enough to generate equality between us. Exile is a question that often suffers two different problems: the hard leaving of one’s own country on one hand and the difficulty to be integrated into the receiving society.
So we have worked in small mixed workshops (pupils and teachers of the various countries, girls and boys).
1) First workshop: all together, we have seen the French movie "Welcome» (Welcome is a French movie realized by Philippe Lioret, that came out on March 11th, 2009 in France. The movie tells about the adventures of a swimming coach who decides to help a young emigrant from Iraq to reach the United Kingdom).
Then in every group, the pupils and the teachers have answered a questionnaire analyzing the situations described in the movie.
2) Second workshop: always in mixed groups, the students have been asked to put themselves in the skin of an illegal worker and to produce a text in the form they preferred (a diary page, a poem, a short-story, etc.)
3) Finally, in order to think about how we can favor and contribute to the integration of migrants, we have organized four workshops with representatives of associations working in this direction: Cimade, Human Rights League, and RESF.
Two other sessions were dedicated to evaluation: the first one has considered the work done during this last meeting; the second one to evaluate the two years-work.
FIRST WORKSHOP :
Questionnaire:
1) Main facts: what is the topic of the film?
Where? Why Calais? Situation of Calais? Where do the migrants come from? Where are they going? What for?
Who? Who are the two main characters? What is their story? Show the evolution of Vincent Lindon’s character. What are the others actors featured in the film? What conflicts are illustrated?
How? What means do they use to go to GB?
Why? Why is the migrant’s refuge called “the jungle”?
2) Let’s go further
Name other places of entry to Europe used by migrants.
From where to where?
Could you find yourself in this situation?
How would you react?
What other means are uses to reach Europe?
Can a better understanding of these situations be expected (can mentalities evolve on those issues)?

Selection of answers:
This film is about illegal immigration. It takes place in Calais because Calais is the best place to reach GB from France. The distance between Calais and the GB is very short. Numerous boats leave daily Calais, transporting trucks in which the immigrants can hope to hide. But Calais was full of migrants but also policemen.
In the film, most of migrants came from Iraq, Afghanistan. They are all men and they escape their country, to save their life, for economical reason, discrimination, and war and for Bilal (one of the heroes) to join his girl friend.
The main characters are Simon (French swimming teacher) and Bilal (Kurdish boy from Iraq). Bilal wanted to reach London to join Mina. He walked 4000kms to reach Calais. He met a lot of problem, particularly in Turkey with police. As it is difficult to cross the channel in a truck, he wanted to cross by swimming. He is in a hurry because the father of Mina decided to marry her unwillingly.
Simon is getting a divorce. At the beginning, he doesn’t seem to be interested in migrant’s situations, but he sees his wife taking defenses of the immigrants in one store. So he started to change, maybe to get his wife back. So he accepts to teach swimming to Bilal at first and after, he invites him to its home. For that he has problems with police because there is a law that forbids the help of illegal migrants.
The others characters are : Marion (Simon’s wife), Mina and her brother and father, other migrants and the police.
All migrants try to go to GB by suing trucks, but it’s very difficult because policemen place detectors of carbon dioxide to know if somebody is hidden in the load of trucks.
In France, the expression is “the jungle” about Calais: because the migrants spend the nights in wood, in makeshift shelters without any comfort. This jungle has been evacuated in 2009 September.
The director of the film wanted to criticize measures of French government about illegal migrants. He illustrated conflicts: between Simon and wife, between Bilal and other migrants, conflicts with Simon’s neighbor, conflicts between humanity, solidarity and laws.

Calais is not the only point in Europe, nowadays; we spoke a lot of Lampedusa for migrants coming from Africa, also Gibraltar for the same kind of migrants. Eastern countries use Turkey to reach European Union. Since a few months a lot of migrants come from Tunisia, Libya by small boats (boat people). But it takes a long time to get the status of refugees and a lot of them are sending back to their countries.
Many countries in the world are face to unemployment. As we all know, we need money and if we think that in other country there are a lot of possibilities to have better life, we can leave our homeland. But maybe some of us won’t be really welcome in those countries: it must be easier for French or an Italian to enter in Turkey, Romania that the opposite: a lot of Romanians are discriminate in Italy.
So it’s necessary to understand that there is only one world and that we must live all together with respect and peace. Frontiers are only the symbol of power, we should open them. The school should have more influence in this way, not to discriminate other cultures and countries. So our project is really open minding us in this way.


SECOND WORKSHOP: free writing

You owe during three hours, produce a text, under the shape of your choice (poetry, analytical reflection, text in prose (short story), a dialogue…..) by putting you in the skin of an illegal worker.
Workshop in mixed groups
Some of those texts were signed, some not. We decide not to add names and not to correct their work.
Misfortune of an illegal worker
I have been working here for three years and nobody manage to discover that everything what I do it is not quite legal. Every morning is the same, going to the market, preparing the things on my shelf and waiting for my costumers. But the business does not work like in the past. It is really hard but there is still a chance that my situation in the society will improve. One day, as usual, I spent my time working but because of the bad situation of the business market, nobody wants to buy anything. I was really sad and Tom came to me and we started to discuss:
Hey what is wrong with you? He asked anxiously.
I don’t want to complain but since a few time things have become harder for everybody and it is worse for me for I am an illegal worker who has to fight so as to survive.
Where are you from?
I am from Ukraine and I migrated here because of economic troubles in my motherland. What I don’t like is that I can’t get the citizenship here in France and therefore I don’t have any other choices than working illegally.
I can provide you a better job but you will have to pay me 1000 Euros.
Ok I am in. What type of job is it?
Considering you sell vegetables you will deliver them to a five star restaurant in Paris.
A few days later, I went to Paris in order to meet the manager, but the dream of a better life blew up. When I came into the restaurant, half a dozen policemen caught me and sent me to the jail. While I was there I found out the true: Tom was the guy who turned me to the police because he does it so as to make a good living.
Students: Lucie Gorlichova, Aneta Plackova, Daniel Cristescu, Ottenhof Dylan, Pereira Anthony
If I was in Bilal’s skin
“I am going to describe a life of an immigrant and for a better imagination; I want to introduce a great movie called “Welcome”.
It’s about 17 years old boy called Bilal. He came to Calais. He took a long trip from Kurdistan to get to his love in Great Britain. He realized that getting trough the borders to Britain wouldn’t be easy. The first attempt to cross the borders was in a truck. Unfortunately, police caught them and they had to stay in Calais. But Bilal had an idea to swim to London. The problem was that he wasn’t a good swimmer. Anyway, he met this guy called Vincent, he helped Bilal with everything. Swimming, he let him sleep in his house and gave him a wedding ring for his love.
Bilal and Vincent had a one thing in common; they both got a personal problem. It was a reason they have became friends. In the end, Bilal is trying to cross the canal, but he died.
If I was in Bilal’s skin:
At first, it’s really hard for me to imagine being in his skin. I think that If I were an illegal migrant, moving from Iraq to London, I would try to contact some people, who can help me to get over the borders or I would contact some other organization, which is helping migrants and I would try to find a safe way to get there, because I know that some migrants are trying to get over in a truck with a plastic bag on their head, because the police is checking consist of the air so they have to breathe into the bag.
I can’t imagine that I will breathe into the bag. It’s impossible and that’s the reason why the government should really do something with that. I don’t understand why innocent people, who want to move somewhere, should suffer in a not human being conditions.
I think that we should accept everyone to our country that has a problem and we should help him. The government should find a safe way for every side because it’s a big problem.”
Jan Ondra, Barbora Vilisovam Czech Republic
The other end of Bilal’s story
The police arrives at Simon’s house in order to find Bilal but he has already left the house and now he is on the seaside and he has wore his swimsuit and been ready for crossing the channel. After ten hours of exhausting travel, he succeeds to across the English coast. Now he caught to move in London he can’t eaten a bus because he has no money so he tries to hitchhike but nobody accepts him and he is forced to go to London by walking. When he arrives in London with a lot of difficulty, he goes to Mina’s house and there he meets Mirko who tells him that Mina is getting married that night. Bilal gets depressed.
Now Bilal is in London, so he finds a job which is illegal to survive. He has worked in bad conditions for three years. One day, while Bilal his working on the sheet he meets Mirko and they talk about the condition of Bilal.
Mirko : Hi ! How are you?
Bilal: Fine! I am trying to survive, I can earn little money despite of a working a lot.
Mirko : What is your job?
Bilal: I am working in a factory which has bad conditions. I have been working for eighteen hours but I can handle it.
Mirko : you are crazy ! Are you working for illegal job? I am sorry for you. Can you describe your job, you are working for?
Bilal: There are many immigrants worker like me. We are producing automobile legally during the day but at nights we produce guns for gangs.
Mirko : Oh my god ! Why don’t you find a legal job?
Bilal: because I am Immigrant and we don’t have the same rights as local people.
Mirko : I have two good news for you! First I find you a legal job at sports center. Second, Mina’s husband devide and you can go to Mina.
After a week Bilal moves with Mina and they have a family and Bilal won a medal of Olympics competition of swimming.
Students : Simay Guzel, Lucia Vaccalo, Giulo
**********
DREAM
My name is Jamal and I work in a harbor, I’m 24 and I come from Pakistan. The condition I am in force me to go beyond my country’s folders.
I want my family to leave at home because of financial problems. I had a dream of finding a job to support my family but the reality is totally different.
∙ Nobody understands my language
∙ No where to go, nowhere to sleep
∙ I live in a detention camp, a jungle
∙ My employer abuse of me. I just find temporally and low-paid jobs.
∙ I do only humiliating jobs and the pay is far from what I expected
WHAT CAN I DO NOW?
∙ I’ve got to get identity papers to find a legal job but if I don’t have a legal job I can’t get identity papers…
∙ I can visit organization SANS PAPIERS, I noticed some pieces of advice on the board in the organization :
- Don’t try to leave the camp in an illegal way, it is very dangerous.
- Don’t waste the food given to you
- Never fight against the others in the camp
- Take extra way care for your personal documents.
*******
EMPTY HOPES SPERANZE VUOTE SANS ESPOIR …
Life starts with high hopes
Of lending a prosperous time.
As you grow up to your elder ages,
They begin to fade away to send you far away.
And the world keeps turning
And thousands of people are running
Side by side in orbit
Searching for a better life.
You try reaching your dream land
Although it keeps going away from you
Ever if you arrive there physically
You will never be there mentally

FROM YASEMIN

LETTER TO MUM

Dear Mum,
I am sorry if I didn’t write you before, but the life is really frenetic here and in these months I didn’t find any time to do it.
Now I am in Milan I miss you too much but here I never stay alone, I have got new friends and a fantastic boyfriend. I discovered he is the organizer of the “ boat of salvation” from Tunisia to Lampedusa. As he promised us we were only sixty on the boat. The trip was very tiring , but it passed very fast with the others and we arrived in Lampedusa in 12 hours.
When I arrived there I went to a retention centre that gave me all the necessary things. I regularized my documents helped by the local authorities and I arrived in Milan without big difficulties. It’s true that Italy is the country of opportunities. Now in Milan I have found a job in a factory and all is OK.
I’ll wait for your news. A big kiss !!!
I love you!!!!!
Yasemin

20 April 2011
MY DIARY

Dear diary,
Finally I am free and I can write on you things that I can’t say anyone else. The other people can not understand.
Now I ‘m in Milano , after month of trip, it was be an hell, I felt alone and everyone had tratted me as an object and also who give me hospitality had done the same. To arrive in Lampedusa from Tunisia I have done a scare and terrible trip on a ship. We was 300 people and all of us have fought against each other for more space. Also the weathr was bad.
After a lot of days of travelling the police had drived us to a retention centre, they gave us only a little food. We moved from an office to another to get a paper to be allowed to move through the Italian land.
Now finally I have found a job in a factory thanks to an association of volunteers. Maybe is true that Italy is the country of opportunities but it is very difficult to find the right way. It is very hard and painfull.
I hope in a better future
Yasemin

ALICE POSSIDENTE - ITALY
SARA OTTATI – ITALY

GRANDPA
Grandchild: Grandpa, why don’t you tell me a story?
Grandfather: Long, long ago, there was a boy named Thomas. He was just 21 years old when he decided to go to Italy to work. His parents were so poor that sometimes they were sleeping ravenous. Two cows where their bread and butter. When their cows passed away because of epidemic, they became shirtless. Their only child, Thomas, couldn’t fight with the poor condition and he decided to survive his family as well. His mother sold old gold bangles to send her only child for working and to make him become the breadwinner of the house. With the money of the bangles Thomas got on a boat from Tunisia to Italy.
Grandchild: Oh Grandpa, it must be so hard for him to deal with it.
Grandfather: Yes, it was… anyway he got on the boat for the unknown story.
Grandchild: Oh my god, it’s so exciting, please go on.
Grandfather: In the boat there were approximately 20 people. They couldn’t eat, drink. They were hungry, thirsty and tired. It was very hard for a young boy. After days, they disembarked. It was different hard. Another country, another language, so unconventional… he slept on the streets, bagged for money or meal. One day police came, took him and sent him to prison because he was an illegal Immigrant. He was had up for entering the country without permission.
Grandchild: Poor him, what happened then?
Grandfather: And then the judge gave him just 30 days to leave the country. Hopes, prospects were flown away. He had nothing to do, what was he going to say to his parents? He was the black sheep, he thought. One day while he was hanging around he saw a very beautiful girl. And he wanted to talk to her and he considered meeting that girl. Perhaps he could marry with her and he could gain citizenship.
Grandchild: I’m very excited, what happened then?
Grandfather: And then he met that girl and started to have a long conversation. She appreciated his notions, and she wanted to help him. He was very happy and then he married her, and then he gained citizenship.
Grandchild: Oh my god, she was a heroine for him.
Grandfather: Yes my clever grandchild. Did you like this story?
Grandchild: Certainly, grandpa. It was so extraordinary.
Grandfather: I’m glad that you liked it. Go get some sleep.
Grandchild: Ok, grandpa, thank for the story. Sweet dreams…
…
Grandfather: Oh my dear, you don’t have any idea about my life.
This extraordinary story was the path of my wife’s and my real life…
***********

The 21st of April 2011

‘’Wherever you go, go with all
Your heart’’

CONFUCIUS

Dear diary
I don’t know what to do anymore, for that I write today, to tell you about my hopes and fears. I can’t even believe that I am here, being scared everyday that the authorities would catch and move me to a retention center or that somebody will see through my disguise and find out that I am a girl. I don’t even want to think what could happen then. If the Government would help refugees more, things would be easier for me, but, of course, they only think at themselves. Until now, I didn’t realize that the political and economical problems in my country would affect me and
my family so much, but right now there is a no way back to the life I used to have. Thirty days ago, my life was normal. Even if there had always been problems in my country, due the fact that I was born in a respected family, I didn’t think they would affect me so much. Everything started when, one day, my father came back from work and told us that there wasn’t any more fish in the sea for he, and his crew. He told us that this was happening because of the changing climate and the pollution that affected the fish more than we thought possible. At first my father couldn’t accept the thought of his family leaving their motherland, but things gotten worse, and this was the only solution left. So here I am, on this boat, so far away from home, trying to find a way to send money to my family. If I could get to Germany, maybe my uncle would find me a job, but have to get there was the real problem. This was one of the moments when I wished I could be a boy, because I knew very well what happened to women on the boat which are going to Lampedusa. There violence, persecution and oppression are a common thing. This is why they call it “the jungle”. For that I thought the disguise of a boy would be the best for me. With fears in my eyes, I had put my black hair short, thinking of the long way I would have to take to save my family. This is all for now. I hope that I will get to my destination, find a permanent job and maybe Germany would respect my right of asylum.

********
The illusion

My name is Batan. I’m a Kurdish boy. I’m 20 years old and I’ve lived in Germany since one year ago and I’m still learning how to live in Europe. My father died when I was a child so my mother hardly fed me and my brothers. We have always lived in poverty and we have never seen rich in our family. Even I hadn’t shoes. I’ll explain you how I get in Europe.
When I was 16 I used to spend my time in the street ‘cause my mother was always working and me and my brothers were alone all the day. I didn’t go to school ‘cause the building was destroyed during the war. One day, I was in the street and I heard some young people talking about migration. I get my attention and I joined them. I realized that they had interesting ideas and we became friends. They told me that they know someone who had migrated to Germany and that he succeeds there. His name was Boran.
For one year we just met each other talking about migration and making plans. it was just an idea at that time but we were thinking that some day we could move in Europe to find a better life. Since I was 18 I had spent my time working for collecting money. I worked in a farm and I used to steal food for my brothers’ I knew that
it wasn’t good what I’ve done but it was the only way to survive. I didn’t tell my mother what I was doing and sometime I felt sorry because I had to lie to her.
When we had collected enough money, we started to look for a way to get in Europe. We contacted a man who worked in administration but a totally corrupted one. We gave him money to prepare false paper for us. It was very expensive but we couldn’t manage without them. When everything was ready I wrote a letter for my mother and I left without telling her what I was going to do. It was very hard for me to leave in that way but I knew she would never agree with me. Then the travel started. First we arrived in Lebanon by a truck and then we used a boat to pass the Mediterranean Sea to reach Greece. Then we used trucks to pass Albania, Serbia, Hungary, and Austria to reach Germany. Sometimes we couldn’t find easily trucks so we had to walk and sometimes we couldn’t find foods or places for sleeping. It was discouraging but even if we would want to come back we couldn’t do that.
When we arrived in Germany we were supposed to meet Boran. We expected to meet a rich man, maybe with an expensive car that would bring us to his big house.
Infact we met him after 3 days. He was living in a dirty suburb and he hadn’t a car. We stayed in Boran’s house since we found a job. Finally I found a job in a restaurant at the kitchen. The owner of the restaurant closed his eyes about the fact that I am an illegal worker and now I’m still working there.
I live herd but I hope that one day I’ll earn enough money to come back in Iraq to help my mother and my brothers.
When I realized that Boran was lying to us I was hungry and confused but I now understand why. It’s impossible to accept that we do all this travel and pass through all the troubles for nothing so in the future if some other will ask me I’ll probably lie….

ÖMER’S friend’s travel
Once upon a time, there was a tall, tall guy called Mustafa, living in Ghana (Africa). He had deep black eyes and his expression was always determinate. He was the youngest in his family, the last of many brothers and sisters. He had strong legs he used to run with – run so fast that he was the faster among his friends. His father left Ghana when Mustafa was just 4 years old to help the family sending money to them, thanks to a job found in France. His mother used to tell him that his father was a good runner too, and that he was brave, that’s why he was an example for little Mustafa. At the time of our story, it was a lot of time since his father had left and the old man had started to feel tired, so his son decided to reach his father to work with him.
His mother couldn’t bear that her last son would go so far away, but she knew it was necessary for all of them. The first step for Mustafa was to cross desert: to do that, he contacted some men who used camions to take people to Egypt. He had no problem, thanks to the money his father used to send. The hours in the back of the camion seemed to be infinite and he couldn’t distinguish day from night. However, he managed to get to Egypt. The travel had been tiring, but he had no time to waste and as soon as he arrived, he started to look for a job. He found on, very soon because one of the men who had taken him to that place, told him he could work in a hotel: there, used to work one of the men’s friends who convinces the Director to give Mustafa a job. Mustafa’s task was to clean the toilets, not a pleasant work, but after all a good one. In the meantime, he was asking other immigrants who worked with him illegally, how he could get to France. There were plenty of migrants trying to do that and so there were many people offering solution, sometimes very strange ones. At the end, one of the guy who used to work at the reception, told him that the better way was to go through Turkey, then to Italy by boat. He joined a group of young people who wanted to go to Turkey and found the right way to go there: among the soldiers who looked at the borders, there was the habit of letting people cross the border when their hands were risen. Once he would be in Turkey, he knew there would have been many organizations whose job was to help people to reach the other European countries illegally. He found
one, but he had to wait some days before leaving. So he had a lot of time for relax and talk to the other members of the group. One of them became his best friend. One day, they were walking and talking:
Mustafa : “I’m really in trouble, I have no right to live here. We need money. We will die of hunger”
Ömer : “but, Mustafa, think once more. It’s not easy to go somewhere without paper. It will be a long journey, a dangerous one. You can be caught by the police and put in jail”
Mustafa:” No, Ömer, I made up my mind, I will go”
Ömer :” As you want….In this case I have found a boat to go to Italy. I hope we will succeed!”
Two weeks later, they stated a long journey. The boat was very small and full of people, so full that some high waves made water enter it. In fact, during a storm, the boat turned on its side and all the migrants fell into water. That’s how Ömer died. Mustafa felt awfully but somehow he fainted. When he woke up, a group of men was looking at him. He was on the floor of a big boat. They seemed to speak French. The storm took away Mustafa’s boat from its way to Italy and he entered the French sea area. The guys who were staring at him wored uniforms: they were policemen. They took Mustafa to France and after some days, let him free even if he couldn’t leave the country. After a hard journey, he was at least in France: it was a really different country. At first, he was scared but he remembered he had to find a job as soon as possible. He found a place where he could spend the night; in the morning he looked for a job. Nobody seemed to be interested, and he had to spend some days before he could find one. Finally, he became a waiter: a very good job.
One morning, while serving a customer, the owner of the restaurant came, he had never seen him before and when he entered the room, he had a big surprise: the owner looked at him and said “ hi Mustafa, I’m your father”.
Andrea, Olga, Pibi, Puna, Berk, Mickael, tereza, Gabriela, Adrien.

*******
Misfortune of an illegal worker
I have been working here for 3 years
And nobody managed to discover that
Everything what I do is not quite legal.
Every morning is the same, going to the market
Preparing the things on my shelf and waiting
For the customers. But the business doesn’t
Work like in the past. It is really hard but
Society will improve. One day, as usual, I spend
My time working but because of the bad situation
Of the business market, nobody wants to buy
Anything. I was really sad and Tom came to me
Ans we started to discuss:
-Hey, what’s wrong with you? He asked anxiously
_I don’t want to complain but since a few
Tome things have become harsher for everybody
And it is worse for me for I’m an illegal worker
Who has to flight so as to survive.
-Where are you from?
-I’m from Ukraine and I migrated here
Because of economics troubles in my motherland.
What I don’t like is that I can’t get the
Citizenship here in France and therefore I
Don’t have any other choice than working
Illegally.
-I can provide you a better job but you’ll
Have to pay me €1 000
-OK, I’m in. What kind of job is it?
-Considering you sell vegetables you will deliver
Them to a five star restaurant in Paris.
A few days later, I went to Paris
In order to meet the manager, but the dream
Of a better life blew up. When I came
Into the restaurant, half a dozen policemen caught
Me and sent me to jail. While I was there I found
Out the truth: Tom was the guy who turned me to
The police because he does it so as to make a good living.
Lucie Goilichova, Pereira Anthony, Daniel Cristescu, Ottenhof Dylan

********

Workshop in French

Not to destabilize the working groups, there have been never more than 3 French pupils in every group. Other French students worked, in parallel and mostly in French. It is here, their texts and general translation in English.
Clandestin
Partir, sillonner l’océan ou déjà règne la menace
Aborder à présent cette terre d'accueil
Fuir l'expulsion la rétention sans portefeuille
Être abusé, exploité, suer dans l'angoisse
Rêver de nouveau d'une autre vie, d'un palace
Espérer des papiers, pourquoi signer milles feuilles ?
Aucune humanité, de retour au cercueil
Solidarité ? Associations, paroisses...
Sur les trottoirs de la marginalisation
Attendent les papiers de leur intégration
Se cacher, lutter, vivre, survivre, travailler...
Dois-je retrouver l'écume de l'océan?
Mélancolie, nostalgie, amertume, regrets...
Retourner dans mon pays ou être patient ?
Valentin & Magali
(Meaning :
To leave, to cross the ocean or already reign threatens it
Approach at the moment this land of welcome
Avoid the eviction the retention without wallet
Be deceived, exploited, sweat in the fear
Dream again about another life, about luxury hotel
To hope for papers, why to sign miles sheets?
No humanity, on returning to the coffin
Solidarity? Associations, parishes...
On the pavements of the marginalization
Wait for the papers of their integration
Hide, fight, to live, to survive, to work...
Do I have to find the foam of the ocean?
Melancholy, nostalgia, bitterness, regrets...
Return to my country or to be patient?)
************

Le prix de la liberté

Petit homme Kimari
Voulait quitter son pays.
Non en raison de sa paresse,
Mais la férocité de la sécheresse.
Ce n’est pas l’envie qui l’emportait
Mais sa survie en dépendait.
Il grimpa dans un camion
L’éloignant de son horizon.
Ce fut le début d’un long voyage
Et l’impression d’être dans une cage.
Ses péripéties le menèrent jusqu’à la mer
Et c’est à ce moment que son coeur s’accélère.
Quand la nuit fût venue,
Lorsque la lune apparue,
Eclairant son embarcation,
Qui le mènera à une grande déception.
Il avait l’esprit ailleurs,
Essayant d’oublier sa peur,
Il pensa à son pays,
A sa famille et ses amis.
Sur ce rafiot miteux,
Qui les éloignait de chez eux.
Au rythme des vagues et du vent
Il savait qu’il n’en avait plus pour longtemps.
A l’approche de la terre promise
Il perdit toute emprise.
Un halo de lumière apparut dans sa vision,
Il comprit qu’il y aurait des arrestations.
Désirant garder sa liberté à tous prix
Afin de ne pas être renvoyé dans son pays,
Priant pour ses êtres chers
Il se jeta à la mer.
Happé par la profondeur des lieux,
Il s’envola vers les cieux.
**************

The price of the freedom

Small man Kimari
Wanted to leave his country.
No because of his laziness,
But the ferocity of the drought.
It is not the envy which took him
But his survival depended on it.
He climbed on a truck
Taking away him from his horizon.
It was the beginning of a long journey
And the impression to be in a cage.
His events led him up to the sea
And it is at this moment when his heart accelerates.
When the night came,
When the appeared moon,
Lighting his boat,
Which will lead him to a great disappointment.
He had the spirit somewhere else,
Trying to forget his fear,
He thought in his country,
To his family and his friends.
On this poor old tub,
Which took away them from their home.
At the rate of waves and of wind
He knew that he had no it any more for a long time.
At the approach of the Promised Land
He lost any influence.
A halo of light appeared in its vision,
He understood that there would be arrests.
Wishing to keep his freedom for any prices
Not to be sent back in his country,
Praying for his expensive beings
He threw itself in the sea.
Snatched by the depth of places,
He flew away towards heavens.

Exil

Suite aux émeutes successives en Libye, les conditions sont de plus en plus difficiles pour les personnes les plus fragiles. Adam et Otas, ne trouvant pas de passeur qui accepte de les emmener dans un autre pays. Il décide donc de monter dans un bateau porte-conteneur.
- « Nous sommes finalement arrivés à monter »dit à voix basse Otas
- « Oui, enfin nous allons commencer une nouvelle vie, finis les bombardements »
- « Oui, mais ma famille me manque déjà, j'espère qu'elle va pouvoir venir rapidement après notre arrivée »
- « Oui si nous arrivons à destination »
- « Ne soit pas aussi défaitiste, c'est déjà bien que nous ayons réussi à monter ici »
- « As-tu pris la réserve de nourriture que j'avais mise de coté ce matin ? »
- « Je croyais que c'était toi qui devais la prendre, je n'ai rien à part un pull et un chocolat qui me restait. »
- « Comment va-t-on faire ? Je n'ai qu'une petite bouteille d'eau ! S'énerva Adam. »
- « Combien de temps le voyage va-t-il durer ? Où va-t-on ? Qu'est ce qu'on va trouver ? »
- « Arrête avec tes questions, tout peut être mieux comparé à la situation de notre pays. Dors, le trajet te paraitra moins long. »
Otas acquiesça, avec un mouvement de la tête, puis ferma les yeux. Il s'endormit directement à cause de la fatigue.
Après plus de quatre heures de trajets les vibrations devenant de plus en plus fortes, cela les réveilla. Adam pris l'initiative de débloquer les verrous arrière du conteneur pour pouvoir s'échapper.
- « Je crois que nous sommes arrivés, dit calmement Adam, pour nous, c'est ici que nos chemins se séparent ».
- « Et si on restait ensemble ? »
- « Non, Otas on avait convenu comme cela avant de partir, c'est chacun pour soit, on n'arrivera pas à s'en sortir tous les deux... »
- « Ça y est, ouvre de l'autre coté » s'exclama Otas.
- « Prépare-toi à courir. »
Otas et Adam se retrouvent donc à Lampedusa, ils n'ont jamais su ce qui est advenu de l'autre. Mais, tous deux ont réussi à rejoindre l'Italie.

Exile

Further to the successive riots in Libya, the conditions are harder and harder for the most fragile persons. Adam and Otas, not finding a boatman who agrees to take them in another country. He thus decides to group in a boat container-ship.
- " We finally managed to rise " said in a low voice Otas
- " Yes, finally we are going to begin a new life, finish bombardments "
- " Yes, but my family already misses me, I hope that it is going to be able to come quickly from our arrival "
- " Yes if we arrive at destination "
- " Is not also defeatist, it is already good that we managed to rise here»
- " Did you take the reserve of food which I had put off quoted this morning? "
- " I believed that it was you who had to take her, I have nothing except for a pullover and a chocolate which stayed in me. "
- " How are we going to make? I have only a small bottle of water! "
Adam got excited. "
- " How long is the journey going to last? Where do we go? What we are going to find? "
- " Stop with your questions, everything can be better compared with the situation of our country. Sleep, the route will seem you less long. "
Otas agreed, with a movement of the head, and then closed eyes. He fell asleep directly because of the fatigue.
After more than four hours of routes the vibrations becoming more and stronger, it woke them. Taken Adam the initiative to free the back bolts of the container to be able to escape.
- " I believe that we arrived, says calmly Adam, for us, it is here that our roads part ".
- «And if we stayed together? "
- " Not, Otas one had suited as it before leaving, it is each for is, we shall not manage to take out both... "
- «That’s it, open of the other one quoted" exclaimed Otas.
- «Prepare you to run"
Otas and Adam thus meet to Lampedusa, they have never known what is

Voyage pour la liberté

Issa referma la porte de la chambre de son petit-fils, Pierre, et alla le border.
 Papy, raconte-moi encore ton histoire s'il te plait.
Issa rit, touché par l'innocence de Pierre.
 Il y a environ 60 ans, après la mort de mon père, j'ai pris mes responsabilités et j'ai décidé de partir en France pour trouver du travail et aider la mère et ma soeur. J'étais désormais l'homme de la famille, tu sais Pierre, et je ne te cache pas que cette décision a été très dure à prendre. Mais il fallait que je me sacrifie pour protéger ma famille, quitte à disparaître un moment pour leur offrir une vie meilleure. Un matin, avant que le soleil ne se lève, je suis parti en direction du port de Dakar, espérant trouver un bateau qui aille jusqu'en France. Mais le voyage s'est avéré plus compliqué que je ne le pensais. J'étais complètement perdu, je ne pouvais demander de l'aide à personne mais j'ai pensé à ma famille; et je ne pouvais pas les laisser tomber? J'ai alors réussi à monter discrètement sur un grand bateau de croisière dont j'ignorais la destination. 3 jours après nous avons amarré au port de Tarifa en Espagne. Avec Abou, un autre clandestin que j'avais rencontré sur le bateau, originaire de l'Angola, nous avons attendu la nuit pour descendre du bateau. Nous n'avions nulle part où aller, et les patrouilles n'arrêtaient jamais leur ronde. Abou connaissait un endroit ou nous pouvions dormir. Après une courte nuit, je suis reparti seul car Abou avait terminé son voyage. J'ai réussi à trouver un travail pendant un petit temps, pour pouvoir payer le trajet en camion jusqu'à la France. Nous étions nombreux, et le voyage a été très difficile à cause de tous les contrôles mis en place pour éviter que les gens comme nous puissent entrer en France. Pierre, tu es encore trop jeune pour tout savoir, mais sois fier de tes origines. Aujourd'hui tu es Français
mon petit, et ta famille s'est battue pour être ici.
 Oui papy, j'adore ton histoire, tu es très courageux d'avoir fait tout ça.
 Aller mon petit, il est temps de dormir.
 Mais comment tu es arrivé en France ?
 On en parlera un autre jour, fais de beaux rêves Pierre.
Cindy, Julie et Alexia
Journey for freedom
Issa closed the door of the room of his grandson, Peter, and went to line him.
Grandpa still tells I your history please.
Issa laughs, got touched by Pierre's innocence.
Approximately 60 years ago, after the death of my father, I took my responsibilities and I decided to leave for France to find some work and help the mother and my sister. I was henceforth the man of the family, you know Pierre, and I do not hide you that this decision was very hard to take. But I had to sacrifice for protecting my family, even if it means disappearing one moment to offer them a better life. One morning, before the sun gets up, I left in the direction of the port of Dakar, hoping to find a boat which goes to France. But the journey turned out more complicated than I thought of it. I was completely lost, I could ask of the help nobody but I thought of my family; and I could not drop them? I then managed to rise discreetly on a big cruise ship the destination of which I ignored. 3 days later we moored to the port of Tarifa in Spain. With Abou, another illegal worker than I had met on the boat, native of Angola, we waited at night to disembark. We had nowhere where to go, and the patrols never stopped their round. Abou knew a place or we could sleep. After a short night, I left only because Abou had ended its journey. I managed to find a work during a small time, to be able to pay the route in truck to France. We were many, and the journey was very difficult because of everything the controls set up to avoid that people like us can enter France. Pierre, you are still too young for any knowledge, but be proud of your origins. Today you are French my young, and your family fought to be here.
Yes grandpa, I like your story, you are very brave to have made all this.
Go my young, it's time to sleep.
But how you arrived in France?
We shall speak about it another day, have sweet dreams Peter.
************

New-York Times
Aujourd’hui, dans le New York Times, est parue une interview d’un jeune immigré mexicain, Diego. Elle a été réalisée par l’API (Association for the protection of immigrants) afin de monter l’inefficacité des Etats-Unis, dans l’intégration des immigrés.
API : Bonjour, pouvez-vous vous présenter en quelques mots ?

Diego : je m’appelle Diego, j’ai 28 ans et je viens de Ciudad Juarez. J’ai une femme qui vit au Mexique et élève seule nos deux enfants.
API : Qu’est-ce qui vous a poussé à venir aux Etats-Unis et à laisser votre famille ?
Diego : J’ai été contraint de quitter le trafic de drogue. Je n’avais donc plus les moyens de subvenir aux besoins de ma famille. Comme il n’y a pas de travail au Mexique, j’ai du passer la frontière illégalement, pour trouver un emploi et pouvoir leur envoyer de l’argent.
API : Comment avez-vous réussi à passer la frontière ?
Diego : J’ai essayé de passer seul, mais çà n’a pas fonctionné. Par deux fois, la police des frontières m’a attrapé. J’ai donc eu recours à un passeur, avec le peu d’argent qu’il me restait. Il m’a fait passer par un endroit peu surveillé par la police, dans les régions montagneuses, près de la frontière.
API : Comment s’est passée votre arrivée aux Etats-Unis ? Comment l’avez-vous vécue ?
Diego : Cala a été très difficile, je suis arrivé avec rien. Au début, je n’ai pas trouvé de travail, je me suis démené pour trouver de quoi ma vie. Mais, après des mois, je n’avais toujours pas de source de revenu. J’ai alors, perdu tout espoir de pouvoir aider ma famille. Cela a été une période très noire dans ma vie. Et alors que je n’y croyais plus, un mécanicien m’a embauché au noir.
API : ce travail vous a-t-il suffit pour vivre et aider votre famille ?
Diego : Mon patron me paye une misère alors que je travaille 10 heures par jour. J’envoie un maximum d’argent à ma famille, mais j’ai peur que cela ne suffise pas. J’ai fait tout cela pour eux, ils me manquent terriblement. Je ne suis même pas sûr que ça serve à quelque chose.
API : Comment envisagez-vous l’avenir ?
Diego : j’aimerais pouvoir un jour régulariser ma situation et faire venir ma famille et ainsi nous pourrions avoir une vie décente
Today, in New York Times, is appeared an interview of a young Mexican immigrant, Diego. It was realized by the API (Association for the protection of immigrants) to go up the ineffectiveness of the United States, in the integration of the immigrants.
API: hello, you can appear in some words?
Diego: my name is Diego, I am 28 years old and I come from Ciudad Juarez. I have a woman who lives in Mexico and raises only our two children.
API: who urged to you to come to the United States and to leave your family?
Diego: I was forced to leave the drug trafficking. I thus had no more the means to meet the needs of my family. As there is no work in Mexico, I have of to cross the border illegally, to find an employment and be able to send them some money.
API: how did you manage to cross the border?
Diego: I tried to pass only, but it did not work. Twice, the police of the borders caught me. I thus resorted to a boatman, with little of money left. He made me pass by a place little watched by the police, in the mountainous regions, near the border.
API: how took place your arrival to the United States? How did you live her?
Diego: stalled was very difficult, me arrived with nothing. At the beginning, I did not find work, I struggled to find of what my life. But, after months, I still had no source of income. I have then, lost any hope to be able to help my family. It was a very black period in my life. And while I did not believe in it any more, a mechanic hired me to the black( non declared).
API: has this work you is enough for living and helping your family?
Diego: my boss pays me so poor while I work 10 hours a day. I send a maximum of moneyto my family, but I am afraid that it is not enough. I made all this for them, I miss them terribly. I am not even safeas that is of use to something.
API: how do you envisage the future?

Diego: I would like I could one day settle my situation and I would make my family come and so we could have a decent life