Child drowns at sea off Greece in first fatality after Turkey opens border

[webfact]

Child drowns at sea off Greece in first fatality after Turkey opens border

By Lefteris Papadimas and Alkis Konstantinidis

 

Migrants from Afghanistan arrive on a dinghy on a beach near the village of Skala Sikamias, after crossing part of the Aegean Sea from Turkey to the island of Lesbos, Greece, March 2, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

 

KASTANIES/LESBOS, Greece (Reuters) - A young Syrian boy died on Monday after being pulled from the sea when a boat capsized off the Greek island of Lesbos, Greek officials said, the first reported fatality since Turkey opened its border last week to let migrants reach Europe.

 

Separately, two Turkish security sources told Reuters a Syrian migrant had died from injuries on Monday after Greek security forces intervened to prevent migrants crossing from Turkey into Greece, but Athens branded the claim "fake news".

 

More than 10,000 migrants, mostly from Syria, other Middle Eastern states and Afghanistan, have reached Turkey's land borders with EU states Greece and Bulgaria since Ankara said last Thursday it would stop keeping them on its territory.

 

Further south, at least 1,000 migrants have reached Greece's eastern Aegean islands since Sunday morning, Greek police said.

 

"This is an invasion," Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis told Skai TV.

 

The surge, which has seen Greek and Turkish police firing tear gas into crowds caught in the no-man's land between the two borders, has revived memories of the 2015-16 refugee crisis, when more than a million people arrived in Europe from Turkey.

 

"We have children four days without food," one man shouted from behind a wall of barbed wire near the Kastanies border post as Greek riot police stood ready to repel any breaches of the frontier. Nearby soldiers unrolled more coils of barbed wire.

 

The migrants, some with white flags, then chanted "peace" in English.

 

The first fatalities have been reported in Greece since Turkey opened its border last week to let migrants reach Europe. A child pulled from the sea after a migrant boat capsized off the island of Lesbos was one of the victims. Adam Reed reports.

 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's office said he had discussed the border situation with U.S. President Donald Trump who it said had "recognised the right of Greece to enforce the law on its borders". Trump has built a wall to deter migrants trying to enter the United States from Mexico.

 

The boat which capsized off Lesbos had been escorted there by a Turkish vessel, the Greek coastguard said, underlining the escalating tensions between Ankara and Athens. The dead boy was aged about six, they said, but provided no other details.

 

Another dinghy with about 30 Afghans arrived on Lesbos early on Monday, a Reuters journalist reported from the island.

 

About 4,000 people are believed to have drowned in the Aegean during the 2015-16 crisis trying to reach Greece, while some 42,000 migrants are still living in severely overcrowded camps on the Greek islands.

 

"WE'RE STUCK HERE"

The latest migrant surge follows Turkey's decision to stop enforcing a 2016 accord with the European Union whereby it stopped migrants entering the bloc in return for cash.

 

Turkey, already home to 3.7 million Syrian refugees, has another million arriving on its doorstep from a new surge of fighting in northern Syria and says it cannot handle any more.

 

Greek officials have accused Turkey of orchestrating a coordinated effort to drive migrants across the frontier.

 

One Greek policeman accused Turkish soldiers at the Kastanies border gate of "giving cutters" to migrants to cut holes in the fence to get through. Reuters could not independently verify the report.

 

Some migrants camped near the border had erected makeshift tents or built bonfires to stay warm.

 

"We're going to keep waiting here because we left our homes. Those of us who had homes, who had things, we sold them and got money for them. If we want to go back we will sleep in the streets," said Jamal Kassar, a Syrian migrant.

 

"What can we do, we're stuck here, we can't go back home and we can't cross (the border)."

 

A Greek government spokesman said a video circulating on social media showing a young man with wounds to the head laid out on the ground near the border was "fake news". Two Turkish security sources said the Syrian man had died of his wounds.

 

Greeks living near the border said they were tired of seeing waves of migrants passing through.

 

"People are exasperated, they yell, they curse, they are tired of seeing this sight here, immigrants passing," said Poppy Katrivesi, who runs a tavern in Kastanies.

 

The EU's chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed sympathy on Monday with Turkey over the conflict in Syria but said its decision to let refugees and migrants cross into Europe "cannot be an answer or solution".

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose decision to open Germany's borders to refugees helped swell the 2015 influx, also said Turkey should not express its dissatisfaction with the EU "on the back of refugees".

 

Von der Leyen was due to visit the Greek-Turkish border on Tuesday with Mitsotakis.

 

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov of Bulgaria, which also shares a land border with Turkey, was due to hold talks in Ankara late on Monday with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the crisis.

 

Erdogan opened Turkey's border after at least 33 Turkish soldiers sent to Syria to monitor a crumbling ceasefire there were killed last week.

 

(Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas in Kastanies, Alkis Konstantinidis on Lesbos, Renee Maltezou and Foo Yun Chee in Athens, Bushra Shakhshir on the Turkish side of the border, Ali Kucukgocmen and Orhan Coskun in Istanbul; Editing by Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-03

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[melvinmelvin]

 

interesting reading

at this time of the year the weather in the relevant area can be rather rough,

extremely strong winds are more common than uncommon

 

guess more small boys etc will pass out

 

----

this refugee/migrant, whatever, issue is a rather shining example of things not handled well by EU

Turkey / Greece / Italy has handled a very very heavy burden with little help from EU,

not fair

yes yes I know Turkey is not in EU but they are part in this refugee issue

 

----

what we see now is just the beginning of a MUCH larger refugee/migrant issue to come

 

enjoy

 

[tifino]

 

... think of all those potential virus carriers!

 

 - numbers probably supplemented with Iranians too

[twocatsmac]

Very sad that the people traffickers are at it with the inflatables already so early in the year. 

Its incredible the EU and governments concerned still haven’t arrived with a migrant solution, will it never end?

Be prepared for weekly news of capsized dinghies and children used as pawns as the traffickers cash in again.

[AlexRich]

Erdogan is encouraging these people to cross the border when he knows the border is closed to them. Many of them are families with young children and even babies. Using desperate people to pressure the EU and NATO ... what a cynical nasty man. I hope he gets novel Coronavirus ... or better still antibiotic resistant gonorreah.

[JustAnotherHun]

This invasion of violent "peace!"-shouters has to be stopped by all available means. If they attack greece border forces, shoot them.

Let 10000 pass the borders today and you have a million tomorrow.

[henry15]

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

Erdogan is encouraging these people to cross the border when he knows the border is closed to them. Many of them are families with young children and even babies. Using desperate people to pressure the EU and NATO ... what a cynical nasty man. I hope he gets novel Coronavirus ... or better still antibiotic resistant gonorreah.

I don't see many women and children. Most are young men. Those cowards  abandon there wife's and children. They let other  young men fight their wars

[Saint Nick]

2 hours ago, JustAnotherHun said:

This invasion of violent "peace!"-shouters has to be stopped by all available means. If they attack greece border forces, shoot them.

Let 10000 pass the borders today and you have a million tomorrow.

Shoot them!?

Wow!

Just wow!

????

[Saint Nick]

2 hours ago, henry15 said:

I don't see many women and children. Most are young men. Those cowards  abandon there wife's and children. They let other  young men fight their wars

You don't see many women and children, when the article above is LITERALLY about a CHILD, drowning!

I could tell you, what I think of you and others on this thread, but I was given an education and some manners by my parents!

Edited March 3, 2020 by Saint Nick

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, AlexRich said:

Erdogan is encouraging these people to cross the border when he knows the border is closed to them. Many of them are families with young children and even babies. Using desperate people to pressure the EU and NATO ... what a cynical nasty man. I hope he gets novel Coronavirus ... or better still antibiotic resistant gonorreah.

 

The majority aren't families though are they? They are young men, and increasingly aggressive young men. Maybe they should've remained in their own country and channeled that aggression into making their country better. Rather than trying to enter another country illegally and expect to be on free handouts and looked after?

 

Erdogan wants NATO military support in Syria - for his invasion because his much vaunted and very large military are actually fairly <deleted>. He's also wary of Syria's close ally Russia and it's Bear of a leader who has expansionist ideas of his own. So he breaks his deal with the EU hoping to apply pressure to NATO.

 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

You don't see many women and children, when the article above is LITERALLY about a CHILD, drowning!

I could tell you, what I think of you and others on this thread, but I was given an education and some manners by my parents!

 

A bleedin-hear liberal. Just the ticket.

 

The parents, who became criminals by trying to be illegally smuggled into another country, and put their child at risk are the one's to blame. Along with the profiteering smugglers and the Turkish authorities who are facilitating illegal migration to for their own agenda.

 

Sad but people choose to behave illegally.

[Orton Rd]

2 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

You don't see many women and children, when the article above is LITERALLY about a CHILD, drowning!

I could tell you, what I think of you and others on this thread, but I was given an education and some manners by my parents!

The kid would not have drowned if the parents had stayed at home and not put it's life at risk. The odd kid dying should not be used as compassion fodder to help garner sympathy for their illegal actions. These people are illegal immigrants breaking the law.

[Orton Rd]

2 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

Shoot them!?

Wow!

Just wow!

????

Not to kill them just to stop them, rubber bullets would be preferably, failing that shoot in the leg if you cannot stop them any other way. Countries have a right to defend themselves from invasion.

[OneMoreFarang]

It's interesting to see all these (radical) ideas here.

And some easy "solutions".

How about we agree there are no easy solutions to this situation. Because if easy solutions would exist then they would be implemented by now.

It's not difficult to understand that people flee from war. 

And it's not difficult to understand that many people don't want to be overrun by millions of migrants.

There is no easy solution. There are lots of possible compromises - but it seems many people don't like compromises.

I also don't have a solution. That's reality.

 

[ivor bigun]

4 hours ago, Saint Nick said:

You don't see many women and children, when the article above is LITERALLY about a CHILD, drowning!

I could tell you, what I think of you and others on this thread, but I was given an education and some manners by my parents!

Terrible for the child ,the parents killed it ,pity they didnt drown and the child was saved , as for you,why dont you take a few in and pay for their keep for life if your so worried?

[ivor bigun]

48 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It's interesting to see all these (radical) ideas here.

And some easy "solutions".

How about we agree there are no easy solutions to this situation. Because if easy solutions would exist then they would be implemented by now.

It's not difficult to understand that people flee from war. 

And it's not difficult to understand that many people don't want to be overrun by millions of migrants.

There is no easy solution. There are lots of possible compromises - but it seems many people don't like compromises.

I also don't have a solution. That's reality.

 

Trouble is ,they on the whole are not fleeing from war ,but are just economic migrants,why dont they stay and make their countrys better ,rather than making ours worse.?

[OneMoreFarang]

7 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Trouble is ,they on the whole are not fleeing from war ,but are just economic migrants,why dont they stay and make their countrys better ,rather than making ours worse.?

"ours"?

Where do you live? In Thailand? As a foreigner?

[rasmus5150]

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

"ours"?

Where do you live? In Thailand? As a foreigner?

You are comparing apples and oranges.

 

European foreigners that comes to Thailand will never be an economic burden to Thai society. If we cannot contribute in any way, and we don't have economical means to support our self - it's "Bye Bye"

 

[Saint Nick]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It's interesting to see all these (radical) ideas here.

And some easy "solutions".

How about we agree there are no easy solutions to this situation. Because if easy solutions would exist then they would be implemented by now.

It's not difficult to understand that people flee from war. 

And it's not difficult to understand that many people don't want to be overrun by millions of migrants.

There is no easy solution. There are lots of possible compromises - but it seems many people don't like compromises.

I also don't have a solution. That's reality.

 

They are not only radical, they are heartless and cruel and vile!

...and a lot of them smell like "final solution"...

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, rasmus5150 said:

You are comparing apples and oranges.

 

European foreigners that comes to Thailand will never be an economic burden to Thai society. If we cannot contribute in any way, and we don't have economical means to support our self - it's "Bye Bye"

 

Lots of statistics show that overall foreigners in Europe don't cost money. They "produce" money, pay taxes, etc.

But obviously some people don't like some foreigners - independent if they cost money or not.

And I think that is also the case in Thailand. Some people like foreigners and some not. And some only don't like foreigners with certain skin colors or from certain countries.

That's why I find it amusing that here are often people who live as foreigners in Thailand and who don't like foreigners back "home". Amazing!

[Saint Nick]

24 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

Trouble is ,they on the whole are not fleeing from war ,but are just economic migrants,why dont they stay and make their countrys better ,rather than making ours worse.?

...and who - in big parts- put them into a situation, where they work in their homecountries for absolute minimum vages in horroble conditions, whereas the salary of a minimum vage earner in "our" countries, seems to be a promissing prospect?

Nothing to do, with the wars "we" fight in their countries or with the products "we" buy at minimum prices and for money that never ever reaches these "economic migrants"?

Nooo...it has nothing to do with "us" - they just become "economic migrants" out of pure greed!

 

[JustAnotherHun]

24 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Lots of statistics show that overall foreigners in Europe don't cost money. They "produce" money, pay taxes, etc.

In which universe?

What money will the 70% illiterates out of a million migrants that came to Germany ever produce? They'll be a permanent burden to the social security system and a thread to a liberal society.

People living on social welfare don't pay tax as you might know.

Let's take a look at the costs:

Between 2015 and 2017 it was 43 billion Euro. The forecast for the following 4 years were aditionally 80 billion Euros.

 

[Saint Nick]

10 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

In which universe?

What money will the 70% illiterates out of a million migrants that came to Germany ever produce? They'll be a permanent burden to the social security system and a thread to a liberal society.

People living on social welfare don't pay tax as you might know.

Let's take a look at the costs:

Between 2015 and 2017 it was 43 billion Euro. The forecast for the following 4 years were aditionally 80 billion Euros.

 

You of course, have some data to back that up?

I mean other than some AfD- propaganda flyer or some numbers, some rightwinger pulled out of his backside, right?!

 

Yeah...didn't think so!

It's more a touchy- feely- thing for you right wingers anyways!

It's not data that matters, it's the feelings you all have!

 

Sad!

[OneMoreFarang]

11 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

In which universe?

What money will the 70% illiterates out of a million migrants that came to Germany ever produce? They'll be a permanent burden to the social security system and a thread to a liberal society.

People living on social welfare don't pay tax as you might know.

Let's take a look at the costs:

Between 2015 and 2017 it was 43 billion Euro. The forecast for the following 4 years were aditionally 80 billion Euros.

 

I don't collect articles like that and I don't want to google and post just something. But I read a couple of articles about this including about Germany.

Sure there are some people who don't work and cost money. But it seems, according to official numbers, that overall the migrants pay more taxes then they cost.

But it seems that is not what many people want to see.

Because it's so much easier to say: I don't like them because they cost so much money.

Compared to saying: I don't like them because they are different.

 

Personally I am somewhere in between. I am definitely also no fan of thousand of criminals coming to Europe. But on the other hand it seems there are also many many young arrivals who i.e. work as nurses and similar jobs to take care of all the old "native" people. That seems to be something which is often overlooked: Germany and many other EU countries have lots of old people who collect pensions. Who will work to pay for them? And who will care for all of them.

It's not a black and white situation.

[JustAnotherHun]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Sure there are some people who don't work and cost money. But it seems, according to official numbers, that overall the migrants pay more taxes then they cost.

I provided some data in the last post.

 

 

But it seems that is not what many people want to see.

Because it's so much easier to say: I don't like them because they cost so much money.Compared to saying: I don't like them because they are different.

Not me. I'm pro immigration as everyone must be who knows the German situation. The question is what kind of immigration. Germany - like any other western country - urgently needs skilled immigrants who can provide something to the society.

The people who came in 2015 are in huge numbers illiterates from extremely violent societies. Have a look at the crime rates.

 

IMO as long as Germany has tenns of thousands homeless citizens and a pension niveau that forces men and women into poverty after they worked all their lives and rebuilt the country after ww2 we should not feed a million migrants. If that's "far right" so may it be.

[ivor bigun]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

"ours"?

Where do you live? In Thailand? As a foreigner?

Please you just embarrass yourself when you try these tactics ,i wont bother saying why its different as Rasamus 5150 has said it already ,but if you have nothing to say best say nothing.

Also i am married to a local girl and live amongst Thai people they are my neighbours ,living in my house which we bought with money from my home country and my sons earnings ,i do not live in an enclave ,where just my own people live ,i could go on but whats the use.

Edited March 3, 2020 by ivor bigun

[ivor bigun]

16 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't collect articles like that and I don't want to google and post just something. But I read a couple of articles about this including about Germany.

Sure there are some people who don't work and cost money. But it seems, according to official numbers, that overall the migrants pay more taxes then they cost.

But it seems that is not what many people want to see.

Because it's so much easier to say: I don't like them because they cost so much money.

Compared to saying: I don't like them because they are different.

 

Personally I am somewhere in between. I am definitely also no fan of thousand of criminals coming to Europe. But on the other hand it seems there are also many many young arrivals who i.e. work as nurses and similar jobs to take care of all the old "native" people. That seems to be something which is often overlooked: Germany and many other EU countries have lots of old people who collect pensions. Who will work to pay for them? And who will care for all of them.

It's not a black and white situation.

You say there are many young arrivals who work as nurses and similar jobs ,yes i agree and welcome them ,they have applied and got their visas ,they are not standing at the borders throwing rocks and illegally coming over in rubber dingy's then disapearing ,

these are the people we are talking about and you are standing up for .

[JustAnotherHun]

1 minute ago, ivor bigun said:

You say there are many young arrivals who work as nurses and similar jobs ,yes i agree and welcome them ,they have applied and got their visas ,they are not standing at the borders throwing rocks and illegally coming over in rubber dingy's then disapearing ,

these are the people we are talking about and you are standing up for .

The thing is, if you are skilled and from outside the EU and want to work in Germany you'll be refused. Me and others in my business are trying since years to open Germany for nurses from the Philippines. No way.

[ivor bigun]

8 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

The thing is, if you are skilled and from outside the EU and want to work in Germany you'll be refused. Me and others in my business are trying since years to open Germany for nurses from the Philippines. No way.

Thats a shame ,if skilled workers are needed ,let them apply for and get a visa ,no problem ,no matter where they are from ,but not the wasters that we see and hear about daily .

but there are so many "sympathizers" "there are none so blind as those who do not want to see"

[tifino]

48 minutes ago, JustAnotherHun said:

The thing is, if you are skilled and from outside the EU and want to work in Germany you'll be refused. Me and others in my business are trying since years to open Germany for nurses from the Philippines. No way.

it is all about the incompatibility of Qualifications, between different countries at vastly different levels of advancement.

 

A Dr arrives in a boat, and can now only work in menial level tasks... or a taxi driver