Published : 01-10-2019
Palestinian and Syrian migrants who have sought shelter in Moria refugee camp, pitched on the Greek island of Mytilene, took to the streets on Sunday, speaking up against the squalid humanitarian condition they have been facing.
Greek police unleashed heavy spates of teargas grenades to disband the protesters, several among whom choked on teargas. At the same time, wildfires broke out at a number of mobile caravans set up in the camp, resulting in heavy material damage.
Over recent months, Moria, one of the biggest refugee camps in Europe, has been running at three times its capacity, reportedly with over 9,000 refugees.
Thousands of women and girls are trapped on Greek islands, often in horrendous conditions, due to a “containment” policy for asylum seekers, to facilitate speedy processing and return to Turkey under the EU-Turkey deal.
Last month, UNICEF warned that the number of unaccompanied migrant minors staying in overcrowded reception centers on the Greek islands exceeds 1,100, the highest level since the peak of the refugee crisis in early 2016, calling on European countries to do more to protect vulnerable children.
“We continue to appeal to Greek authorities to transfer children to adequate accommodation on the mainland, but Greece cannot support refugee and migrant children alone,” UNICEF’s regional director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said from the agency’s headquarters in Geneva.
“It is vital that European governments increase pledges to relocate unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children, and fast-track family reunifications for those who already have relatives in Europe,” she added.
The refugees’ cries for help are a stark reminder that the situation in reception centers in Greece is at a breaking-point.
Built to house 3,000 people, the Moria facility is hosting more than 8,700, including some 3,000 children, according to UNICEF. There are 520 unaccompanied children at a special section of the camp which was made to hold 160. Overall, Greece is hosting more than 32,000 child migrants of whom 4,100 are unaccompanied.
Palestinian refugees from Syria continue to risk their lives onboard the “death boats” to Greece, rummaging around for a momentary respite from the daily scenes of bloodshed and destruction.
AGPS has kept record of the death of dozens of refugees onboard Greece-bound ships. Several others have been arrested by Turkish coast guards.
Activists estimate that around 4,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are taking shelter on Greece islands.
Palestinian and Syrian migrants who have sought shelter in Moria refugee camp, pitched on the Greek island of Mytilene, took to the streets on Sunday, speaking up against the squalid humanitarian condition they have been facing.
Greek police unleashed heavy spates of teargas grenades to disband the protesters, several among whom choked on teargas. At the same time, wildfires broke out at a number of mobile caravans set up in the camp, resulting in heavy material damage.
Over recent months, Moria, one of the biggest refugee camps in Europe, has been running at three times its capacity, reportedly with over 9,000 refugees.
Thousands of women and girls are trapped on Greek islands, often in horrendous conditions, due to a “containment” policy for asylum seekers, to facilitate speedy processing and return to Turkey under the EU-Turkey deal.
Last month, UNICEF warned that the number of unaccompanied migrant minors staying in overcrowded reception centers on the Greek islands exceeds 1,100, the highest level since the peak of the refugee crisis in early 2016, calling on European countries to do more to protect vulnerable children.
“We continue to appeal to Greek authorities to transfer children to adequate accommodation on the mainland, but Greece cannot support refugee and migrant children alone,” UNICEF’s regional director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said from the agency’s headquarters in Geneva.
“It is vital that European governments increase pledges to relocate unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children, and fast-track family reunifications for those who already have relatives in Europe,” she added.
The refugees’ cries for help are a stark reminder that the situation in reception centers in Greece is at a breaking-point.
Built to house 3,000 people, the Moria facility is hosting more than 8,700, including some 3,000 children, according to UNICEF. There are 520 unaccompanied children at a special section of the camp which was made to hold 160. Overall, Greece is hosting more than 32,000 child migrants of whom 4,100 are unaccompanied.
Palestinian refugees from Syria continue to risk their lives onboard the “death boats” to Greece, rummaging around for a momentary respite from the daily scenes of bloodshed and destruction.
AGPS has kept record of the death of dozens of refugees onboard Greece-bound ships. Several others have been arrested by Turkish coast guards.
Activists estimate that around 4,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are taking shelter on Greece islands.
