The story of the young agent Eric Liberia, like many other Africans in the English enclave of Ceuta dreams of asylum in the EU
Ceuta - The enemies fall like flies. First the shot up front, then down right make them all before the rest is done in the bushes. War Games in a parking lot in the center of the English city of Ceuta, by Eric, a young man from Liberia. His weapon of an umbrella, with which he weaves through the parked cars, on which he is paying attention, to get a few cents from the drivers.
A somewhat strange situation, because to shoot at imaginary opponents fits little to the mature 19-year-olds. Rather, one would expect from him that he raps out of boredom at work verses to himself or reads a book. Only with Eric Christian Carr, the world has turned upside down. bales in the period in which other children with balloons around, he was carrying a real gun. "An AK-47, better known as Kalashnikov," says the Liberians a few days later before a plate of fries with mayo in a typical English tapas bar. "A popular weapon because it can be operated easily by anyone and almost never has jammed. You can count on that." began with ten years of involuntary Eric's career as a child soldier. With his father he was after the start of the second Liberian civil war (1999-2003) to escape to neighboring Guinea, where they had been during the first war (1989-1997) found refuge. At a checkpoint in northern Liberia father and son were stopped. "You people have sorted out according to tribal affiliation," says Eric. "In our group six-Krahn members, including my father. Before my eyes, all were shot immediately." This rendered the then nine-year-old also last parent after his mother had died at birth.
with other children Eric was loaded on to trucks, they got a knife and later a given weapons training in the bush. From now on, it was for the rebel group Lurd (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy) to contend that previously had the name ULIMO (United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy) and is known for countless atrocities against civilians was. Lurd fought for the dismissal of President Charles Taylor, who had come himself to power through civil war and now for war crimes before a UN court in Sierra Leone, the process is done.
LURD rebels financed by pillaging and diamonds that were exchanged for weapons. "We were a group of about 30 people who lived in the bush, and just had everything," Eric said with a grin, as if the whole thing back then was a big party. "Money, alcohol, drugs and eating well. We just took what we wanted." They moved from attack to attack, a marauding gang that had nothing to do with politics, was abused by her only. Half of the troops were children the same age as Eric and the rest between 15 and maximum of 25th Among his best friend Ibrahim, who was already with 22 or 23 years, a very brave guy. "
believed all members of the gang to possess magical powers that made them invulnerable. Drugs provided for fearlessness. "We had tablets that you broke up with a bit of water and drank. It felt good and strong all around." In the raids, they killed people repeatedly, raped and kidnapped women. "Those who refused were shot, or they are cut off the breasts. Did someone from the group on a girl favor, he has simply taken away. She cooked it for us and was a member of our community," says Eric a tone as it was the normal thing in the world of sex and labor slaves to have. to have women included in the squad apparently good form, a kind of Statussymbol eines erfolgreichen Kriegers. Selbst die Kindersoldaten wollten darauf nicht verzichten. "Wir Kleinen hatten auch unsere Frauen", berichtet Eric, "obwohl wir nicht das machen konnten, was die Großen taten. Wir fingerten eben an den Frauen herum und ließen sie sonst all das machen, was uns einfach in den Sinn kam."
Ihm sei nichts anderes übrig geblieben, erklärt er weiter. "Wer nicht mitmachte, den hat man sofort erschossen." Mit einem Gewehrlauf am Kopf würde jeder das tun, was man von ihm verlangte. Ob er jemand getötet habe, wisse er nicht. Er habe nur zur Selbstverteidigung geschossen, und das immer aus Entfernung, nie im Kampf Mann gegen Mann. "Was soll man schon tun, wenn die ATU angreift?" Eric is referring to the anti-terrorist unit, the part of the government of President Charles Taylor fought. One unit, the opponents tortured, plundered and undertook ethnic cleansing.
In one of the attacks by government soldiers in 2002, Eric, to flee with his friend Ibrahim, finally. "They shot many of us, and everything went haywire." A good opportunity to make a hasty retreat, because "otherwise you could not run away easily. It was difficult and dangerous." Ibrahim, he managed to Jekepa, a border town to Guinea. There they arranged themselves into the queue of refugees received food and clothing from UN aid agencies. By 2005, Eric attended a Christian school in the refugee town of Siguiri on the Niger River, before he finally opened by Guinea on the way to a better life in Europe.
takes a two-year odyssey through Mali, Algeria and Morocco on until the 10th November 2007 arriving in Ceuta, a English enclave in northern Morocco. From a nearby Moroccan town it's the middle of the night through the sea in the English port city on Moroccan territory. Since Eric can not swim, binds him a rope around the waist. "A boy swam in front of me and pulled me with my life jacket in the water." The whole thing cost 300 euros, a sum that Eric had captured in the old manner of child soldiers. Together with Colleagues, he says succinctly, we have kidnapped other black African migrants in Morocco and demanded ransom for their release. Who would not pay, "was hurried along by the".
now lives in the 19-year-old Liberian Ceti (Centre for temporary stay of immigrants) of Ceuta and waiting for his application has been approved for political asylum in Spain. "Without parents, without family, also my family is not desirable, since no one can tell me to return to Liberia," says the former child soldier convinced. Without a firm belief in the future he would be crazy. What he wants to do because in the Iberian Peninsula? "I am a excellent soccer player in the 2nd League could start and then go into the first. The other possibility is hip-hop, I can do that very well. I have appeared already in the local television from Ceuta, "he adds, not without pride. If both flags should not, however, would the fan of Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo also accept any other additional work." I can do everything. I know how to make money. "
Published at 16:03:09 in the world has
0 comments:
Post a Comment