“I wouldn’t want to cross the sea, risk my children’s lives and watch them die. I’m very scared.”

Amina*, mother of six children, Bidoon from Kuwait

“I arrived in Calais, in France, by car from Germany with my family on 4 November. I couldn’t stay in Germany as my asylum application had been refused. The police searched our place twice and the German authorities told us we needed to leave the country.

My children were in school and had joined football clubs; they all speak German. They’re 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 and 14 years old. The youngest were born in Germany. The last two had joined a football club and their friends were really sad to see them go. They did everything they could to appeal against the decision to remove us but there was nothing to be done.

After living there for six years, with my husband and my six children, we had to leave everything and so we decided to go to the UK, as I have three brothers who are living there legally.

We’ve already been scammed by a people smuggler and we don’t trust anyone anymore. But we have no other options for getting to the UK. If we find a smuggler we trust, we’re going to attempt the crossing in the next 10 days. If that doesn’t work, we’re thinking of staying in France, but I’m really scared that our life here will suddenly just stop, as it did in Germany.

I wouldn’t want to cross the sea because I’m so afraid for my children. My husband is diabetic, and my little boy has asthma. I don’t want to risk their lives and watch them die. I’m very scared.

We’ve been surviving in makeshift camps in Calais for three days. We got one night in emergency accommodation by calling 1151 but we’ve spent the other nights outdoors. We have only one tent for eight people and it’s too small. We sleep directly on the ground. If we at least had more blankets... it’s very cold at night and I’m upset for my children. The 4-year-old has a swollen eye and he isn’t sleeping well.

I’m tired. I just want my family to be able to live in peace and for my children to go to school.

Last night, we were in the camp next to the hospital. I heard gunshots and we were very frightened. A gang of Somalians and Libyans came to the camp. They were armed and drunk. They approached my 14-year-old and wanted him to go with them, but I intervened to defend him. Then one man was grabbed, stripped naked and beaten in front of the whole camp. There were gunshots, some aimed at the tents and some fired into the air, too. It was hellish and we don’t feel safe here. I don’t understand why the police didn’t come. If it had happened in Germany, they would have intervened.”

“My friends died right in front of me and I couldn’t do anything to save them. We were all drowning at the same time.”

Imran*, 17 years old, Bidoon from Kuwait

“I’m in Calais so that I can get to Great Britain, because I was persecuted in my home country. Kuwait doesn’t recognise us as citizens. We have no nationality and we’re persecuted when we’re in the country. We’ve come to France to wait to get to Britain.

I’ve been in Calais for a month and a half. I’ve tried to cross at least 20 times and most of my attempts have failed because of the police. Once when we tried to cross, we sank. The police tried to stop us from leaving. They were very violent and beat us with batons.

The last time we tried in Boulogne-sur-Mer, there was a group of about 70 people. There were families, too. We were all from different countries. We waded into the water, but the police tried to stop us. I didn’t have a life jacket with me and in the end, I sank into the water and passed out. I woke up in hospital and they said I’d been in a coma for eight days.

I’m desperate. I almost died. I feel I died in that accident. My friends died right in front of me and I couldn’t do anything to save them.

We were all drowning at the same time and there was nothing I could do. When I think about the accident, I remember the horror and how frightened I was. Whatever happens, I want to get to Britain. Over there, we’ll have rights and be able to live. In Europe2 we have no rights.”

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of witnesses.