Visiting the Debrecen camp never comes without surprises. On July 6th, just one day after participating in the Gay Pride in Budapest, MigSzol was accompanied by a young journalist and a filmmaker from Germany to the detention camp in Debrecen. Overall, it was a nice trip, and we had inspiring conversations both with the journalists and with the residents of the The German filmmakers.

Our two young visitors from Germany aim to produce a documentary about asylum seekers and refugees in Hungary, and also to depict the situation of those who are deported back to Hungary from Germany. In the documentary, which will be televised nationwide in Germany, they also focus on the controversial phenomenon of church asylum. In Germany, many people seek asylum inside church buildings, as in the police is forbidden from entering churches; it is an emergency solution of avoiding immediate deportation.

After an unsuccessful attempt to contact the Immigration Office of Hungary to get access inside the Debrecen camp, the filmmakers were forced to conduct interviews and film their documentary from outside the camp. Hearing about MigSzol’s work with refugees and asylum seekers in the camp, the two documentarists contacted us to see if they could accompany us on one of our regular visits to Debrecen. Once we arrived there, it took us about half an hour to meet with a group of people willing to discuss their situation, and share their problems and concerns. And as usual, more and more people joined in the discussion.

The Migráns Szolidaritás Csoport (Migrant Solidarity Group) is sad to see the Afghans with refugee status from the Hungarian state leave Hungary. We tried everything we could to help them find a better life here,  but in the end they had no other choice but to leave Hungary.

We helped them to find dialogue with the Hungarian state and OIN, discuss their problems with important NGOs like UNHCR and Menedek, helped and supported them with organizing protests in Budapest – including at  the Hungarian Parliament, the Interior Ministry, the EU Ház. And we appealed for support from the Hungarian public and activist community.

In the end, all this was not enough.  We believe this is Hungary’s loss. These are good people who have survived terrible situations resulting in them coming to Hungary.  And while they received different forms of refugee status, this was not enough for them to settled down and make a life here.

They need job opportunities, real medical, social and educational support and housing solutions that do not include homeless shelters. The ‘solution’ of homeless shelters which was proposed and supported by the Hungarian state (OIN) and other NGOs was the insult they could not accept.

Sadly they have left Hungary and have put their hopes to other countries in  the EU.

While the OIN may be relieved these ‘problem’ Refugees are gone, the real problem of overcrowding at the Bicske Camp (and other open camps in Hungary) is still not solved.  Just like sending these refugees to the overcrowded Budapest homeless shelters was not a solution, either.  We have reports from Bicske that the camp is already too crowded with approximately 500 persons – when in ‘normal’ times the camp hold half that number.

So, the number will drop from 500 to a still overcrowded 400. This is still a shameful way to treat people who have been recognized by the Hungarian state of deserving a welcome to Hungary.

And, again, sadly this may not be the last we hear of these refugees.  It is possible that they will be caught and rejected by the other EU countries they attempt to settle in.  Deportation back to Hungary is a clear possibility for them, despite how poorly they have been treated here.  Hungary is no longer a safe country for refugees – the Hungarian state is clearly not capable of doing the bare minimum for them or for protecting their human rights. Migráns Szolidaritás will continue its work in supporting these refugees and other migrants who come to Hungary seeking a better life.