AYS Daily Digest 24/03/2021: UK’s new plan on immigration
By: Are You Syrious
Tags: Digest, UK, France, Refugees, Lebanon

Greece

More than 9000 people on the move are living on Lesvos at the moment. The majority—almost 6800—are at the Mavrovouni site, better known as Moria2, reports journalist Franziska Grillmeier. Most of the people, some 70 percent, are from Afghanistan. Of these, 35 percent are children, many of them younger than twelve years old, five percent are unaccompanied, and 23 percent are women; more than half of the residents belong to vulnerable groups.

Meanwhile, some 30 people were sleeping in front of the police office so they could queue up the next morning to get their permission to travel to the mainland.

According to the social media reports, a young man died on Kos due to medical negligence. It is said that police and the camp administration refused to transfer him to hospital.

Following a statement by Mytilene’s mayor that the original Pikpa camp run by Lesvos Solidarity was handed over in “horrible condition”, the organization reacted to the accusations, saying: “Pikpa’s shelter was recognised at a universal level and was awarded numerous times as a model example for hosting refugees and supporting the local community. For eight years Pikpa stood as an example and demonstrated what people can do when allowed, by creating a space of solidarity, respect and dignity, equality, and non-violence.”

The team further points out that they had been given the site in 2012 after it had been abandoned for several years before that — and there was massive damage. Additionally, they were forced to remove all mobile units and some of the mentioned damage (from earlier) was about to be rectified through the support of international partners. But with the much criticized eviction, the project came to an unwanted end.

Meanwhile, EU’s Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johannson, is visiting the island at the end of March. “All responsible authorities must double their efforts and play their part,” she demands, so that further acts of inhumanity will not be repeated. At the same time, she thinks 155 million euros for Lesvos and Chios and 121 million for the other islands will be enough for humane facilities and areas for families and children. Considering that Greece has enjoyed the benefit of 3.15 billion euros of EU support since 2015, we should prepare for the situation to become even worse.

Reporter and author Rory O’Keeffe initiated a call to MEPs to stop illegal deportations and pushbacks from Greece, after dozens of reported incidents during the last days, weeks, months and years:

The EU can and should be a beacon of legal and decent behaviour towards people in need, and a protector and promoter of international law. But it will only be this if it acts to make it happen.

You can read the full statement, which Aegean Boat Report is supporting, on his website Koraki.org. There you can also find advice on how to contact your MEP as well as drafts for a letter.

Sea

Guardia Civil rescued ten people off of Granada, who had left from North Morocco. Also on Sicily some 116 people were able to disembark SOS Mediterranee’s Ocean Viking, after waiting several days at sea. Six people tested positive for the coronavirus.