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Lipa, a camp for refugees in the northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Part of the camp burned down before Christmas, but hundreds of people still live here.
The army has now set up new tents directly opposite.
The camp is 750 meters high between the mountains, so winter is correspondingly rough here.
Mohammed from Pakistan got a place in the new camp.
Mohammed Afsal, refugee from Pakistan:
»It's better than nothing. I mean, before we didn't even have a mattress, we slept on the bare floor. We had no bed, no clean water, no toilet, and no shower facilities. But now we at least have something to hold out. "
There is a fan heater per tent, but it can do little against the cold and lack of insulation.
Maximilian Popp, DER SPIEGEL:
»The military has come and has set up a couple of tents. But it looks like it is more of a measure to calm the public in Europe than to really help the refugees. There are far too few tents. Maybe 200 or 300 people can be accommodated there. Everyone else is still on the road, not knowing where to go, walking through the forest, trying to sleep somewhere, somewhere to think about something. And nobody really knows how it could go on. "
Refugee:
“
What a wonderful job.
Minus four, minus five degrees.
Freezing water. "
To this source come the migrants for whom there is no place in the new tents.
The water is used for washing and cooking.
No drinking water, this sign warns.
The men run back to the burned down camp.
Images that the Bosnian authorities are not interested in distributing.
For a few days the police have been denying journalists access to Lipa.
Our reporters had their passports taken before they were escorted to the police station.
This group built a weather protection out of tarpaulin.
The open fire bites in the eyes.
Dinner is currently being cooked with donated food.
The pasta is already ready, the pot is still used for the vegetables.
The IOM, the UN organization for migration, had been running the camp in Lipa since spring 2020.
Funded by the EU.
The IOM got out before Christmas because Bosnian authorities blocked the connection to the water and electricity network.
Shortly after the withdrawal, parts of the camp went up in flames.
Muhammad from Afghanistan also still lives here.
He and the others were actually supposed to be taken to a camp near Sarajevo - but after protests by the local population, they had to stay in the mountains.
Muhammad Ajmal, refugee from Afghanistan:
“The police said everyone would come and get on the bus. It goes to Sarajevo. I slept on the bus that night. The next morning, in the afternoon, the police said you couldn't go to Sarajevo. You have to go back to camp. Then I came back to the camp and saw that there were no people in here (in this container). " Reporter:" Now there are new tents over there. Why aren't you in the new tents? " Muhammad Ajmal:" There is no space there. "
He and four friends have settled in this former administrative container.
Improvisation is everything - Muhammad makes light with the help of vegetable oil.
He complains of pain in his back and legs.
At the moment there is no medical care here, the nearest pharmacy is half a day's walk away.
There is no bus connection or the like.
Zlatan Kovačevič from the Bosnian aid organization "SOS Bihać" urged swift action even before the onset of winter.
But so far he's not allowed to help here in Lipa.
There is a lack of will on the part of the authorities, who primarily block each other.
Zlatan Kovačevič, SOS Bihac:
»Our sponsors sent us containers with showers and toilets a few days ago - for medical help. They're in our warehouse, but we're waiting for people who have power here to coordinate. And that they allow us to just install these containers here and start getting medical help or allow these people a warm shower. "
The international volunteer team from »SOS Bihać« uses the time to sort donations.
The willingness to help is great.
Locals bring things by, and there are also transports from Germany.
Miriam from Austria is one of the helpers.
She knows what is particularly needed.
Miriam, SOS Bihać:
»Shoes. We are missing shoes. Well, we have very few shoes. Especially not very good shoes. The donated shoes can often not be used, they are often just sloppy, says Patscherlen. Or, once we got donated firefighting boots that were so heavy. But they don't bring the people anything because they want to run hundreds of kilometers through the forest. You don't do that with safety shoes. And there are still hundreds of people up there in Lipa who just wear flip-flops at the temperatures. It's easy, it's bad. "
Dozens of migrants from Lipa have sought refuge in this former old people's home in the city of Bihać.
The ruin is damp and has no windows.
Light comes from the cell phone.
Nissar from Pakistan shows us the space he shares with others.
Despite everything, it is better here than in the snow at Lipa.
Nissar, refugee from Pakistan:
»I brought two blankets from the Lipa camp. Because it's winter and I don't have a sleeping bag. They are heavy, but I carried them. It's better in here than in Lipa Camp because it's not that cold. "
These Pakistanis and Afghans dream of a life in the EU.
They have often tried to get to Croatia across the border, but were repeatedly and brutally deported (by the police) to Bosnia without being able to apply for asylum at all.
These are so-called pushbacks, and this form of deportation is illegal.
The migrants call this risk "game".
Nissar, refugee from Pakistan: »This person tried five games. Seven ›Games‹. Five 'games'.
Migrant: »I come up with seven› Games ‹.« Nissar: »And you?« Migrant: »Ten› Games ‹.«
Nissar himself tried it four times.
Now in winter, the path through the snow-covered mountains is too dangerous for him.
Even if he continues to dream of his own restaurant in Germany or France - his friends from home want him to return.
Nissar, refugee from Pakistan:
»When I talk to my friends, they tell me you are so weak now. You lost your energy. Why are you staying there You can't keep trying, you have to come back. There is no point in giving your life away. " Reporter:" But you will try again? " Nissar:" Yes, we will try again because we have already wasted so much time on the way in the countries. "
A winter-proof camp with living containers has been empty here in Bihać for months.
Because the authorities and some of the citizens did not want to have thousands of migrants in the small town, the residents were brought from here to the specially built Lipa tent camp in the spring.
For three months, residents of Bihać have been holding a vigil in front of the closed camp - they want to prevent it from reopening.
Fadil Dizdarević coordinates the protests.
The retired policeman doesn't shy away from violence.
Fadil Dizdarević, retired policeman:
"Let me put it this way: Because we are connected here 24 hours a day and by cell phone, we could mobilize more than 2000 people within ten minutes and, if necessary, prevent the migrants from returning by force."
On Sunday, Zlatan and his team from SOS Bihać distributed food and clothing in front of an old factory in Bihać.
Many migrants live here, too, whom no one else cares about.
Somewhat surprising at first glance: Even the ex-police officer who is against migrants in his city helps out.
Apparently he doesn't want them to freeze either.
Fadil Dizdarević, retired police officer:
“Wait a minute, one group is okay, go. And you go here. "
While flour is served outside so that people can bake their own bread, the hall has been converted into a doctor's practice without further ado.
The physician Gerhard Trabert examines migrants who have complaints.
An unexpected appointment for some who have been in need of treatment for a long time.
Many patients suffer from scabies because they cannot wash and change clothes properly.
The doctor from Mainz came with two vans in which he wants to hold consultation hours.
The Bosnian authorities are still missing stamps so that he can treat migrants.
But Trabert doesn't want to spend the time waiting.
Gerhard Trabert, doctor from Mainz:
“We have just tried to start without having all the permits. The approval is basically the one that people need help and I can always say that as a doctor, I am obliged to help people in need. "
Back to Lipa.
It remains an inhumane camp in an inhospitable place, even if there are now 24 new tents in the snow.
The entrances remain open day and night.
With Lipa, the European Union has a new symbol for its own failure in asylum policy.
