Blaze destroys Division Greece Moria refugee camp symbolizes E.U. About the future of migrants

12,000 migrants and refugees were the largest refugee camp, Moria throughout Greece, Lesvos island after the fires in the last two days, spread to basic services without shelter or permitted. Fires are under increasing tensions on the island of Lesbos in Greece and the wider European Union on the issue of migrants. Residents, most of whom are fleeing from Afghanistan and Syria crowded and dangerous living conditions faced since the field in 2015. Then, last week established the camp had its first outbreak of COVID -19, which greatly to two weeks of quarantine limited movement of residents. The first fire broke out on Tuesday evening, destroying most of the field. The next night, a second fire in a nearby olive grove to be of an informal settlement, turn the last intact part of the ash field. Although it is not yet clear exactly how the fire started, authorities say the fire started were new refugees COVID-19 to protest policy. Others accused the people of the greek place far-right feet to the fire to start in the center of the island anti-migrant sentiment is on the rise. While neither accounts were audited, the rumors circulating about who is the fire started explaining more tension on the island, where the migrants to their living conditions are full and residents are increasingly angry about the lack of support for national, regional and international to manage the flow of migrants and refugees on the island. They ‘also available in a time when many migrants in Europe feel the back, are increasingly turning less tolerant and less willing to help make countries like France more stringent measures on immigration. “We said that Moria a time bomb,” says Eva Cossé, a researcher at Human Rights Watch that she and many other experts, he says, a crisis like this would be expected to develop. “It is not surprising, but it’s incredibly sad. It shows how bad the European Union and Greece this situation made it”. Well, they destroyed most of the camp, live the future of migrants and refugees in Moria remain unknown. Here’s what to know. What is the refugee camp of Moria? The refugee camp of Moria is the largest refugee camp in Greece, on the island of Lesbos. Originally built for 2,200 people, the field has nearly ten times the amount of people that originally housed destined. At the time of the fire, the housing was 12,000. Since 2015, more than one million migrants in Moria, with the majority coming from Afghanistan and Syria arrive by sea. 85% of people living in refugee camps; others are classified as migrants. A third of the camp population are children under the age of 12, according to United Nations data for Refugees (UNHCR). For years, human rights activists have spoken out against the field conditions that remain dangerous and inadequate. Overcrowding has forced people to seek refuge in neighboring olive groves. The camp is especially dangerous for girls and women, sexual violence are vulnerable. As a result, many reports afraid baths, showers or queuing for food in distribution lines, Human Rights Watch. The conditions are so bad, “for transfer to their plans speed for a more adequate housing asylum seekers on the mainland” on the greek government as “emergency measures” and to implement that on 7 February, the United Nations, given growing concerns about epidemics available. were some measures taken. How it influenced COVID the field? Last week, a 40 year old man, the first person to test positive COVID-19 in Moria. Since then at least 35 more people have tested positive for the virus. The field has been set for two weeks under a strict quarantine, and the population movements are severely restricted. Human rights activists fear that the greek government continues to limit this epidemic as an opportunity exploits the freedom of people living in the camp. Notis Mitarachi, the greek minister for migration, has already said, the case crown the need for structures “closed and controlled” for refugees is. Although camp Moria has seen far fewer cases than the rest of Greece, its inhabitants have faced more restrictions. The rest of the country began in May have fewer restrictions welcome international tourists, but the field is still in the block since March have 23.em While refugees and workers in the same manner in which they occupied the marks in question on a possible COVID- 19 outbreak in the field of social Moria away impossible and there is a drastic lack of medical care-many did not believe a strict blockade is the answer. “Locked aggravated a situation where so many people are already living in intolerable conditions that lead to violence and poverty,” said Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, the International Rescue Committee director Greece. “It ‘s time that EU countries are working with the greek government to find solutions much better.” How did the fire? Three fires started on Tuesday evening on the outskirts of the camp and moved inward. Twenty-five firefighters called has been wiped out and in front of the fire on Wednesday morning. The cause is unknown. The activists, humanitarian workers and local media have suggested, however, have been deliberately started the fires of people in the field, bringing their anger over the latest restrictions on expression blocking. “No water, no social distancing measures has created a lot of tension,” says Cossé. “When you have the uncertainty of COVID, this can lead to tensions and fire very easily.” The poor conditions in the camps have also forced people to use temporary stoves for heating and cooking. Many people live in tent summer or cardboard boxes in close proximity to each other, creating a fire hazard. Others spread that “extreme right-wing Greeks” are responsible. While UNHCR says there is not enough evidence to back up the last spokesman of the month this statement, Stella Nanou, a UNHCR in Greece says that tensions have risen over. “It takes pity on the part of many inhabitants of the islands,” he says. “But I’m afraid the problems left unattended for a very long time and people feel abandoned, were the entire burden of the crisis thus leads to more tension shoulder, the more xenophobic rhetoric, more hostility from the local community has shown towards refugees. “While it is still clear that the fire and how many experts are not surprised that the fires started breaking out. “What we see is a pity, but it is not the first time, the tragic events of Moria happen,” says Kalogeropoulou. In March, a fire claimed the life of a child of six years and in September last year, a fire killed a woman and her baby. How much damage have caused the fire? The fires have destroyed most of the camp, leaving 12,000 people live on the streets. So far, no deaths were reported. Local police have to avoid blocked roads to the camp, thousands of migrants that close to flee the city. The migrants do not have access to a shelter or medical care. The fire has burned the shelters and the European Office for kindergarten, that concerns about the refugee files and cases of migration. “A big question is what will happen to people dossiers and documents on asylum,” says Cossé it that people think that the only documents that prove they need asylum have been burned in the fire. What happens next? The greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called an emergency meeting Wednesday morning fire. Several ministers had Lesbos directs the crisis to deal with. The European Union has also offered help. Margaritis Schinas, the vice president of the European Commission said they were “ready to support Greece, directly at all levels in these difficult times.” Ylva Johansson, the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, also to pay for the transfer of 4,000 unaccompanied children to the mainland and it was agreed yesterday transferred the 400th The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia also said it is ready to take refugees displaced in 1000 by the fires. Experts say the solution to the fire and to the problems in the shifting is common. “What is important to say that there is an urgent need for the European Union Solidarity people eventually transfer from the island,” says Cossé. “This is the most important thing to do.”
Picture copyright by Elias Marcou-Reuters