“Crowding and inhumane living conditions inside the refugee camps on the Greek islands are the ideal factors for the spread of the Coronavirus epidemic” warn the Doctors Without Borders, in a recent announcement. And yet, the Greek government wastes millions to hire border patrols for keeping the borders of Evros sealed and pushing back boats arriving to the islands, and to imprison refugees with fences around the camps and the hiring of security companies. Meanwhile, they do not bother to hire doctors and nurses to upgrade the public health system, which is the only shield protecting the poor from the virus. For the asylum seekers, the migrants and refugees from the camps to the strawberry fields of Manolada, it is impossible to maintain even the most basic preventive measures, such as frequent hand washing, proper ventilation of closed spaces and frequent cleaning with disinfectants and cleaning products. Instead, in most camps, there are dozens of families living in tents, unable to enroll into programs for housing, social support and healthcare. Communicating with the 24hour Helpline of the National Public Health Organization, as the Ministry of health suggests, is obviously impossible for people living piled inside the concentration camps of shame. It is outrageously racist of the government to claim/pretend that the fast-tracked building of closed holding facilities, such as the ones at Kleidi, Serres and the Gerakini military camp at Malakasa, will act as a deterrent to the spread of the Coronavirus. As if the refugees were to blame for the pandemic. In reality, new closed holding facilities equal only to new death traps for the refugees, along with Amygdaleza, Corinth and Paranesti. We will not allow it! Public Health is NOT a personal responsibility, and above all is NOT a privilege of the few. To save our Public Health, and to put the lives of locals and migrants above their profits, we demand: Closing of the camps of shame, and transport of all refugees - documented and undocumented - to houses and hotels within the cities, with responsibility of the public and municipal care structures, along with mass hires of permanent staff. Free access to hospitals and all public sector services for everyone.

SUPPORTED BY:

REFUGEE COMMITIES FROM THE CAMPS OF MORIA, MALAKASA, SCHISTO, DIAVATA, ELEONAS, CORINTH, AMYGDALEZA

KEERFA (MOVEMENT ‘UNITED AGAINST RACISM AND THE FASCIST THREAT’)

PAKISTAN COMMUNITY OF GREECE ‘UNITY’

Sign the petition by filling the form below. Fields marked with * are required. If you want to participate to the activity of KEERFA, please fill telephone number and area so that a local commitee of KEERFA close to you can contact you.

«La promiscuité et les conditions de vie misérables dans les camps de réfugiés situés sur les îles grecques produisent les conditions idéales pour la propagation de l’épidémie du coronavirus», prévient Médecins sans Frontières, dans un communiqué récent. Pourtant le gouvernement gaspille des millions pour embaucher des garde-frontières, pour fermer la frontière de l’Evros, pour repousser les bateaux de réfugiés qui arrivent dans les îles, et pour enfermer des réfugié(e)s en créant des barrières autour des camps, et en payant des compagnies de sécurité, qui font de ces camps des ghettos inaccessibles. Dans le même temps, le gouvernement n’embauche aucun médecin et infirmier(e) pour renforcer le système de santé public, seul bouclier de protection de la grande majorité des pauvres contre le coronavirus. Pour les demandeurs d’asile, les immigré(e)s et les réfugié (e)s des camps, aussi bien que ceux qui travaillent dans les champs de fraises à Manolada, il est impossible de respecter les mesures de prévention ELEMENTAIRES, comme se laver souvent les mains, bien aérer les lieux intérieurs, éviter la promiscuité dans des lieux fermés, et procéder à des nettoyages réguliers avec des antiseptiques et des produits de nettoyage. Au contraire, dans la plupart des camps il y a encore des dizaines de familles qui vivent dans des tentes, sans pouvoir s’inscrire dans des programmes de logement, de soutien social et de soins médicaux. La communication téléphonique 24/24 avec le EODY, comme le conseille le Ministère de la Santé, est bien sûr impossible pour des gens qui sont entassés dans ces camps de la honte. Le gouvernement fait preuve d’un racisme extrême lorsqu’il prétend que la construction immédiate de structures fermées, comme à Kleidi près de Serres et le camp Gerakini à Malakasa, est un stratégie dissuasive contre la propagation du coronavirus. Comme si les réfugiés étaient responsables de la propagation de la pandémie. Au contraire, la construction de prisons fermées va avoir pour conséquence la propagation de nouveaux lieux-pièges, de morts et d’extermination des réfugié(e)s, en plus d’Amygdaleza, Corinthe et Paranesti. Nous ne les laisserons pas faire! La santé publique N’EST PAS une responsabilité individuelle et surtout elle N’EST PAS le privilège de certains. Afin de sauver la santé publique, afin de mettre la vie des habitant(e)s, Grecs et immigré (e)s avant leurs profits, nous exigeons :

- que ferment immédiatement les camps de la honte et que soient transférés les réfugié(e)s (enregistrés ou non) dans des maisons et des hôtels dans les villes, sous la responsabilité de structures municipales de soins, qui impliquent d’embaucher massivement du personnel en CDI.

- accès libre et gratuit pour tous et toutes dans les hôpitaux et tous les services sociaux!

SOUTENU PAR

DES COMITÉS DE REFUGIÉ(E)S DES CAMPS DE MORIA, MALAKASA, SCHISTO, DIAVATA, ELAIONAS, CORINTHE, AMYGDALEZA

KEERFA - MOUVEMENT UNIS CONTRE LE RACISME ET LA MENACE FASCISTE

COMMUNITÉ PAKISTANAISE EN GRÈCE «L’ UNION»

Signez en remplissant la forme ci-dessous. Les champs marqués avec * sont requis. Si vous voulez ếtre contacté(e) par KEERFA et participer aux activités de la comité KEERFA la plus proche à vous, veuillez remplir aussi nr telephone et région.

Statement from Greek anti-racists: Protect refugees from coronavirus, March 14, 2020

KEERFA, the Movement United Against Racism and the Fascist Threat in Greece, has issued the statement below calling on the government to immediately transfer refugees and asylum seekers to safety in order to prevent a major health emergency in the detention camps.
Protesters in Greece carry signs reading “close down the concentration camps”
‣ Measures to protect refugees now!
‣ Shut down the concentration camps on the islands and the mainland immediately, to prevent the spread of coronavirus and limit the number of infections!

The overcrowding and miserable living conditions at refugee camps in the Greek islands are ideal conditions for the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, Doctors Without Borders warned in a recent statement. People’s health is in danger as long as they stay in these camps. The coronavirus is just the latest threat asylum seekers face, and their conditions makes them even more vulnerable than the rest of the population to an epidemic.

The need to evacuate camps in the Greek islands is now more urgent than ever. Forcing people to live in these conditions as part of a European policy has always been irresponsible, but now it is also on the verge of becoming criminal if no measures are taken to protect people. Doctors Without Borders says that the Greek government must act as quickly as possible and move the majority of the 42,000 people to suitable housing before it is too late.

Solidarity to refugees action in Warsaw Against the closure of the Greek-Turkish borders

Anout 100 people picketed the European Commission offices in Warsaw tonight against the brutality on the Greek-Turkish border. The Polish government has announced it is willing to send 100 police and 100 border guards to “protect Europe”. Among the slogans were “Solidarity with the refugees”, “Open the borders” and “Not in our name”. Lots of people took leaflets and posters for March 21.

Thousands were on the Women’s Day demonstration yesterday. It was saturated with leaflets for M21 and posters were given out as well.

Ten towns and cities in Poland are now definitely having a demonstration or some kind of action on M21.

We have translated the press release into Polish. It was accepted unanimously that we should sign it.
9 Μαρτίου στις 11:31 μ.μ.