Walking to a new life

Walking to a new life

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In the past three months, thousands of migrants have made their way to Greek islands via Turkey. They get temporary papers from the Greek authorities: depending on their nationality, some are allowed to stay for one month, others for six months before leaving the country or, in certain cases, before getting political asylum.

Under new rules, they are forbidden from travelling to some areas of Greece where they can escape to northern Europe. One of these regions is Kilkis near the Greek-Macedonian border.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

The journey to northern Europe usually starts from Africa, the Middle East or even central Asia. Those who end up in Greece mostly arrive by small boat to Greek islands from the nearby Turkish coast in the eastern Aegean Sea.

After landing on Greek soil, they get their temporary papers and catch a ferry to Athens. Then on from Athens by train or bus to Thessaloniki in northern Greece, before travelling the 70 km by foot to the border village of Idomeni in the forbidden Kilkis region.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

I wanted to cover this important story, so after driving for almost six hours I arrived at the border village of Idomeni late at night.

At one point the migrants thought I was driving a police patrol car and ran off in panic into the nearby forest. I jumped out and explained in my poor Arabic that I was a Greek journalist and wanted to talk to them. All in vain - they had disappeared in the darkness.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

It was almost midnight and I decided to drive around the area, hoping to find someone to talk to.

At a deserted petrol station I found migrants sleeping outdoors, children and elderly people among them. Most of them were Syrians but there were also a few Afghans, Somalis and Sudanese.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Next morning, thanks to a colleague who had good contacts with Syrian refugees, I managed to follow some as they moved by foot closer to the Macedonian border.

The weather was mild, warm and wet and since the Axios River (also known as the Vardar River) runs near the border, the place was full of mosquitoes.

That day I shot plenty of pictures but I also made good contacts with the immigrants and the locals.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

As part of that process I went to a field right on the border, where hundreds of Afghan youths had set up a makeshift camp waiting for the opportunity to enter Macedonia then cross into Serbia, Hungary and on to northwest Europe.

The following morning came, my second full day in the region. Two colleagues and I followed a group of 45 Syrian migrants including Sahin Serko and Arianna, his seven year-old daughter, as they continued their journey.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Sahin and Arianna started walking through the fields near Polikastro, 15 km south of the border, before noon, constantly hiding from the Greek police who patrol the roads leading to the border.

Early in the afternoon they stopped under a bridge near train tracks before making their final dash to cross the main road by the river. They walked keeping their heads low for fear of being seen by police.

A patrol van from the local police station drove over the road and the desperate migrants ducked for cover in the bushes by the roadside.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

They walked into the forest and stopped to rest before the final 700 meters to the border.

They all looked excited but also tired and afraid. They decided to move again at sundown, which was fast approaching.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

About thirty minutes later they moved through a path next to the forest away from the main road, then they ran for about 100 meters through a poppy field before finally crossing the border. The light was fading so I had trouble focusing my camera.

When the Syrians stopped under two huge trees to call their friends and get their bearings, Serko burst into tears next to his daughter, who looked on helplessly. My colleagues and I also struggled to stay cool: emotions were running very high.

. IDOMENI, Macedonia. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis

Here they were in Macedonia, about 30 meters across the border. The first part of this group’s long trip to what they called “paradise” had come to an end.

In the early hours of the next day, just a few hours away, the adventure would move to its next stage. Travelling through Macedonia was not going to be as easy.

. IDOMENI, Greece. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis