Refugees relocated after Lesbos camp blaze - 28th September 2020

Migrants and refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos are finally being relocated following last week's devastating fire at Moria refugee camp.

To oversee the transfer of women and children to their new camp, Kara Tepe, located close to the island’s capital, Mytilene, the authorities have drafted in seventy additional female police officers. On arrival, the refugees will undergo coronavirus testing, with authorities aiming to isolate those who are Covid positive from the general camp population.

Last week, three separate fires tore through Moria and, fanned by high winds, completely gutted the refugee camp. Migrants fleeing the blaze with their meagre possessions attempted to reach the nearby town, but were met with police roadblocks. Displaced families were forced to sleep rough, bedding down by roads and in fields and car parks for over a week. Food, water and shelter have all been in short supply.

Many of the migrants and refugees are reluctant to be kept on the island due to the squalid and cramped conditions within the camp. Originally designed to house 3,000 people, Moria housed in excess of 12,000 people packed in like sardines at the time of the blaze.

Although the number of refugees arriving on Greek islands near Turkey has fallen significantly since the 2015 migrant crisis, living at overcrowded camps in Greece and Italy means enduring degrading conditions. The Greek and Italian governments have accused their wealthy northern neighbours of failing to share the burden as irregular migrants, including those fleeing conflict zones, seek new lives in Europe. Germany has responded by accepting over 100 unaccompanied minors and 1,500 migrants from 408 families who have received refugee status.

However, other members of the European Union are reluctant to shoulder their fair share of refugees, many states having opposed the motions to set down quotas of migrants allocated to each state, an issue which the EU commission will return to later this month.