From series: arrived? Berlin: Omar’s plan no papers, no work, no money – Omar from Ghana lives illegally in Berlin and sells grass in Görlitzer Park. “I imagined my life differently,” he says. by Sascha Lübbe April 6th, 2018, 12:08 Uhr The Görlitzer Park in Berlin: “Whoever runs is suspicious,” says Omar. (archive image) © Wolfgang Kumm/dpa Content
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Apparently, she just bounces off at him, fear. Just for example. There was a hectic moment in park. Six young Africans pressed down wall, hurried towards exit. Behind m appeared three policemen, two women, one man; Through rummaged shrubbery. Looking for packages with grass.
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and Omar *? Stood still beside it. “Whoever runs is suspicious,” he says. He has nothing to hide.
If you are facing Omar on this cold spring day, you might believe it is so convincing: 34 years old, five days beard, an open smile on face. “I would never lie,” he often says, “You have to be a good person.”
Neverless, his gaze always goes left and right, scans passers-by. He’s working. His workplace, this is a three-metre-large area in Görlitzer Park, Berlin’s most famous drug-translocation. Up to 200 dealers, almost all from north and West Africa, are here in summer, now in winter it is almost half; Each nationality has its own area.
Omar and or Ghanaians have been posted under canopy of former station Hall, just behind main entrance. A good place: Whoever enters park will pass Omar; If you look him in eye for more than a second, he is a potential customer.
“Go to Germany”, his friends advised him
Almost every day he stands here. Sometimes from ten, sometimes from noon; Often he stays until it gets dark. He is seldom alone; They are usually two or three. They n sit next to him on wall, bury ir hands in pockets, cap deep in face. It’s your everyday life: waiting for customers, cracking jokes, listening to music from home on phone. Yes, says Omar, he has imagined life differently in Germany. He used to have a plan.
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Omar comes from poor conditions in Techiman, in centre of Ghana. His far died shortly after Omar’s birth, with stepfar re was constant controversy. At 15, Omar left house, he told, shortly reafter land. In Côte d’ivoire he found a job as a shoe salesman, finally working in Libya, which met him: carpenters. He built chairs for a large company; Noticed that he has talent. “Go to Germany,” his friends advised him. “You can learn something.” It was Omar’s plan.
He knew Germany mainly from radio. From tales of Ghanaians who were successful re as footballers and singers – and since n swarming from new homeland; From Hamburg, where re is a large Ghanaian community.
But he also knew stories of people who never reached Europe. knew dangers. Omar is a devout Muslim, praying regularly, from childhood. Because he was unsure, he fasted, waited for Allah to give him a sign. That came after two days: Go!, Allah told him. So he climbed a white inflatable boat in north of Libya on a cool morning with 50 ors. He was transferred to Germany via Lampedusa, Naples and Switzerland, where he applied for asylum in 2012.
* Name changed.
