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| Refugees hoping for better life in Germany find themselves in limbo | Refugees hoping for better life in Germany find themselves in limbo |
| (4 months later) | |
| Germany takes in more refugees than any other rich country. But that does not mean it is easy for the hundreds of thousands of refugees stuck in limbo. | Germany takes in more refugees than any other rich country. But that does not mean it is easy for the hundreds of thousands of refugees stuck in limbo. |
| One year and eight months since Chima Oxumbor arrived at Düsseldorf's police station to appeal for asylum, he has a €1-an-hour (85p-an-hour) job cleaning the toilets and floors at the camp where he shares a room with four or five other people. His life in Germany is not what he expected. | One year and eight months since Chima Oxumbor arrived at Düsseldorf's police station to appeal for asylum, he has a €1-an-hour (85p-an-hour) job cleaning the toilets and floors at the camp where he shares a room with four or five other people. His life in Germany is not what he expected. |
| "We are not allowed to travel," said Oxumbor, 33, who is Nigerian. "We have to stay in the camp. Refugees are not living well." | "We are not allowed to travel," said Oxumbor, 33, who is Nigerian. "We have to stay in the camp. Refugees are not living well." |
| After fleeing Nigeria where he says his father was killed and where a similar fate would await him, he travelled to Germany, registering at the police station where he was questioned for hours, had his photo taken, fingerprints recorded and was strip-searched. | After fleeing Nigeria where he says his father was killed and where a similar fate would await him, he travelled to Germany, registering at the police station where he was questioned for hours, had his photo taken, fingerprints recorded and was strip-searched. |
| "They took a criminal photo and I was very afraid – there were many police in the room," he said. "They sent me to a camp in Dortmund and then to Karlsruhe. I didn't know what was happening." | "They took a criminal photo and I was very afraid – there were many police in the room," he said. "They sent me to a camp in Dortmund and then to Karlsruhe. I didn't know what was happening." |
| Since then he has been moved from one camp to another without being given any indication about his future in Germany – a country he says he did not choose, but is relying on to give him a home. "I had always heard the name, and in Nigeria you think it is heaven, but since I came it has made me tired of Germany," he said. "I'm not allowed to work or go to school." | Since then he has been moved from one camp to another without being given any indication about his future in Germany – a country he says he did not choose, but is relying on to give him a home. "I had always heard the name, and in Nigeria you think it is heaven, but since I came it has made me tired of Germany," he said. "I'm not allowed to work or go to school." |
| Oxumbor said there was a lot of violence at the camp near Stuttgart, people took their lives out of desperation and police often came to take photos without a reason. | Oxumbor said there was a lot of violence at the camp near Stuttgart, people took their lives out of desperation and police often came to take photos without a reason. |
| "When people see the police, they are frightened," he said. "I'm not happy with the situation. I'm not allowed to go for a walk or to integrate with the people. I am someone who has stayed in Germany for over a year and I can't speak good German." | "When people see the police, they are frightened," he said. "I'm not happy with the situation. I'm not allowed to go for a walk or to integrate with the people. I am someone who has stayed in Germany for over a year and I can't speak good German." |
| But he said he had no choice but to wait to find out if he would be granted asylum. | But he said he had no choice but to wait to find out if he would be granted asylum. |
| "I'm still on the run," he said. "I think if they don't give me asylum, I will have to fight. If we [refugees] are here, we are running from a problem in Africa and we think we can now start a better life, but that [hasn't happened] and people are frustrated." | "I'm still on the run," he said. "I think if they don't give me asylum, I will have to fight. If we [refugees] are here, we are running from a problem in Africa and we think we can now start a better life, but that [hasn't happened] and people are frustrated." |
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