Feature: Tear gas can't deter migrants' dream-seeking journey to Europe (Part I)

As thousands of migrants from Syria and other war-torn Asian and African countries ran to cross the border from Greece to FYROM (the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) under the hot summer sunlight in Idomeni, it seemed no force can stop their dream-seeking journey to Europe.

CHAOS AT TRANSIT POINT

The chaos came after hours -- even days -- of waiting at Idomeni, a tiny village about 550 km north of the Greek capital Athens. It is the main transit point between the two neighboring Balkan countries where refugees can leave Greece and reach other wealthy European countries.

Not rushing to the border were 20-year-old Abbudin and his 13-member family, including his 50-year-old mother and one-year-old niece. Abbudin hurt his right foot when he arrived at Lesvos on a small boat from Turkey one week ago and has not yet gotten any medical treatment until coming by bus to Idomeni.

"We got almost no help in Greece. That is one of the reasons we cannot stay here and must move forward to other European countries," said Abbudin, who was a first-year university student previously majoring in IT in Syria. He could not move fast because of his injury.

The United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR said in late August that the number of refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean this year has exceeded 300,000, including almost 200,000 people landing in Greece and 110,000 in Italy. This represents a sharp increase from 2014 when around 219,000 people crossed the Mediterranean during the whole year.

Statistics show that 80 percent of migrants and refugees who have reached Greece's shores so far this year are Syrians.

Like Abbudin, most migrants arrive in eastern Greek islands from Turkey in rubber dinghies and small wooden boats. They are usually left without adequate shelter, medical assistance, food and water for days when queuing for the identification process to continue their trip to the mainland.

The transit process has proved to be complex and often lengthy, and the overall response system was unable to meet the rising needs of migrants.

In the last several weeks, more than 2,000 migrants have tried to move to FYROM every day, yet there are only 20 Greek police officers -- posted in eight-hour shifts -- responsible for keeping order.

Volunteers and various organization set up toilets, drinking water taps, shower quarters and other facilities to meet basic needs of the migrants. Even a canteen truck is present to sell food and water to the refugees at reasonable prices.

In this particular day, the transiting migrants were initially grouped in about 50 people per batch with priority given to women and children.

But the orderly crossing ended quickly when all the migrants tried to cross the border en masse. Despite deploying pepper spray and tear gas, the police defense line was soon broken and migrants ran to the check point maintained by FYROM soldiers, who also deployed tear gas to deter them.

The chaos resulted in many minor injuries among the migrants who sought medical assistance from humanitarian organizations, such as the Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), who have been present here for months to help.

Elisa Galli, MSF's project coordinator for Greece, told Xinhua that MSF treats about 100 patients per day. Most have only minor issues -- respiratory tract infections and skin diseases -- caused by poor travel conditions, like sleeping in the open air and eating irregularly.

"We also encounter pregnant women and new born babies, as well as those who have chronic ailments like diabetes or heart conditions," said Galli, adding that the most difficult part is that there is no reception facility for the refugees.

Galli said that regarding the refugees who are escaping wars there should be a legal path, as the illegal path is dangerous; exposing the migrants to violence, abuse and many other risks.

SEEKING STABLE LIFE

Ahmad, a 26-year-old migrant from Iraq, who did not join the flow rushing to the border, said the migrants shall bear part of the blame by themselves.

Arriving in Lesvos four days ago, Ahmad has been in Idomeni for two days waiting for his turn to cross the border.

"The problems here are from us because the system here of leaving is in groups: A group should consist of 50 people, but we don't do that -- everyone wants to leave immediately. Yes, we are not organized. It's not from the Greek police. They are doing their best to settle the situation," said Ahmad.

Coming to Idomeni from Athens by bus, Ahmad intends to go through Serbia and Bulgaria, finally settling in Austria.

Two days before leaving Baghdad, a car bomb exploded 10 meters away from Ahmad, but "this is not the only reason I left," said the young man who plans to major IT in university.

"There is no life in Iraq, there is no safety, no electricity, no stability. Even the most basic rights for citizen are missing. Iraq is empty now, as the majority of young people have left," said Ahmad.

It took about 40 days for Ahmad to leave Iraq and arrive in Greece through Turkey.

"All I want to have is a stable life. I want to live like a normal human being. It has been 10 days since I last took a shower," said Ahmad. His family is still in Iraq and he knows nobody in Austria.

The journey seems more difficult for Syrian businessman Khaled, who fled the conflict and arrived at Idomeni with his two wives and seven children.

The civil conflict in Syria among governmental troops, the rebels and ISIS cost the wealthy Kurdish businessman no less than 2 million U.S. dollars.

"We left Turkey for Greece four days ago from the sea. We paid 1,200 dollars for each person. Every two kids are counted as one. We sold everything that we had and we worked hard to get the money," said Khaled.

The crossing from Turkey to Lesvos was full of danger with 40 people crowded in a small boat.

"In the middle of the sea we were going to die as the boat had started filling with water. We started to throw our things and bags into the sea. One of us had a cell phone so he called the coastguard asking for help, and they sent two boats, saving us," recalled Khaled.

After getting the documents in Lesvos, Khaled and his family left for Athens by ferry and then for Idomeni by bus, paying 60 euros per person for the ferry ticket and 55 euros for the bus ticket.

With his other wives, sons, daughters vagabond in Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Africa and FYROM, Khaled doesn't know where to go.

"I want a country that respects human rights. I want to ask you or anyone here where is the best place to go," said Khaled.

Despite suffering a lot, Khaled thought he is in a much better place than his homeland.

"In Syria, they throw bombs over our heads every day. ISIS is killing our kids, raping our women. Here is much better... and you are here feeding us and trying to help us," said Khaled.

Showing a black suitcase under his arm, Khaled said he hopes that he can claim his two-million-U.S. dollar fortune one day.

"I have all the documents, including video files to prove the fortune belongs to me," Khaled told Xinhua, waiting under the gun barrel of FYROM soldiers for his turn to cross the border. (mor