UPDATE: Latest video from BBC News
UPDATE 2: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has voiced its concern over the (they say “closure” although it was complete destruction) of the camp in Patras. UNHCR spokesperson, Ron Redmond said
The UNHCR has long maintained that the makeshift camp at Patras did not provide appropriate accommodation for the people sheltering there, however, UNHCR is concerned that no alternative has been provided for many of the people who had been living at the site. We understand that many former residents – including registered asylum-seekers – abandoned the site before the clearance operation. Their whereabouts are unknown. It is feared that many are homeless. These new developments are likely to make protection even more elusive for those who need it in Greece
The police sweeps on undocumented people have begun. Hundreds of arrests have been made in the latest effort to clear Greece of immigrants (apart from the ones needed to do the jobs that are unpopular and poorly paid presumably).
In the latest clampdown, riot police and bulldozers moved into the makeshift camp in Patras and leveled it and then burnt the remains.
About 100 riot police escorted bulldozers into the camp before dawn.
MapThey levelled scores of cardboard and plastic hovels.
Only a makeshift mosque and a tent used by volunteer doctors were left untouched.
The camp in Patras had been in existence in some form or another for 13 years.
A few months ago, it accommodated about 1,800 people, mainly from Afghanistan.
But that number had dwindled to about 100 following large-scale arrests and also because the port authorities had made it nearly impossible to get on board ferries to Italy.
The early morning operation was described by Red Cross officials in Patras as “terrorising” the migrants.
One worker said it was designed to send a message to all illegal immigrants that they had no future in Greece.
Please read the full article here
I will update this post and add my personal comments later. I have other priorities today and don’t have time to comment more fully. Needless to say, I am upset and anxious about these latest events in Greece.
Technorati Tags: greece, patras, immigration, police, camp,
Citizenship Battles on February 17th, 2010
Being Greek on February 10th, 2010
Laos Against Citizenship on January 25th, 2010
The Immigration Debate on January 22nd, 2010
Lack of Humanity on November 2nd, 2009
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“Only a makeshift mosque and a tent used by volunteer doctors were left untouched.”
How big of them.
Disgusting.
DeviousDiva, you need to see this:
http://www.tvxs.gr/v16239
I also wrote about this story on my blog and for Nowpublic.com
http://my.nowpublic.com/world/.....amp-ground
[...] have bulldozed the camp in the port town of Patras, arresting anyone who didn’t escape before the destruction [...]
see also http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8146949.stm
new BBC story on Patras and Efeteio
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8151233.stm
AlJazeeraEnglish story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQqqDdgj5XQ
[...] the majority of immigrants and is doing everything it can to achieve that goal. It is doing this by illegally evicting people, rounding up undocumented people and forcing them into remote detention centres ready for [...]