Desperate migrants stranded on Greek island seek shelter, Europe weighs options

By Lefteris Papadimas

 

Tents are set up on a disused shooting range to accommodate refugees and migrants from the destroyed Moria camp following a fire, on the island of Lesbos, Greece, September 11, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

 

LESBOS, Greece (Reuters) - Despairing migrants left without shelter on the island of Lesbos after a fire destroyed Greece's biggest refugee camp faced off against police on Friday as authorities began setting up hundreds of tents to try to contain the crisis.

 

With more than 12,000 former occupants of the overcrowded Moria reception centre now camping out in fields and along roadsides without food or water and threatened by a possible spread of coronavirus infections, the need for a solution has become increasingly urgent.

 

But the Greek government has been forced to tread warily due to growing anger among residents of an island whose location a few miles off the Turkish coast has kept them on the frontline of Europe's migrant crisis for years.

 

"Moria is a monstrosity," Dimitris Koursoubas, a senior official responsible for migration in the northern Aegean islands, said, saying the fire which destroyed the camp on Wednesday presented a "tragic opportunity" to find a solution.

 

"We want all the migrants out, for national reasons. Moria is over," he said.

 

The migrants, most from Africa, Syria or Afghanistan, have been desperate to get off the island and a group of several hundred gathered a few miles outside the main port of Mytilene, near a supermarket where helicopters landed tents and supplies.

 

Shouting "Freedom!" and "No police!" and waving handmade signs reading "No new camp", or "Please Help Us!" they faced off against police who blocked them going down the road into town.

 

Greek officials say they believe the fire in the Moria centre was lit deliberately by migrants reacting to quarantine measures after COVID-19 was detected in the camp last week.

 

The emergency has once again highlighted Europe's patchy response to a multi-year crisis that has seen more than a million migrants reach its shores, often on board flimsy vessels and fleeing wars and poverty in the Middle East and beyond.

 

"SLEEPING AMONG GRAVES"

 

"The clock has run out on how long Europe can be without a migration policy. Now is the time to change this," Margaritis Schinas, the European commissioner responsible for migration and asylum policy, said at a news conference in Berlin.

 

Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy, where most migrant boats arrive, have long demanded that other EU states take in more asylum seekers, but Hungary and Poland, among others, have refused to share the burden.

 

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, speaking alongside Schinas, said France and Germany had agreed to take in most of around 400 minors who have been moved from Lesbos to the Greek mainland.

 

But there has been no wider agreement on resettlement and Greek authorities have refused any mass transfers off Lesbos.

 

"Life meets death here," said Eftychia Sougioultzi, a 64-year-old local woman, visiting a cemetery where her daughter is buried. "Yesterday I saw children sobbing, sleeping among the graves."

 

For the migrants seeking shade from the blazing late summer heat, many of whom lost whatever possessions they had in the blaze, the outlook is bleak.

 

"I want somebody to help us because this is too much, you know, I wake up in the morning, I think things will change but nothing changes," said Pamela, a Congolese woman who escaped the fire with just her children and has since slept in the open.

 

"All my things are gone, I don't have anything, no clothes, like nothing."

 

The World Health Organization said it was sending two emergency medical teams. Officials also said 200,000 rapid COVID-19 tests had been brought to the island to handle a possible upsurge in cases.

 

In the chaos following the blaze, authorities have lost track of at least 35 people who had tested positive.

 

(Writing by James Mackenzie; Additional reporting Angeliki Koutantou, Renee Maltezou and George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Gareth Jones and Janet Lawrence)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-12

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

 

4 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Greek officials say they believe the fire in the Moria centre was lit deliberately by migrants

Charge them all for arson and attempted murder, then send them back home. Hard to feel sorry for them when they burned the free housing and shelters they were kindly given by the Greeks. Another PR disaster.

11 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Charge them all for arson and attempted murder, then send them back home. Hard to feel sorry for them when they burned the free housing and shelters they were kindly given by the Greeks. Another PR disaster.

Sad soul..........

17 minutes ago, Tug said:

Sad soul..........

Pretty sad burning their own camp down. All children have been removed from the camp and are being assisted to start new lives. The adults are being left to stew in their own mess.

28 minutes ago, polpott said:

Pretty sad burning their own camp down. All children have been removed from the camp and are being assisted to start new lives. The adults are being left to stew in their own mess.

To me it sounds like you think every person in that camp of desperation all together in mass burnt it down sorry but I think your logic is flawed now if you can find the perp or perps punishing them I’m on board with that and separation of kids from their parents is life altering damaging btw

Edited September 11, 20205 yr by Tug

Just now, Tug said:

To me it sounds like you think every person in that camp of desperation all together in mass burnt it down sorry but I think your logic is flawed now if you can find the perp or perps punishing them I’m on board with that

I saw a drone video on TV which showed the whole camp. Dozens of separate fires spread evenly throughout the camp. Clearly a planned and co-ordinated effort by the occupants. Also interviewed an African guy who spoke English and virtually admitted as such. Virtually the whole camp knew what was happening and were on board with it. They were told that if they burned the camp down the Authorities would have no option but to move them on.

 

I'm far from anti refugee and normally have sympathy with them. On this occasion not a drop of sympathy from me.

 

If the authorities had acceeded to their demands you would have had refugee camps everywhere bursting int flames.

I think it instructive to observe how far down the ladder of human misery some folk need to climb in order to find someone to tread on in order to parade their sense of superiority.

 

 

4 minutes ago, polpott said:

I saw a drone video on TV which showed the whole camp. Dozens of separate fires spread evenly throughout the camp. Clearly a planned and co-ordinated effort by the occupants. Also interviewed an African guy who spoke English and virtually admitted as such. Virtually the whole camp knew what was happening and were on board with it. They were told that if they burned the camp down the Authorities would have no option but to move them on.

 

I'm far from anti refugee and normally have sympathy with them. On this occasion not a drop of sympathy from me.

 

If the authorities had acceeded to their demands you would have had refugee camps everywhere bursting int flames.

You saw drone footage and an interview with a single ‘African guy’.

 

Your conclusion, “Virtually the whole camp knew what was happening and were on board with it”.

 

You of course don’t tell us where you saw this video and ‘interview’ with the ‘African man’.

 

 

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

You saw drone footage and an interview with a single ‘African guy’.

 

Your conclusion, “Virtually the whole camp knew what was happening and were on board with it”.

 

You of course don’t tell us where you saw this video and ‘interview’ with the ‘African man’.

 

 

Euronews. I'm sorry it doesn't fit your agenda, it doesn't fit mine, but it is what it is.

6 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I think it instructive to observe how far down the ladder of human misery some folk need to climb in order to find someone to tread on in order to parade their sense of superiority.

 

 

They trod on themselves.

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Charge them all for arson and attempted murder, then send them back home. Hard to feel sorry for them when they burned the free housing and shelters they were kindly given by the Greeks. Another PR disaster.

Collective punishment for the alleged actions of a few.

1 hour ago, polpott said:

I saw a drone video on TV which showed the whole camp. Dozens of separate fires spread evenly throughout the camp. Clearly a planned and co-ordinated effort by the occupants. Also interviewed an African guy who spoke English and virtually admitted as such. Virtually the whole camp knew what was happening and were on board with it. They were told that if they burned the camp down the Authorities would have no option but to move them on.

 

I'm far from anti refugee and normally have sympathy with them. On this occasion not a drop of sympathy from me.

 

If the authorities had acceeded to their demands you would have had refugee camps everywhere bursting int flames.

The only drone video I have found shows the aftermath of the destruction. Please provide a link to a source for your allegation.

How many countries did they travel through to get to Greece?? 

Surely they can go back to any one of those ????

1 hour ago, polpott said:

They trod on themselves.

A hard truth learnt only over time: many people are in bad situations because of bad luck, timing or ill health.

But many people are in bad situations who deserve it through laziness, cheating, immorality and greed.

Assuming the latter are the former is the danger.

Just now, DaftToPutRealName said:

How many countries did they travel through to get to Greece?? 

Surely they can go back to any one of those ????

For the Syrians, only 1, Turkey. Turkey was absolutely swamped with refugees and Erdrogan lied to them by saying Greece/Europe would welcome them with open arms and the border was open. Also made veiled threats if they didn't leave.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You saw drone footage and an interview with a single ‘African guy’.

 

Your conclusion, “Virtually the whole camp knew what was happening and were on board with it”.

 

You of course don’t tell us where you saw this video and ‘interview’ with the ‘African man’.

 

 

It's funny how this just keeps "randomly" happening, specifically to these Greek camps, yet people like you still seem to have their head firmly planted in the ground.

From May: https://rmx.news/article/article/migrants-keep-burning-down-their-own-refugee-camps-in-greece-and-other-nations

From April: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/scores-homeless-after-greek-migrant-camp-fire-official-154230

https://www.ekathimerini.com/252069/article/ekathimerini/news/fires-at-samos-migrant-camp-force-partial-evacuation?fbclid=IwAR02eIBLjSzfvqfNM3xdeeZgAW7CCC6-tFsrFTN0nkQLEYTjDb-mFlJfJkU

"Ohhh, but we're talking about THIS time that the camp got burnt down, not all the other times".

Okay bud, here you go:

https://www.star.gr/eidiseis/ellada/513466/nea-fwtia-twra-sth-moria-ntokoymento-metanasths-bazei-fwtia

https://www.tichyseinblick.de/kolumnen/aus-aller-welt/eine-koordinierte-aktion-mit-dem-ziel-dieses-ganze-camp-in-brand-zu-setzen/

Don't speak Greek or German? Oh well, I guess that makes it a debunked problematic far-right conspiracy theory?

Edited September 12, 20205 yr by DaftToPutRealName

3 minutes ago, polpott said:

For the Syrians, only 1, Turkey. Turkey was absolutely swamped with refugees and Erdrogan lied to them by saying Greece/Europe would welcome them with open arms and the border was open. Also made veiled threats if they didn't leave.

I believe Erdogan did this because Europe refused to provide aid to cover the cost of said refugees.

It doesn't help that all the Soros funded NGOs are scrambling for more money so they can continue to exploit people for political and financial gain.

2 minutes ago, DaftToPutRealName said:

I believe Erdogan did this because Europe refused to provide aid to cover the cost of said refugees.

It doesn't help that all the Soros funded NGOs are scrambling for more money so they can continue to exploit people for political and financial gain.

He was already receiving millions it was more to do with Europe refusing to accept more refugees from him.

 

"It doesn't help that all the Soros funded NGOs are scrambling for more money so they can continue to exploit people for political and financial gain." Conspiracy theory nonsense.

Just now, polpott said:

He was already receiving millions it was more to do with Europe refusing to accept more refugees from him.

 

Sure, so it's understandable that if Turkey can't handle it by itself that the next logical step is to either provide for an external solution, or remove the problem. Up to Europe if they care enough to deal with it or not.

 

Just now, polpott said:

"It doesn't help that all the Soros funded NGOs are scrambling for more money so they can continue to exploit people for political and financial gain." Conspiracy theory nonsense.

Soros and his conglomerates of NGOs and partners are well known for funding illegal people trafficking of migrants across to Europe - or do you think these well equipped boats just magically appear out of thin air and just happen to be bringing constant boat-loads of people across to Europe?

https://www.ngo-monitor.org/soros.pdf

If you have evidence to the contrary then I'd love for you to educate me on it.

4 minutes ago, DaftToPutRealName said:

 

Sure, so it's understandable that if Turkey can't handle it by itself that the next logical step is to either provide for an external solution, or remove the problem. Up to Europe if they care enough to deal with it or not.

 

Soros and his conglomerates of NGOs and partners are well known for funding illegal people trafficking of migrants across to Europe - or do you think these well equipped boats just magically appear out of thin air and just happen to be bringing constant boat-loads of people across to Europe?

https://www.ngo-monitor.org/soros.pdf

If you have evidence to the contrary then I'd love for you to educate me on it.

The source you quoted is a right wing zionist organisation.

 

Here's something less biased:

 

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/nov/13/blog-posting/claim-george-soros-giving-migrants-debit-cards-has/

 

 

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

With more than 12,000 former occupants of the overcrowded Moria reception centre now camping out in fields and along roadsides without food or water and threatened by a possible spread of coronavirus infections, the need for a solution has become increasingly urgent.

How about a free return trip to whence they came.

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy, where most migrant boats arrive, have long demanded that other EU states take in more asylum seekers, but Hungary and Poland, among others, have refused to share the burden.

Why should they? If Greece and Italy allow them to land it's their problem.

If I illegally landed in Thailand how many minutes would it be before I was banged up in immigration jail awaiting deportation?

To me its sad! But tell me one coundry whitch want take ten's of thosand's refugee's ! To destroy own ekonomy of coundry! Already hard situation coz covid! This problem can't be solved if refugee's and others not fix problem's in coundry where they come ! Racism and rightist thinking grow all the time coz many people afreid what "outsider's" do they own coundry! They have zero empathy when they think refugee's and i don't blame them! Coz one coundy can't haddle many "outsider"!

Edited September 12, 20205 yr by 2 is 1

42 minutes ago, forehandplus said:

The only drone video I have found shows the aftermath of the destruction. Please provide a link to a source for your allegation.

As I've already said, it was on Euronews yesterday.

 

BTW, its not an allegation its a fact. Please don't call me a liar without proof.

duplicate

Edited September 12, 20205 yr by izod10

Just now, izod10 said:

Not superiority,more like not wanted.... the illegal migrants might want ,the receiving hosts do not want,  simple

 Another boat load after freebies

 

Human compassion for the misfortunes of others is not a suicide pact. If the economies of Greece and Italy collapse under the burden of the migrants and Covid, and the poor of those countries fall even further to the level of the migrants, has anything really been gained?

corona is for everybody, just send them back 

 

who needs low educated people with an incompatible religion

 

when I was young, migrants came to my home country from italy & others to WORK

 

not for the FREE FOR ALL BENEFITS with ZERO OBLIGATIONS

Merkel, Erdogan, Macron, receiving migrants / immigrants.
GO ON DANCE !!!!!