Back to the refugee camp

Today I went back to the Refugee Protest Camp. About six weeks ago, I decided to find out more about the collection of tents occupying a public park in a fancy area of town. I found out that it's called Refugee Protest Camp Hannover: part refugee camp, part political movement.

On that gloomy Saturday at the end of January, nobody was home in the camp. And in my post about it, I promised you I'd return. I know what you were thinking: 'of course she won't go back, she'll get distracted and move on to posting more about Germans wearing scarves.' It seems like I would give up, since we've established that I would make a really bad investigative reporter. Last time I was too shy to try knocking on the tent flaps.

Well, doubting readers, you are wrong.
I remembered the camp and I went back there today, bearing groceries. What does one eat while camping in a city park for months on end? Last time, I saw some kind of hot plate rigged up there, but not a refrigerator. And the people in the camp are from Sudan - I certainly was not going to bring sausages or frozen pizza or cheesy puffs. I don't know if they'd even like cheesy puffs. So I got apples, carrots and a bag of rice.

This time there was no need to knock on tent flaps. Two guys were sitting in the main tent facing the street, just waiting for visitors like me to awkwardly ask them questions in German. There are about 25 Sudanese men who have been living in the camp for the last nine months. They are there because Sudanese people have no official refugee status in our state of Niedersachsen. Therefore, they have no right to work and no way to receive public assistance. But it's not safe or smart to go home. Therefore, they wait and try to draw attention to their cause. The guy I talked with told me that the group has had two meetings with the state government, but with no real results. They must keep waiting.

If I were a real investigative journalist, I would have asked how the group survives if they can't work legally. I didn't. I wasn't sure how to make that a comfortable question to ask. I truly hope that the men in this camp, like undocumented people in my country, have found work despite their status.

I handed over the food I had brought and kept chatting with one of the men in our mutually clumsy German, while the other one pulled out his iphone. I know not to wonder too much about the iphone - of course you need a phone and internet access to lead a political movement, and it's not like these guys have a computer or a TV or an ipod or a land line. It just made me realize that I truly am one of the last people in the world without a smart phone.

Will the state award the Sudanese refugee status or not? I have no idea, but I hope so. As I left, I wished the guys at the table good luck.
I just wonder whether I should have brought along some cheesy puffs.

A book recommendation:
If you are interested in the experience of Sudanese refugees and haven't read it yet, I highly recommend What is the What by Dave Eggers.