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!
Monday 13 October 2014, Mitilini. 9am, Court of Mitilini. Rabee a young Syrian fleeing from Aleppo, not wanting to take part in the war, arrived in Mitilini with his 2 brothers and his uncle on a boat. The coast guards chose him and his uncle out of the 22 people travelling on that boat and accused them of being facilitators. That was 5 months ago. Since then Rabee has been imprisoned in Athens in Avlona prison for minors, waiting for the trial that will give him his freedom. His older brother left for Sweden to join the rest of the family. He followed their plan to get to Sweden where more family members are. The youngest brother stayed in Athens waiting for Rabee to get free. They all could not believe that this nonsense accusation would last. Today Rabee’s uncle who came specially from Sweden to witness the trial and his small brother M. who waits since 5 months in Athens to continue his journey to his family in Sweden, were present in the court of Mitilini and wanted to be witnesses. Continue reading Court of Mitilini sentenced a 17-year-old Syrian refugee as facilitator→
PIKPA – das vom „Dorf der alle zusammen“ selbstorganisierte Welcome Center für Flüchtlinge in Mitilini /Lesvos Griechenland, wird im Dezember 1 Jahr alt!
Als im Winter 2012 Flüchtlinge rund um den Hafen von Mitilini im Regen auf der Strasse schliefen, weil weder die Polizei noch die Küstenwache bereit war, sie vor der Weiterreise zu registrieren, wurde ein leerstehendes Kinderferienlager von Freiwilligen umfunktioniert und mit Einverständnis des Bürgermeisters genutzt, um neu ankommenden Flüchtlingen ein Dach über dem Kopf und Essen geben zu können. Seitdem sind in Pikpa immer wieder Flüchtlinge untergekommen, getragen allein auf Spendenbasis und durch die Bereitschaft der örtlichen Bevölkerung, die Leute nicht allein zu lassen. Continue reading Call for solidarity: PIKPA (german)→
Pashtu and her four children arrived this summer in Lesvos, Greece. Even though the finally succeeded in reaching Europe they had to encounter a great loss: their daddy! He is one of many refugees who have been arrested and charged for alleged human smuggling while their only fault has been to escape war and death while lacking any legal ways to save their lives but also lacking sufficient financial means to take the unofficial and dangerous paths.
The family nowadays lives in PIKPA and awaits the trial of the father. They need all available support.
This booklet was created in solidarity and together with the family and with the aim to collect money for the lawyer of the father.
