A Syrian asylum seeker who has been sleeping under an upturned rowing boat on Dover beach for five months has urged other migrants not to come to Britain, saying the system is broken and there is nothing for them here.
Alaa Eldin, 25, arrived in the UK on a rubber dinghy in August 2021, after fleeing his war-torn country and spending some time in Germany with his relatives. He hoped to find a better life and work as a plasterer, but his asylum claim was rejected and he was left homeless and penniless.
He says he has been trying to leave the UK and go back to Germany, where he has other family members, but the police have stopped him every time he attempted to sneak into a lorry at the port. He says he feels trapped and desperate, and he has no choice but to sleep on the beach under a boat that was abandoned by other migrants.
According to Gbnews, He says he has no money, no food, no clothes, and no documents. He says he sometimes lights a fire to keep warm, and he relies on the kindness of strangers and volunteers who give him some food and water. He says he has no access to any support or services, and he has no idea what his future holds.
He says he regrets coming to the UK, and he warns other migrants who are crossing the Channel in small boats to stay away. He says the UK is not what they think it is, and the system is not fair or humane. He says he wishes he could go back to Syria, but he fears he would be forced to join the army or face persecution.
He says he wants to work and contribute to society, but he is not allowed to do so. He says he wants to have a home and a family, but he has none. He says he wants to be happy and free, but he is miserable and enslaved.
He says he is not alone in his situation, and he knows of other migrants who are sleeping on the streets, in tents, or in abandoned buildings. He says some of them have mental health problems, some of them have been exploited or abused, and some of them have died.
He says he hopes the government and the public will show some compassion and understanding, and he pleads for a solution to end his ordeal. He says he does not want to be a burden or a problem, he just wants to be a human being.
He says he is grateful for the people who have helped him and shown him some kindness, and he apologises for any inconvenience or trouble he has caused. He says he is sorry for what he did, and he is trying to make a change.
He says he is still dreaming of a better life, and he is still hoping for a miracle. “I don’t want to be here, I want to leave,” he says. “But I don’t know how. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go.”
