Initial
reception conditions for refugees arriving in Greece's North Aegean and
Dodecanese islands
are worsening, despite the considerable efforts of local authorities
and civil society.
Hundreds of refugees continue to arrive every day in
inflatable dinghies and wooden boats, putting a tremendous strain on the
island communities that receive them.
Since
the beginning of this year, more than 55,000 refugees have arrived in
Greece by sea from Turkey.
The main islands receiving them are Lesvos (some 21,600 arrivals),
Chios (9,400), Kos (8,900), Leros (3,900) and Samos (3,500), but people
are arriving elsewhere too.
More than 90 per cent are from countries
experiencing war and conflict, principally Syria
(over 60 per cent of arrivals this year), Afghanistan, Iraq and
Somalia.
The number of arrivals is expected to increase further during the summer, when weather conditions
make the sea crossing from the Turkish mainland less hazardous.
The
police, coast guard and local authorities (regional and municipal) have
allocated additional personnel
and resources but the response continues to fall short of needs.
Private citizens, local volunteers and NGOs have all been doing
distribution of food, water, shoes and clothes to the refugees.
UNHCR is
particularly concerned that refugees with specific needs,
such as unaccompanied children, the elderly, pregnant women, people
with disabilities and victims of torture, may not be receiving
appropriate care.
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LESVOS
...........
On
Lesvos, where most of the arrivals are happening, hundreds of men,
women and children landing on
the island's northern coast are having to walk up to 70 kilometers to
the island capital, Mytilini, to be identified and registered.
Agalia, a
small NGO headed by a local priest in the village of Kalloni in the
island's mountainous interior, has been giving
food, water, medicine and providing accommodation to refugees
undertaking this walk.
UNHCR has also distributed sleeping bags and
hygiene kits to some of the most needy.
Meanwhile, reports that local
volunteers in Lesvos have been threatened with arrest by
police for helping refugees on the move is a serious concern.
UNHCR has
raised this issue with the police and has requested the municipality of
Lesvos to provide transport for vulnerable refugees who are walking
over the mountains from the north of Lesvos
to Mytilini.
The
screening centre in the village of Moria is overcrowded and many
refugees are camping outside.
Doctors of the World (MdM), an international NGO, is providing medical
and psycho-social services to refugees in Moria and UNHCR is giving
legal information with the help of qualified interpreters from Greek NGO
MetAction.
An alternative site has been opened
at Kara Tepe but conditions there are extremely precarious and often
there are tensions among the refugees.
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CHIOS
..........
On
Chios, the screening centre in Mersinidi is still overcrowded, housing
three times more people
than its official maximum capacity of 98.
In addition, some 400 people
are staying in tents at a site next to the screening centre.
The tents,
set up by the local municipality, were meant to accommodate 100 people.
Conditions both inside and outside the screening
centre are inadequate.
UNHCR, MdM, METAction and local volunteers are
distributing relief items to the most needy refugees.
UNHCR is providing
legal information at both sites and assists the authorities in the
identification of people with specific needs.
.........
KOS
.........
On
Kos, Doctors without Borders (MSF) are providing medical assistance and
trying to improve conditions
at the abandoned Captain Elias Hotel, where many refugee families are
staying because of a lack of suitable accommodation.
MSF has improved
the water supply and supplied chemical toilets.
UNHCR, MSF and local
volunteers have been delivering basic relief items.
UNHCR provides legal information to refugees with the assistance of
qualified interpreters and assists the police authorities in informing
persons about the registration and asylum procedures and their rights
and responsibilities.
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LEROS
............
On
Leros, an unused hospital annex, known as Villa Artemis, has been
allocated to local volunteers
to accommodate refugee families who are under the responsibility of the
Coast Guard.
MSF and UNHCR have distributed relief items and UNHCR has
been providing information to the refugees through a qualified
interpreter.
............
SAMOS
............
On
Samos, the screening centre is also overcrowded with up to 600 people
staying there. Sanitation
and living conditions are below minimum standards.
The NGO MEDIN offers
medical and psycho-social support services, while UNHCR provides legal
information, assists the authorities in the identification of
individuals with specific needs and distributes basic
relief items, mainly to people with specific needs.
UNHCR
is ready to continue working with the Greek authorities and civil
society in order to address
some of these challenges, but greater support from EU Member states and
institutions is urgently needed to avoid a humanitarian crisis.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
In Greece, Ketty Kehayioylou on mobile +30 694 0277 485
In Greece, Stella Nanou on mobile +30 693 79 34 515
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2. 23,000 refugees flee Syria fighting into Turkey’s Sanliurfa region
New fighting in northern Syria has seen 23,135 refugees fleeing across the border into Turkey’s Sanliurfa
province, according to information received from the Turkish authorities this morning. Some 70 per cent are women and children.
People have been allowed across at the Akcakale crossing and several points between Sanliurfa and
Syria’s Raqqa province since June 3, when fighting erupted.
Most
of the new arrivals are Syrians escaping fighting between rival
military forces in and around
the key border town of Tel Abyad, which was controlled by militants and
faces Akcakale across the border.
But they also include so far 2,183
Iraqis from the cities of Mosul, Ramadi and Falujjah.
UNHCR field staff
say most refugees are exhausted and tired and
arrive carrying just a few belongings. Some have walked for days.
UNHCR
staff have visited several areas where people were crossing or waiting
to cross since the arrivals
began.
This week, people have been fleeing directly to Akcakale to
escape fighting in Tel Abyad.
International media are reporting claims
by the attacking forces to have captured the town.
We are unable to
confirm this, although the border was calm at Akcakale
this morning.
At Akcakale, which lies some 80 kilometres north of the Syrian city of Raqqa, the Turkish authorities
have set up facilities to initially register the new arrivals and provide them with food and water.
Children are vaccinated.
Most of the refugees are staying with friends or relatives in and around Akcakale, but some with special
needs or no alternative have moved to the refugee camps of Derik and Suruc where they can be cared for.
At
the request of Turkey’s emergency relief agency, AFAD, UNHCR has
provided 27,000 items of children’s
clothing, 33,000 blankets and 8,000 mattresses.
These will be
distributed by the Turkish authorities. We are constantly assessing
needs.
High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres has chosen to spend World Refugee Day meeting refugees
in Turkey in recognition of its vital role as a host country.
As
of latest available data Turkey is hosting 1,772,535 registered Syrian
refugees, more than any
other in the world. About 259,000 refugees live in 23 camps set up and
managed by the government.
We urge the international community to
continue to help shoulder the burden with Turkey and other neighbouring
countries.
For more information on this topic, please contact:
