All posts by ronja

Greece, Mytilini

Police Violence in the Port of Mytilini

Police Violence in the Port of Mytilini from w2eu Lesvos on Vimeo.

Around 20 000 Refugees are currently stuck on the Island of Lesvos.
Since one week, registration for new arriving refugees in Lesvos has become an obstacle to continue the procedures and leave the Island. Since Friday the situation in the Port of Mytilini has escalated.
Hundreds if not thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are caught in limbo. Every day they try to fight for a registration number in the port. Most of them try up to 10 days to get a registration number with no success, they are forced to camp around the port, the city or sleep rough. Their money has finished and they suffer from hunger and thirst. Desperate, if not in rage due to lacking infrastructures and the absence of any system, they break out in daily protest and not seldom fights. The state shows its presence in form of riot police, beating down men, women and children alike.


On Friday 4th of September hundreds of refugees tried to storm a ferry. The police threw tear gas.
In the following they banished all refugees from the port.
Newspaper Article about police violence in the port.
On Saturday 5th of September the refugees self-organized a queue for the Registration – Numbers. While th refugees where peacefully waiting in their queue, the police beat them with batons.
In the late evening some young Syrians started a protest in the port shouting

we want to go

Continue reading Police Violence in the Port of Mytilini →

Greece, Mytilini

Lesvos: Call for Support regarding acomodation for newly arrived refugees on the Island

Do you want to help? You have space in your home or in your hotel?
Contact us from the “Village of all together”: lesvosvolunteers@gmail.com.
We will connect you with a family or a single person, vulnerable case needing a
short stay in freindly welcoming home.

Θέλεις να βοηθήσεις?

Αν ενδιαφέρεσαι να βοηθήσεις τους πρόσφυγες που κατά χιλιάδες φτάνουν
στο νησί μας

μπορείς να το κάνεις. Έχεις ελεύθερο χώρο στο σπίτι σου για φιλοξενία
μικρής διάρκειας?

Έχεις ελεύθερο χώρο στο ξενοδοχείο σου για φιλοξενία μικρής διάρκειας?
Μπορείς τώρα

να δηλώσεις τον χώρο που διαθέτεις και το χωριό του όλοι μαζί θα έρθει
σε επικοινωνία

μαζί σου να σου προτείνει τους ανθρώπους που θα μπορούσες να
φιλοξενήσεις. Θα

προηγηθούν άτομα ευάλωτα οικογένειες με παιδιά πχ…

Σαν χωριό του όλοι μαζί είμαστε πεπεισμένοι ότι οι πρόσφυγες πρέπει να
έχουν μία

υποδοχή ζεστή και φιλική. Άνθρωποι που φτάνουν ταλαιπωρημένοι στο νησί
μας, το οποιο

αποτελεί το μέσον του δύσκολου ταξιδιού τους. Η ανακούφιση που θα
προσφέρει το σπίτι

μας, ο χώρος μας είναι ανυπολόγιστης αξίας…

Η Λέσβος ξέρει από προσφυγιά

πληροφορίες: lesvosvolunteers@gmail.com

Greece, Mytilini

Unnberable conditions in Refugee Camp around the Detention Center of Moria

Yesterday, 09/01/15, one somalien refugee died because of insuficient medical care in the madeshift refugee Camp outside the Detention Cemtet of Moria. Another one was bitten by snake. Please if anyone can help:
Dama, a refugee from Somalia, in the refugee Camp Moria, in Lesvos, contacted the Network w2eu to ask for help, weeping dramatically. His aunt, 47 years old, died last night due to cardiac problem. He was crying and shouting that his aunt did not have to die. She had a chronic heart problem, because of the inhuman living and medival conditions in the camp, she couldn’t survive.
Dama is in a very bad psychological condition, saying tht he can not stand this any more and will commit suicide. He needs immediate psychological support and care.
Αt the same time another girl from somalia wad bitten by a snake at the entrance of the camp. Fortunately she was transferred to the hospital and is well now.

The Situation for Refugees in the madeshift cps in Lesvos and al other entrance, transit and exit points is no longer sustainable. Enough is Enough. We need open borders and save entry routes for Refugees coming to Europe. Freedom of movement!! Refugees welcome!!

Greece, Journey back to the borders, Mytilini, Part III

A little Story about justified anger -> Journey back to the borders Part III

Just before I went on my trip to Mytilene I saw in Germany the news about refugees in Greece. On TV it was reported on how aggressive and angry the refugees were in Greece (Mytilene). After I saw these news in Germany about the refugees I started to think and worry a bit. Would it all go alright? Would it be right to travel to Mytilene and help the people who require support? Would I endanger myself or not? These questions formed in my mind. I travelled nonetheless as I had already booked my ticket and had promised the group that I would come and participate.

When our ship dropped the anchor in the harbour of Mytilene, I saw from above used rubber vessels and many people (men, women, and children) who did not look well and who had to wait in the heat for their registration. When we went to our camping site (Charamida), somewhere far away from the harbour and the city, we saw families and men, who were lying on the street as they could not walk anymore and were tired. We stopped and gave them water and information. We then quickly went to our camp and unloaded our car. When the cars were empty we drove back to bring the refugees to the harbour to register.

Read hole Articel on Birds of immigrants

Balkans, Everywhere, Greece, Journey back to the borders, Mytilini, Part III, Turkey

Freedom of movement for everyone

Ferries not Frontex

During our journey back to the borders we had to witness for two weeks the situation for newly arrived refugees in Lesvos getting worse day by day.
More and more children, mothers, fathers and grandparents are risking their lives by crossing the Aegean sea.
After arriving and being thankful for surviving they are faced with the unbearable situation in Lesvos.
Walking in the sun for 2 – 68 km, waiting in dirty parking lots, at the port, in makeshift refugee camps like Kara Tepe and outside and inside the Detention center of Moria and elsewhere.
The Situation at other European arrival and transit points like Kos or Idomeni is not better.
It is time for the competent authorities of the European Union to provide for Ferries transporting refugees to Europe in a respectful and save way. Freedom of Movement for everybody!