SECURITY - warnings about places full of fled people
It is a funny thing that no matter where fleeing people are crowded together sooner or later warnings come up, it wouldn't be safe to go to these places alone. Maybe no place in this world between crowds of people is really safe because the possibility of meeting an asshole increases, of course, with the number of people around, but: why is there no warnings for shopping malls or concert halls?
Anyways, I want to share my personal little experience on this topic with you.
Two weeks ago I went to Dunkirk (France) with Signal of Solidarity - Flüchtlingshilfe. We arrived in the late evening and discussed how our plans for the upcoming two days were, before we went to bed. All of us had heard the security warnings not to enter the camp alone, not to enter the camp during sunset or night time and even one organization had told us, their volunteers would never go deeper into the camp than 30 metres. So we decided to stay together inside jungle of Dunkirk during the whole time.
Not more than two hours having been in the camp, we split up for the first time.
The day after, when I stayed alone without the others of the SoS-team, I decided to take some pictures outside of the positive messages written on the stones next to the place where the tents started. After bringing my camera back to the kitchen tent, where they allowed me to leave my private stuff, I left it again to try and meet one of the coordinating volunteers of the camp. It was right at the end of sun set, last glimpses of red sunlight painting the tents reflected by the mud, when I walked the Street of Elizabeth II. On both sides groups of young men stood in front of their tents, some warming themselves at open fires, others just chatting, others walking towards me or into the same direction. The sort of main street was pretty crowded. Still, it was a calm and welcoming atmosphere. Only few volunteers had stayed, no cars with donations anymore, no discussions or shouted „Can you give us a hand?“ Some of the guys smiled at me – of course, I smiled back or maybe I had smiled first when watching the sunset and the fires. Some wished a good evening.
That being said: I felt welcome. Secure and safe.
#refugeeswelcome
#weareone
#humanity
#safety
#security
#welcome
