Interview
Iman Dler (left) requested her face not be shown in an interview with Rudaw’s Allah Shahly in Dabrowa Bialostocka, Poland on October 29, 2021. Photo: screengrab/Rudaw
DABROWA BIALOSTOCKA, Poland - A Kurdish woman, desperate to reunite with her family who she said she was separated from when she was taken to a camp in a Polish town on the border with Belarus, appealed to other would-be migrants not to risk the same journey to Europe.
Iman Dler, originally from Erbil, had been traveling with her husband, child, and brothers, hoping to ultimately reach Germany. Speaking to Rudaw’s Alla Shahly on Friday, she said her family was misled by smugglers and mistreated by Belarusian border guards.
The family left Erbil on October 12 and flew to Dubai and from there to Belarus where smugglers brought them to the border with Poland. They ended up stuck on the Belarus-Poland border for 12 days. “Every night, the Belarus border police would throw us into Poland’s territory and the Polish forces would send us back to Belarus,” she said.
Dler does not know where her family members are now, saying they were sent back to Belarus by Polish border guards while she was taken to hospital after she collapsed and broke her leg.
“I’m pleading with you, please, do everything possible you can just to bring my child to me. He’s just five. One of my brothers suffers from a chronic disease. He’s suffering from diabetes. His health is very critical. Please, do everything to my child and brother. And still, I don’t know anything about my husband. Please, help us,” said Dler.
She was not aware at the time that her brother, Gaylan, had died Thursday night on the border of suspected diabetes complications.
“It was very, very cold. You can’t imagine how cold it was. Children were with us. We used to drink wastewater. We had completely run out of food. My three brothers, my child, and I did not eat anything for five days in a row,” she said.
Thousands of migrants have tried to gain entry to European Union nations from Belarus this year. The EU accuses Minsk of pushing migrants to their borders in protest of sanctions imposed in response to a crackdown on dissent.
Poland declared a state of emergency on its border in late September and this month passed a law that grants border guards the power to push migrants back across the border, in contradiction with international law.
“I implore everyone not to try this route. It’s all a lie,” said Dler.
The migrants on the border come from many countries, but Iraqis make up the largest group. This year, roughly 37,000 Iraqis have left the country by unofficial means, according to data from the Lutka Organization for refugee and displaced affairs. At least ten of them have died en route to Europe and 12 are still missing.
Below is the full transcript of the interview.
Alla Shahly: You look very sad and depressed. Would you please tell us when you left Kurdistan, where you went and how you managed to cross to Poland from Belarus?
Iman Dler: First of all, welcome. We left Erbil for Dubai on [October] 12. We stayed for two nights in Dubai before flying to Belarus. We stayed for another two nights in Belarus. Then smugglers called us, saying that we must hurry up and pack, telling us that we will be leaving for our destination [Germany]. We left and were stuck for 12 days between Belarus and Poland. Every night, the Belarus border police would throw us into Poland’s territory and the Polish forces would send us back to Belarus.
Were there many other people with you there and how was the weather?
It was very, very cold. You can’t imagine how cold it was. Children were with us. We used to drink wastewater. We had completely run out of food. My three brothers, my child, and I did not eat anything for five days in a row. My husband was separated from me. Every night, Belarus police would round up migrants and put them in the back of three or four trucks and take them to the border. They would open the road for us with wood or other materials cutting the razor-wire fences. My three brothers and I crossed, but the Polish police arrived on the scene and blocked my husband from joining us, separating him from us. I haven’t heard anything from him for ten days now. I don’t know his whereabouts nor have I heard from him.
What about your child?
My child and three brothers were with me. Six days ago we all arrived in Poland. In Poland, we didn’t eat anything for five days. We ran out of energy. I fainted. When I opened my eyes I realized I was in a hospital. The Polish police sent back my child, three brothers and some other families who were with us to Belarus. My child was split from me in this way. I spent two nights and two days at the hospital. And I’ve come here for two nights and two days. They promised me that they would bring my child back to me. They haven’t brought him yet. Sometimes I don’t feel I’m even breathing.
What happened to your leg?
Belarus police pulled me over to Poland. They would kick us, they would yell at us. Thank God, I was not beaten up. I fell, breaking my leg. I’m pleading with you, please, do everything possible you can just to bring my child to me. He’s just five. One of my brothers suffers from a chronic disease. He’s suffering from diabetes. His health is very critical. Please, do everything to my child and brother. And still, I don’t know anything about my husband. Please, help us. I implore everyone not to try this route. It’s all a lie. They told us that it would just take three hours and we’ll reach Germany. It’s all a lie. We paid two guides and two smugglers. But they disappeared on the Polish border. They leave everyone behind, singles or families. Everyone lives in dire conditions at the Belarus camps. Please, reach out to them. There are children whose kidneys have stopped, their bodies have swelled because of drinking contaminated water.
I know how painful it is for you and I see how depressed you are. Who were these smugglers, how much money did they charge you?
Believe me, I don’t know anything about money. They just spoke about the route. I don’t know how much the smugglers were paid, otherwise I would say it.
When did you arrive in Poland?
It’s been two nights and two days since I was put in this camp. And I was hospitalized for two days after I fractured my leg. I was given 14 bottles of intravenous fluids because my body had dried up.
Can you call your husband?
No, I can’t. I’m told that my husband is in an extremely, extremely bad place. He can’t even send me a voice message.
Were there many migrants on the border?
Many. They are different groups and in large numbers, but the thing is we can’t see each other. Only during nighttime we see vehicles approaching the border spots. They’re full of people. Please, reach out to these people. It’s extremely cold out there. Believe me, nobody could bear it. All of these people out there are misled. They told us it would take just three hours to reach Germany.
How is your situation now? What have they told you? As far as we know you are not allowed to go outside.
Thanks be to God, the camp gives us food. Our place is warm compared to the place of my child, husband and brothers. We aren’t allowed to go out. But whatever we need, they bring it to us.
Iman Dler, originally from Erbil, had been traveling with her husband, child, and brothers, hoping to ultimately reach Germany. Speaking to Rudaw’s Alla Shahly on Friday, she said her family was misled by smugglers and mistreated by Belarusian border guards.
The family left Erbil on October 12 and flew to Dubai and from there to Belarus where smugglers brought them to the border with Poland. They ended up stuck on the Belarus-Poland border for 12 days. “Every night, the Belarus border police would throw us into Poland’s territory and the Polish forces would send us back to Belarus,” she said.
Dler does not know where her family members are now, saying they were sent back to Belarus by Polish border guards while she was taken to hospital after she collapsed and broke her leg.
“I’m pleading with you, please, do everything possible you can just to bring my child to me. He’s just five. One of my brothers suffers from a chronic disease. He’s suffering from diabetes. His health is very critical. Please, do everything to my child and brother. And still, I don’t know anything about my husband. Please, help us,” said Dler.
She was not aware at the time that her brother, Gaylan, had died Thursday night on the border of suspected diabetes complications.
“It was very, very cold. You can’t imagine how cold it was. Children were with us. We used to drink wastewater. We had completely run out of food. My three brothers, my child, and I did not eat anything for five days in a row,” she said.
Thousands of migrants have tried to gain entry to European Union nations from Belarus this year. The EU accuses Minsk of pushing migrants to their borders in protest of sanctions imposed in response to a crackdown on dissent.
Poland declared a state of emergency on its border in late September and this month passed a law that grants border guards the power to push migrants back across the border, in contradiction with international law.
“I implore everyone not to try this route. It’s all a lie,” said Dler.
The migrants on the border come from many countries, but Iraqis make up the largest group. This year, roughly 37,000 Iraqis have left the country by unofficial means, according to data from the Lutka Organization for refugee and displaced affairs. At least ten of them have died en route to Europe and 12 are still missing.
Below is the full transcript of the interview.
Alla Shahly: You look very sad and depressed. Would you please tell us when you left Kurdistan, where you went and how you managed to cross to Poland from Belarus?
Iman Dler: First of all, welcome. We left Erbil for Dubai on [October] 12. We stayed for two nights in Dubai before flying to Belarus. We stayed for another two nights in Belarus. Then smugglers called us, saying that we must hurry up and pack, telling us that we will be leaving for our destination [Germany]. We left and were stuck for 12 days between Belarus and Poland. Every night, the Belarus border police would throw us into Poland’s territory and the Polish forces would send us back to Belarus.
Were there many other people with you there and how was the weather?
It was very, very cold. You can’t imagine how cold it was. Children were with us. We used to drink wastewater. We had completely run out of food. My three brothers, my child, and I did not eat anything for five days in a row. My husband was separated from me. Every night, Belarus police would round up migrants and put them in the back of three or four trucks and take them to the border. They would open the road for us with wood or other materials cutting the razor-wire fences. My three brothers and I crossed, but the Polish police arrived on the scene and blocked my husband from joining us, separating him from us. I haven’t heard anything from him for ten days now. I don’t know his whereabouts nor have I heard from him.
What about your child?
My child and three brothers were with me. Six days ago we all arrived in Poland. In Poland, we didn’t eat anything for five days. We ran out of energy. I fainted. When I opened my eyes I realized I was in a hospital. The Polish police sent back my child, three brothers and some other families who were with us to Belarus. My child was split from me in this way. I spent two nights and two days at the hospital. And I’ve come here for two nights and two days. They promised me that they would bring my child back to me. They haven’t brought him yet. Sometimes I don’t feel I’m even breathing.
What happened to your leg?
Belarus police pulled me over to Poland. They would kick us, they would yell at us. Thank God, I was not beaten up. I fell, breaking my leg. I’m pleading with you, please, do everything possible you can just to bring my child to me. He’s just five. One of my brothers suffers from a chronic disease. He’s suffering from diabetes. His health is very critical. Please, do everything to my child and brother. And still, I don’t know anything about my husband. Please, help us. I implore everyone not to try this route. It’s all a lie. They told us that it would just take three hours and we’ll reach Germany. It’s all a lie. We paid two guides and two smugglers. But they disappeared on the Polish border. They leave everyone behind, singles or families. Everyone lives in dire conditions at the Belarus camps. Please, reach out to them. There are children whose kidneys have stopped, their bodies have swelled because of drinking contaminated water.
I know how painful it is for you and I see how depressed you are. Who were these smugglers, how much money did they charge you?
Believe me, I don’t know anything about money. They just spoke about the route. I don’t know how much the smugglers were paid, otherwise I would say it.
When did you arrive in Poland?
It’s been two nights and two days since I was put in this camp. And I was hospitalized for two days after I fractured my leg. I was given 14 bottles of intravenous fluids because my body had dried up.
Can you call your husband?
No, I can’t. I’m told that my husband is in an extremely, extremely bad place. He can’t even send me a voice message.
Were there many migrants on the border?
Many. They are different groups and in large numbers, but the thing is we can’t see each other. Only during nighttime we see vehicles approaching the border spots. They’re full of people. Please, reach out to these people. It’s extremely cold out there. Believe me, nobody could bear it. All of these people out there are misled. They told us it would take just three hours to reach Germany.
How is your situation now? What have they told you? As far as we know you are not allowed to go outside.
Thanks be to God, the camp gives us food. Our place is warm compared to the place of my child, husband and brothers. We aren’t allowed to go out. But whatever we need, they bring it to us.
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