Afghan Refugees Despair in Greece
Published by deviousdiva July 14th, 2008 in Refugees.Thank you to Kat of Living, Working, Musing and Misadventures in Athens for the link.
A harrowing account of life in a makeshift camp in Patras for Al Jazeera by Danylo Hawaleshka
Local residents in the apartment buildings that crowd the shantytown’s perimeter resent the migrants’ presence and the inevitable filth resulting from so many people living in cramped and inadequate conditions.
That leaves community groups and aid agencies like the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders to fill in the substantial gaps.
“It is inhuman to leave these people to live here like this,” says Christos Karapiperis, a social worker with the Hellenic Red Cross.
“It’s awful.”
The Greek office of Doctors Without Borders recently opened a clinic inside the camp. But Dr. Apostolos Veizis, the group’s programme director, says conditions here remain “unacceptable, inhuman and do not meet international standards”.
People like Karapiperis want a government-sanctioned facility established for minors and another for adult asylum seekers.
“We are sure that organised crime is controlling the whole thing,” Karapiperis says, referring to human smuggling.
“The refugees are afraid to talk about this — they are afraid for their lives and maybe their families’ lives.”
Technorati Tags: greece, patras, refugees, afganistan, asylum
Off topic:
http://www.npr.org/templates/s.....amp;f=1004
Heard this the other day and thought of you. I’m kind of surprised that the US media bothered to cover it, but I was glad they did. This is outrageous.
DD - I wanted to add that SIPA photographer Olivier Jobard was beaten and arrested trying to cover this story, supposedly because he did not have a permit. He does not need a permit as a member of a legit press association. He was supposed to appear in court already, but his hearing was delayed until the 21st. Injustice all around.
http://www.bjphoto.co.uk/publi.....age=804398
P.S. It’s not necessary to credit me. But if you do, please put me at the bottom because I’m happy to contribute.
I saw this story too, Kat ! Very busy these days so I will try and post this tomorrow.
P.S. I will try and remember if that is how you feel about linking, but generally that is how I do things here on the blog. I really appreciate all contributions… thank you.
DD, I appreciate the link, and I respect your choice. I just wanted you to know that I’m OK with not being mentioned first because the focus should be on the issue you’re presenting.