It has been now 18 days since the 92 refugees were asked to leave the camp without future accommodation. They decided to stay until an acceptable solution is found by the Office of Immigration and Nationality (OIN).

During this period the tension has increased. These refugees do not receive the money support anymore and the especially vulnerable refugees with health problems do not get any more medication from the camp which could result in their chronic diseases becoming lethal. The social workers  do not seem to help them anymore to find a place since they have to take care of the new refugees arriving from the Reception Centre of asylum-seekers in Debrecen to the Bicske camp. The police comes every night and day and checks the refugees' rooms (not only of those 92) using flashlights through the window.

On Wednesday, 17 April, 2013, a meeting took place with UNHCR and some refugees in order to find a solution. However, there was no place for negotiation and the only option offered by UNCHR for the refugees was to cooperate with OIN and to accept the homeless shelters offered to them by the OIN. However, no guarantees were given by neither UNHCR nor the OIN to ensure that there is enough places available for 92 people. The OIN did not mention anything regarding the permanent address card – which is necessary for future integration plans e.g. applying for the Hungarian citizenship. The OIN threatened the refugees to send the police to the camp and to take refugees' children away since refugees "will not be able to take care of their children living on the streets".

The 92 refugees were asked to give an answer within a day and on 18 April, 2013, they let UNHCR know that they do not want go to the shelters for many reasons.

The tension is increasing in the camp. Today over 100 refugees are more afraid that they will be put out of the camp by police. They have to choose between becoming homeless in a shelter or becoming homeless on the street.

Since November 2012 more than 100 Afghan refugees have been protesting against the social conditions and the lacking reception system for refugees in Hungary. Already twice they went in front of the Hungarian parliament. Another demonstration took place in in front of the EU House in Budapest. Most of the protestors have been granted protection by the Hungarian government. Nevertheless, they are threatened by homelessness and extreme poverty. Through their protests, they could at least achieve not to be thrown out of the camp in the hardest wintertime, but their problems are only postponed. In March 2013 their time in the reception centre ran out and at the moment they are only tolerated in the camp. If they are kicked out like a lot of others before, most of them will end up on the street – among them many families with little children. Read more

The independent and informal Migrant Solidarity Group consists of refugees, migrants, and Hungarian citizens, all of them living in Hungary. We have been fighting for the rights of refugees, migrants and asylum seekers, and for their participation in the Hungarian society and politics for five months and we have had the idea to organize a social program for several weeks ago.

A day, which is not solely dedicated to the uneasy brainstorming about how life could be better for the refugees in Hungary, but a day when we can get closer to each other and forget our daily struggle for a few hours. Because the refugees who would come to the party have to carry a lot of burden. Most of them had the right to stay in Bicske Reception Centre till 13th March 2013. On the day of the music and dance they have been living in uncertainty for a week already. Most of them hadn’t left the camp. There is nowhere to go because they are not getting any support from the government to be able to live on their own.

We finally decided to organize the party when we found Köztér in the Bérkocsis street, in the 8th district. We tried it out first on the 3rd of April. We immediately saw that this place could host the refugees with their families. It has a kitchen, computers, and enough space. The organizing was going on when suddenly we had to face some unexpected interest.

Two days before the event, on Friday, we received an apprehensive phonecall from the person who is in charge of security of events from BRFK (Budapest Police Headquarters), with whom we were in contact during our earlier demonstration. He called one of our members and was asking about the event. He said that he was informed about the event from the people on duty at BRFK, they found out about it on Facebook. He asked several questions :what type of event it will be and where it will be, on public space or on private property, will it be demonstration or not. Our member told him that the refugees and their friends will have a gathering on private property, but depending ont he weather, they might go to the II. János Pál pápa square to play football, so it is definitely is not an event that need to be registered with the police.

We still considered the call as an act of the overprotecting care of the government. But we were still wondering for which other friend gatherings, organized by any Hungarian social group other than refugees , would the police call two days before the event ?

But then came the shock. On Saturday, a day before the event, an acquaintance informed us on our public Facebook page advertising the party that day two police officers appeared in the club expressing interest regarding a refugee-event . And these anonymous guard of public safety with their early arrival only caused confusion as usual.

The people present asked them why they were interested in the event already a day early: one of the officers replied that “only because TEK (Counter-Terrorism Centre) wants to provide security to the event. ” Then the people without a name left.

The news spread quickly in the group: we called each other what to do. One thing that was a priority for us:each refugee who was planning to come should know that TEK might turn up, but also that the most they can do is to ask for our papers. This, of course would not be the worst part but the intimidating appearance of the counter-terrorist force: in particular, for the individuals who, in the country of origin, were tortured, thrown into captivity, and whose family members and friends in some case by organizations of state violence (the police, military and counterterrorism forces). The Bicske Reception Center is filled with refugees who have benn diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and depressions who, so far,  have been unable to overcome the traumas caused by their persecution. This is what was really vile in the threats of the two policemen without a name: during music, singing and dancing in a basement club in the downtown of Budapest when suddenly state security raids the event the refugees could have the sensation that they are back in Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Somalia even if they are in Central Europe. And not only would they relive their traumas again, but also us, foreigners and Hungarians living in Budapest would also get a taste what it’s like when you are innocently suspected by masked men shrouded in anonymity with batons and weapons.

However, we decided together with the refugees that since we have nothing to hide we will not cancel the event, the cannot deter us with anything. And if anyone happens to come, be it police, or TEK, then after the event we will write down what happened, as we are doing it now.

Finally we decided to call the TEK as dutiful citizens would. We wanted to ask them if they really wished to supervise our program and also to inform them about the intimidating visit of the two policemen that day. We called the contact number given on the webpage and the TEK officer in charge affirmed that they had no intention to check upon us. He said they would go only if somebody would have placed a call asking them to help but nobody called them therefore they will not go anywhere.

It was not easy to find the venue of the party so we agreed to meet at the Blaha Lujza Square on the day of the party. We were standing at the corner waiting for some other refugees arriving from Bicske before leaving the square together. When most of the participants had arrived we started to go with the younger ones and three Afghan asylum seekers were left behind on the square to meet and guide the last arrivals. Just shortly after we left two policemen approached them and started to check their IDs. We returned immediately, shook hands with our friends and asked from the policemen if they had any particular reason to check them or it was already part of the nationwide alert on checking people, including refugees . They had no clue what we were talking about and instead of answering our question they asked for our IDs too. We asked them again why they checked us and they said that according to their briefing instructions they had to check refugees on the Blaha Square. They also asked us to confirm if our party will be held from 2.00pm to 10.00pm. It was hardly a surprise that they knew about the event and with using taxpayers’ money these policemen were commanded to come and check people who wanted to meet some other friends – checking identity of local and foreign people on a nice Sunday afternoon instead of dealing with crimes. We asked them if they would appear at the place of the event and they said no but it was hard to believe that. We asked them about their reasons to make these checks and they stated that they did it in order to prevent conflicts. We were wondering what they meant and tried to explain that only friends will get together and there would be no place for conflicts. Then the policemen argued that people could get pretty drunk at such a party. Then we told them that Muslim refugees are not typical alcohol consumers but even if they would drink some, then what?

We got back our IDs and moved slowly away among the people at the tram stop, though the two policemen spontaneously walked us up ahead for a while until they left at the Népszínház Street.

Later the police turned up at the party, of course. In the afternoon, around 4 or 5 PM a police van arrived and two policemen jumped out of that, holding batons in their hands. The venue of the party was private area and supposedly they did not plan to come in to check upon us, but instead they asked if we had started the party already and how many people came. When we asked them if they would come again they said no, however they returned fifteen minutes later then left again.

We recalled the relevant law which says :

This law existed only in theory this Sunday. Thanks to those people who do not think that these people who suffered persecution in their home country and offered protection by Hungary should be left in peace at least for an afternoon, just to let them to feel relieved for a while and to forget about their everyday problems.We do not think that harassing a group of enthusiastic and peaceful people was invented and planned by ordinary policemen. What’s more, we were not bothered by those policemen and patrols sent out, of course being in contact with a policeman can cause cold moments but eventually they just did their job. We are rather worried about those people who gave the orders to the police to come and check us. They should grow up. It is possible to play and it is advised to play together with all members and participants of the community, especially that it is not our organization alone who will carry out the integration of the asylum seekers and break down the barriers in people’s mind and policy making. Please, play by the rules and be relaxed, just like us.

But all those difficulties are pale in comparison with the fascinating time we spent together Sunday afternoon.

I think none of us expected to have such an uplifting and inspirational afternoon, full with dance, music and singing. Refugees, who suffered persecution in their motherland and threatened by homelessness in Hungary, stepped into the circle of clapping people to dance, expressing their joy and sadness with movements. One of the most memorable moments was the dance of a refugee whose still-born child recently died in the ambulance car at the camp in Bicske. This man came to the party with his children and after many months it was the first time for them to see their father to dance and being happy again.

It meant a lot for the refugees that other non-refugees/locals danced to their music and songs, it was really appreciated by them. We will organize such an event in the future and any peaceful people will be welcomed to join.

On the 4th of April, members of Migráns Szolidaritás and refugees from the Bicske Camp visited a homeless shelter in Budapest in Budafoki út. At a recent meeting regarding the housing of refugees Office of Immigration and Nationality (OIN) proposed that refugees who must leave the Bicske camp could use homeless shelters as a solution. Migráns Szolidaritás supports a realistic and adequate solution for the refugees’ housing problem. We visited the above mentioned homeless shelter to investigate and to see it with our own eyes where the refugees are supposed to live.

In the shelter visited by us, up to 150 homeless people can be housed. At the time of our visit the shelter was full. Only three places, in different rooms, were still “reserved” for refugees in this shelter, probably because of an agreement between OIN and Baptist Aid. According to the information given by the helpful and cooperative staff, the Baptist Aid could altogether offer nine to ten palaces (for adults) in the three shelters operated by them (each with a capacity of 150 people) at the time of our visit.

It is hardly surprising that there is not much space in the rooms as they are crammed with beds. We saw rooms for two people, in other rooms eight persons are living and shared kitchens can be found on every floor. Regarding medical treatment, the staff explained to us that residents can only receive a temporary address card while living in the homeless shelter. This is why average doctors can refuse treatment of the residents. As a result, residents must go to the reduced medical services offered specially for homeless people. For this reason and because the unavoidable crowded living spaces, where strangers must share a limited space, homeless shelters cannot be seen as a proper answer to Hungary’s refugee housing problem. Here it must be emphasized that a high number of refugees still today suffer from many kinds of trauma as a result of their experiences in their countries of origin and from their journeys and therefore are in dire need of special treatment. Furthermore, many of these refugees were detained in cramped Hungarian prisons –  sometimes even for a long period – when they entered Hungary as asylum-seekers. Migráns Szolidaritás finds it shocking that the OIN could consider this to be a valid option.  Imagine these traumatized people forced to live in overcrowded homeless shelters, where the police are called nearly every week because of fights between the residents. This scenario could have an extremely negative effect on mental and physical health of the traumatized Bicske refugees.

Furthermore, it is obvious that even for refugees without any medical problems an independent life and a successful integration into the Hungarian society cannot start from a homeless shelter. Yet, this is the “solution” that has been offered by OIN.

Also, the shelters do not have near enough capacity for the 92 people who officially should have left the Bicske Camp at the end of March. It must also be taken into consideration that there will be another 150 people who must leave the camp soon. Furthermore, most shelters only offer places for individual men and women – not families. Although there is another homeless shelter for 22 families, it is important to emphasize that this shelter is not able to accommodate new families at the moment because it is already full.

Migráns Szolidaritás believes that until OIN offers a better, more humane solution than homeless shelters for Bicske refugees, they should be allowed to remain in Bicske camp.

On 2nd April 2013, 92 refugees have to leave the Refugee Reception Centre in Bicske with the majority of them not knowing where to go, nor why was the Hungarian state incapable of providing them with respectable housing. Since 2012 November, there have been demonstrations and private meetings in which the refugees have been trying to draw the authorities' attention to the fact that Hungary gives no chances for integration. Instead, the system pushes refugees to the streets, to the sphere of urban poverty. Those who wish to avoid this experience, can only choose to go to the West, and pass on the responsibility of Hungary on the shoulders of the European Union.

For those refugees who are single, the state has offered a place in a temporary homeless shelter. The shelters do not encourage integration to Hungarian society at large, as refugees do not wish to start their life in Hungary as homeless, one of the most oppressed category in Hungary today. It was not in vain that the demonstrating refugees raised their voices, but so far the state has not offered any durable solution to this enduring state of crisis.

Tuesday, 2nd April 2013, may become the black day of Hungarian refugee affairs. In order to avoid that, these 92 people granted international protection by the Hungarian society all the possible public attention and support in what might turn out one of the most difficult days in their lives.