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“More a prison than a field” are the new tents on Lesbos, says a “Mission Lifeline” employee. It reports on the lack of supplies, the hatred of the right towards migrants and the police officers who are watching.
tagesschau.de: What is the current situation on the site?
Nikolas Fischer: Some people are still in front of the old burned camp. Most are between Moria and the capital Mytilini. There is a large supermarket there. And that’s where most of the refugees are today. People are tired, helpless and desperate. They are less angry and upset than very sad. They are treated like criminals and do not know what to do next.
tagesschau.de: Over the weekend there were reports of violent protests on Lesbos. Who protests against whom?
Fischer: There are daily protests. People are vehemently opposed to the construction of a new camp. The locals also protest against this and for once they agree with the refugees on this matter.
tagesschau.de: What is the specific supply situation for refugees?
Fischer: In the old camp of Moria one could speak of a catastrophic supply situation. But at least there was still a lot left. Now the situation is simply indescribable. Food has been distributed here for two days. People queue for many hours. One refugee told me that she had to queue for two hours to get half a liter of water for her whole family at 35 degrees Celsius.
Very little food is distributed and sometimes expired. Yesterday the food distribution had to be canceled due to a riot. There are no sanitary facilities, no showers, no toilets. People relieve themselves in some way and somewhere. Medical care is not guaranteed either.
“Visible state in the form of special forces”
tagesschau.de: What are the Greek authorities doing?
Fischer: Until now, the state has been visible in the form of special police units. In the new camp, the Greek authorities are responsible for medical care and food.
tagesschau.de: Now a new warehouse is being built. How does the population of Lesbos react to this?
Fischer: There are still many locals who want to help. But there are a growing number of people who are upset that nothing has really improved in five years. Unfortunately, more and more people are getting so angry that they turn violent.
There are hunts of refugees and migrants organized by fascists. The police don’t intervene either, sometimes they seem to get along with these people.
tagesschau.de: How do you recognize these fascists?
Fischer: These people are known to the population here. They ride scooters with wooden slats and baseball bats. I’ve been here for a while and that’s why I already know the faces of these people. The mood is generally very irritable, even among the islanders.
“Asylum policy behind the backs of these refugees”
tagesschau.de: So far, 35 cases of corona infection have been recorded among refugees. Where are these people now?
Fischer: Some of them could be located and quarantined. But you do not know the actual number of infected people. It should be many times higher because it has not been tested for a long time. But Corona is currently less of a problem for refugees, at least that’s how many see it.
tagesschau.de: What precautions are being taken in the new warehouse against the spread of the coronavirus?
Fischer: At the moment, women and children in particular are accepted. You will need a crown test and your fever will be measured. This camp is surrounded by barbed wire. Once inside, you can’t get out. In reality, it is more of a prison than a warehouse. I think there are almost no refugees who enter voluntarily.
This morning I spoke with a woman who was supposed to be dragged there by three policemen. She defended herself with hands and feet because her children were still on the street somewhere. People are also being dragged into this new field by force.
tagesschau.de: How do you think the situation will develop?
Fischer: Personally, I wish that all the NGOs were superfluous here and could leave the island because the refugees are well cared for. But I have the impression that a chilling example has been created here. People should be worn out. The entire asylum policy is carried out on the backs of these refugees.
No one can tell me that you cannot get a basic pension in a week. If a small town with 12,000 inhabitants were to catch fire in Germany, first aid would arrive within a day. Greece may not be as well organized as Germany. But that all of Europe is watching and arguing with a ridiculously small number how many people should be admitted, that’s incredible. Everything here serves as a total deterrent.
Reinhard Baumgarten, SWR asked the questions
