Giorgio Morra PHOTOGRAPHY reportage/documentary/portrait

BAD GAMES

"We have lost our language and with it the naturalness of our reactions, the simplicity of our gestures and the casual expression of our feelings. [...] Our identity changes so often that nobody can find out who we actually are. and that means the collapse of our private world. Hannah Arendt, We Refugees "I made the game more than 15 times": Eman explained when asked how often she and her husband tried to get from Bosnia-Herzegovina to Europe. They fled together from Syria and are now stranded in Velika Kladuša in the north of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Here thousands of refugees try every year, often in many attempts, to win the so-called "Game": The goal of the "Game" is to get through Croatia without being discovered by the border police. But the risk of being caught by the Croatian police and forced back to Bosnia-Herzegovina is high. During these so-called "push-backs" they are deported to Bosnia-Herzegovina without justification or examination of their asylum claim. It often happens that Croatian border officials* take money, mobile phones and clothes from the refugees. Again and again refugees even speak of physical abuse. Back in Bosnia-Herzegovina, they look for protection and refuge in one of the camps of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in one of the many empty factory buildings, in ruins of buildings or other temporary accommodation. There they try to regain their strength and then try again through the mountains. The destination is often Italy, as the probability of getting a fair asylum procedure is higher there. The fact that the actions of the Croatian police are often contrary to international law, the Geneva Refugee Convention, the European Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights is tolerated and partly supported by Croatia and the other European Member States. Is this where the fundamental values of the European Union find their limits?

"We have lost our language and with it the naturalness of our reactions, the simplicity of our gestures and the unforced expression of our feelings. [...] Our identity changes so frequently that no one can figure out who we actually are. [...] and that means the collapse of our private world." Hannah Arendt, We Refugees

In northwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina, Europe's dysfunctional migration system can be observed with horror.
Una-Sana Canton is the starting point for refugees from the Middle East on a life-threatening journey through the EU's closed gate - "the game," they say, as if it's all just a game.
Through impassable forest areas, some of which are mined from the Bosnian war, the refugees try to reach Croatian territory at night. Many injure themselves in the complete darkness. Those who manage it are threatened with push-back and the harshness of the Croatian police after crossing the border. They often use force against the migrants and take everything from them. Without shoes, papers and their dignity, they return to Bosnia - and often live there without international help in empty shacks or abandoned factory buildings and depend on individual help from private individuals or small NGOs. 

„Wir haben unsere Sprache verloren und mit ihr die Natürlichkeit unserer Reaktionen, die Einfachheit unserer Gebärden und den ungezwungenen Ausdruck unserer Gefühle. […] Unsere Identität wechselt so häufig, dass keiner herausfinden kann, wer wir eigentlich sind. […] und das bedeutet den Zusammenbruch unserer privaten Welt.“ Hannah Arendt, We Refugees

Im Nordwesten Bosnien-Herzegowinas ist das dysfunktionale Migrationssystem Europas mit Schrecken zu beobachten.
Der Una-Sana Kanton ist für Flüchtende aus dem Nahen und Mittleren Osten Ausgangsort für eine lebensgefährliche Reise durch das verschlossene Tor der EU – "the game", wie sie sagen, als sei das alles nur ein Spiel.
Durch unwegsame Waldgebiete, die zum Teil aus dem Bosnienkrieg vermint sind, versuchen die Geflüchteten nachts auf kroatisches Gebiet zu gelangen. Viele verletzen sich in der völligen Dunkelheit. Denen, die es schaffen, drohen nach dem Grenzübertritt der Push-back und die Härte der kroatischen Polizei. Oft gehen sie mit Gewalt gegen die Migranten vor und nehmen ihnen alles ab. Ohne Schuhe, Papiere und ihre Würde kehren sie nach Bosnien zurück – und leben dort oftmals ohne internationale Hilfe in leeren Baracken oder verlassenen Fabrikgebäuden und sind auf einzelne Hilfen von Privatpersonen oder kleinen NGOs angewiesen. 