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IN CRISIS: When VG was in Lesbos in September, we met Zahara Gulsom Nori (20), here with her 12-day-old baby. Photo: Gisle Oddstad, VG
Children in the Greek refugee camp Moria must be brought home now, shout non-profit organizations. The case is not now on the Norwegian table, responds the Ministry of Justice.
It is close to 90 days since the great fire at the much-talked about Moria camp on the island of Lesbos in Greece. The 13,000 people who lived there were forced to flee the burning camp. It was replaced by white tents at a former fenced off military shooting range.
– Is a chaotic, confusing and very difficult situation for thousands of people in need, whom we are very saddened to see suffer, said Bjarte Askeland, the medical officer of the crisis team who came down to the camp, after the fire.
On 9 September, the same day as the fire, the Minister for Children and Families, Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (KrF), confirmed that Norway will pick up 50 asylum seekers from the camp. It only happened after eight countries decided to relocate the refugees.
See photos from when VG traveled to Lesbos after the big fire in September:
Since then, the government has been criticized by politicians and non-profit organizations. The criticism is both that the number of refugees is too low and that the job of bringing them to Norway has taken too long.
This was exactly the message for Save the Children and the resource group Evacuate the Children of Moria Now, when they held celebrations in 34 municipalities on Saturday night.
On the criticism that it has taken a long time, Secretary of State Hilde Barstad (H) from the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness points out that Norway contributes to the European relocation initiative to bring the most vulnerable from Greece.
– The Norwegian authorities should review the setup system for relocation. We have made all the necessary preparations from the Norwegian side and are now waiting to be dispatched to the relevant people for their relocation, he says in a written statement to VG.
LOST EVERYTHING: Ziwersheh Sefi (30) and her daughter Helen lost everything they had in the fire and had to move to the neighbor’s store. Photo: Gisle Oddstad, VG
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This is what Moria’s camp looks like after the great fire
Uncertain when they arrive: – Difficult to estimate
Barstad goes on to note that on September 9, the Norwegian Immigration Directorate was instructed to start work to move from Greece to Norway.
– It doesn’t say about us. It is difficult to estimate when the relocation can be completed. Several factors, such as the evolution of the Covid-19 situation, affect this process.
VG also asked if it is still not relevant to receive more than 50 people from the camp, but has not received a response to this.
Child psychologist Katrin Glatz Brubakk is the driving force behind Evacuating the children from Moria now. She started the group in October 2019, after working four months as a volunteer at Moria.
– It is good that the government has finally started the process. They made the decision in May and began commissioning in September; it was about time, says Glatz Brubakk and continues:
INJURED: The young Afghan man with burns to his face and chest was helped by a volunteer humanitarian worker before the ambulance took him away. The photo was taken in September. Photo: Gisle Oddstad, VG
– So far it is correct that the requirements that Norway has established fall on the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, journal.anm.). But Norway has been so incredibly slow to get out into the field and contribute its part that UNHCR is currently very busy relocating the roughly 2,500 refugees heading to Germany and other countries. Therefore, it is too easy for the government to say that it is not dependent on them. Now they are at the end of the queue and it is the children who have to suffer for it.
– But does someone have to be at the end of the queue?
– You can say that, but if Norway had been faster with the ball, they would have necessarily gone faster.
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Ahmed (22) was expelled from Norway; is now among the migrants of Moria
– It will be a very hard winter
Glatz Brubakk was in Lesbos last October and will be back again on Monday. This time he will stay for six months.
– They still don’t have running water, there is no possibility to shower, there is no hot water there. There are also access restrictions to enter and exit the camp, especially now due to the pandemic. They have very little medical care and people sleep on cardboard plates on the floor. It is also cold now, it will be a very harsh winter.
She encourages people who want to help donate money to the organizations present at the camp, so that they can support the local business community affected by the crown by purchasing clothing for the people at the camp.
