Month: August 2015

Arrival in Mytilini and construction of the camp

Lesbos

By ronja

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The first groups of w2e and JoG arrived in Mytilini (Lesvos) / Greece. The people from Greece, Sweden, Germany and France arrived on different ways. Some of them flew to Athens or directly to Mytilini, others travelled by car and ferry. Some of them already met in Athens where they organized the infoguides in different languages. When the ferry arrived in Mytilini some of the people had to stay in the harbour because the cars were full of material. So they got some first impressions of the situation there. The others on their way to the camp already saw the first refugees who had just arrived.

They were on their way to the harbour where the first registration takes place. Our people went fast to the camp to unload the cars, then they drove back to catch up the refugees because the way from where they arrive to the harbour is very long and the heat makes it very hard to get there. Back in the harbour, they caught up the rest of our group to go back to the camp where the work started. The camping place was really dirty, full of garbage …read more

From:: Lesvos

Journey III: First Impressions

Lesbos

By ronja

The first morning we stay at the beach in
Charamida with a bigger group: About 4AM some of us hear the sound of an
engine, people shouting. Directly at the beach next to us a boat with
refugees from Syria and Iraq arrived. We go to welcome them and bring
them some water and biscuits. It is a group of about 40 people, among
them many families with children, who arrived from Turkey after 4 hours
in the sea. We call the coastguard, we call the police, but without much
hope that they will come and pick them. There are so many arrivals these
days and mostly the people have to walk and walk for hours until they
reach Mitilini where they have to register in the port. The way from
Charamida to Mitilini is long.
But the transport of unregistered refugees is not longer criminalized.
You have to call 100 and tell the police that you will bring refugees to
the port-police to register them, tell them your numberplates, then
there is no risk. Many people on this island transport day by day
newcomers nowadays. So we start to shuttle the families with children
first. When we go to Mitilini we find more people walking on the street
another boat with Syrians, again a lot of …read more

From:: Lesvos

Statement & information about the situation of the refugees & immigrants in Kos Island

greece

By clandestina

Once, a long time ago, but not so far so as to pretend we have forgotten about it, thousands of people – familiar faces, and even more familiar names – began their trail seeking a better tomorrow. They were crammed up in trains, welcomed by hostile police squads, registered by authorities, slept in areas unfit even for animals, worked the worst jobs – and to top it all, they were branded as subhumans, scum and blackheads, so they would be belittled as workers, and become dispossessed as human beings.

Presently, the history of refugees and immigrants – which never ceased to exist, since states, nations and wars are ever present – is going through a revival, only this time, we are on the other side of the sea, awaiting the arrival of scores of thousands of migrants, risking their lives to cross the borders of Europe; a Europe that is culpable for what goes on in the lands these people left behind. With its army scattered all over the world, and in league with every authoritative powers-that-be residing in these areas, usurping resources and soils for centuries, Europe remembers its security whenever there is a price to pay for the choices …read more

From:: Clandestine

Europe’s Deportation Machine – Human Rights Activists Monitor

Berlin

By freedomnotfrontex In-depth reportage ZEIT ONLINE in English about the system of mass deportation of refugees in Germany and Europe. ZEIT ONLINE report: http://zeit.de/feature/refugees-in-germany-deportation-flights-laws Interactive: http://www.zeit.de/feature/deportation-refugees-flights-frontex Thousands of refugees risk their lives getting to Europe each day. And many of them won’t … Continue reading → …read more

From:: Berlin

Journey back to the border – Part III

Lesbos

By ronja

Lesvos/ Greece 15.-26. August 2015

Next week, in August 2015 we will return once again to the border– to the places of our first arrivals and encounters, to one of Europe’s gates and transit zones.

We will continue to warmly welcome all newcomers and we want to empower them through our presence. In the very moment as they challenge the European borders we will stand by them.

If the European border regime becomes history it will be washed ashore by the wave of our collective NO; our NO to be exposed to war and repression, our NO to be excluded from education and healthcare, our NO to be exploited and forgotten. Even if our “No” is not always shout out loud, it vibrates in every single step of our journeys.

We feel solidarity and a strong connection with our friends in Greece, who have been confronted with the brutality of the European elites in another way. Their Oxi! gave us hope when most of us, after a long journey, tried to find a place in Europe, tried to figure out the relation to and within the European society. As new European citizens we demand equal rights for everyone. Obviously, not only …read more

From:: Lesvos