Regelmäßige Berichte über die aktuelle Situation auf der türkischen Seite des Evros in türkischer und in englischer Sprache finden sich seit dem 28. Februar auf der Seite von Göçmen Dayanişmasi:
29 February 2020 Pazarkule
Rain is pouring down. While driving on the way to Edirne, we saw at least 20 taxis passing by, that have Istanbul’s plate number. On the side of the highway, we could barely see shadows of people who are walking to the border.
Police blocked the way in Karaağaç, the closest village to the border. From there on, people who came with taxis and buses were going towards the border by walking, in groups of 5 to 30. Although a few, some people were walking back from the border, telling that they were deceived; Greece police were throwing gas bombs over there.
A taxi driver from Ankara cautiously said that he brought passengers for 1600 TL (around 230 euro). This is not the only example, we saw how people could turn their needs and desires into a relationship of interest; from the people who are selling water to the ones telling “we make them pass if there is any passenger”. On the other hand, it is still possible to travel to Edirne (the city close to the border) at moderate prices by train or bus. […]
March 1st, 2020 Pazarkule
We learned that a friend from Migrant Solidarity Network/Ankara was not allowed to pass through the checkpoint by interfering with the photos taken from the checkpoint. It was useful for us to come to the field early and park our vehicles in the area right next to the road. Although we do not know how we look from the outside, no one told us that we need to leave. However, after learning about interventions of police, we decided to be more careful, especially while working on photo and video materials. Today, they tow/remove all the vehicles on the roads on the way to the border gate. The gendarmerie asked us to go out of the checkpoint. For now, we have to quit field. Nobody is allowed to enter the zone except migrants and state officials.
The road to the border was almost empty. There were only migrants walking to the border on foot, and big buses, one after another, entering the zone empty and full. We went to departure points to understand what buses are for. The officials next to the vehicles said to the people gathered around them that “Don’t wait here. Even if our government opened the borders, the Greek side did not. With these buses, you can go to the riverside (Meric) without paying a fee, and from the riverside, some boats will take you to the Greek side only for 20 liras for each person”. Most of the people did not believe them. The official insisted: “We know the safest way. The river is only 20 meters wide. And then you have to walk 3 kilometers to arrive in the closest village.” When the buses were full of convinced people, they left. […]
March 3 2020, Ipsala Pazarkule/Evros
Yesterday we left Pazarkule around 8 pm in order to observe the situation at the Ipsala border crossing. When we were leaving the field, we noticed that the queue of the free food spot, which was finally set up, got too long with long waiting times. The food being distributed were biscuits and snacks which have no nutrition value.
While passing through Uzunkopru we saw a group of migrants waiting at a police checkpoint where the police officers were trying to convince them to get on the buses that were heading to Meric river. Shortly after, we parked our cars in a spot 5 kilometers away from Ipsala border crossing; then we had some rest for a few hours. […]