The situation remains tense in and around the Moria refugee camp, on the Greek island of Lesbos. Thousands of migrants have still not found a new home, while dozens of people infected with the corona virus have disappeared. “This is a health bomb,” said a doctor.
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More than 12,000 people, mostly from Africa and Afghanistan, have been sleeping on the streets for days since a major fire burned down the notoriously filthy and overcrowded Moria refugee camp on Tuesday night. The camp had already been in for a week lockdown, after some migrants were found to be infected with the corona virus.
A lack of decent living conditions has since then caused the temperature on the island to rise to boiling point. On Saturday hundreds of migrants protested with the slogans “Freedom” and “No camp”, when some bulldozers were brought in to clear the debris so that tents could be set up. Others carried signs with the messages “We don’t want to go through hell like Moria again” and “Can you hear us, Mrs. Merkel?”
“No food, no water, no freedom”
“The fire made things much more difficult,” said Sajida Nazari, a 23-year-old student from Afghanistan who has been detained in Lesvos for over a year. “We have no food, we have no water, we have no freedom.” The police are responding strongly to the unrest on the island. On Saturday, tear gas was shattered as the protesters attempted to march to the nearby port of Mytilene.
READ ALSO. Europe takes in children from Moria refugee camp, but the approach of the Netherlands has met with criticism: “Beyond the shame” (+)
In the meantime, barely 300 refugees have found shelter in a new temporary tent camp. It mainly concerns families. The Greek authorities are now looking for more locations to set up tent camps. “The operation will be completed within five days,” said Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi. “Everyone will be placed in the new camp.” The minister has been visiting the island for two days to coordinate the works.
–Refugee crisis
The fire in the camp, which provided shelter for four times more refugees than originally intended, once again confronts the European Union with the reality of the refugee crisis on its borders. German Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz called on the EU to take in more migrants, but Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has already thrown off such a solution.
READ ALSO. Drama in Moria makes it clear once again that European migration policy must be overhauled, but how? (+)
Despite growing anger among locals after years in the firing line of this refugee crisis, the Greek authorities also continue to refuse to transfer more refugees from Lesvos to the mainland. Officials have already indicated their determination to provide shelter for the thousands of migrants on the spot.
“Health Bomb”
An additional problem is the fact that there is no trace anymore of the 35 refugees who were infected with the corona virus and who were obliged to be kept in quarantine. Greek health authorities promised to conduct rapid tests at the entrance to the new camp, but given the conditions in Moria, that promise does not inspire confidence among the islanders. “This is a health bomb,” said president of the Greek doctors’ union Matina Pagoni. “These people haven’t even had access to water for days, they can’t even wash their hands.
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