September 20, 2019 — Over 4,000 people have arrived on the Greek islands since the start of September and have been met with a lack of adequate shelter and record levels of overcrowding. The tragedy behind the numbers is clear: this is not an unforeseen emergency but a vicious cycle that requires a measured and collective response by European leaders.
The International Rescue Committee has joined 11 NGOs in a joint call on the Greek government and European leaders to abandon ad hoc solutions to migration and instead focus on a long term strategy that puts the livelihoods of refugees and the interests of host communities at its heart. Currently, the 22,360 asylum seekers languishing in reception centres such as Moria are living in poor conditions and exposed to violence and exploitation; reception centres on the Greek islands are 500% over capacity. This is avoidable but the only way to achieve a durable solution is through European solidarity and political will to protect those in need, provide decent housing and support refugees to get jobs.
Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, Greece Director for the International Rescue Committee said:
“Although public interest in the so-called ‘crisis’ on the Greek islands is waning, desperate people continue to seek protection on its shores. The devastation caused by short term solutions to the migration response is seen on a daily basis, with headlines dominated in summer by overcrowding in reception centres and stories of people living in tents in the midst of winter. Migration is a complex issue and sustainable solutions must be implemented.
Greece must invest in the assets that refugees bring to their new communities and support them to rebuild their lives, while meeting the needs of local communities. Similarly, other European countries must acknowledge their role in the response and share the responsibility to relocate those who are now caught in limbo on islands like Lesvos.”
Imogen Sudbery, Europe’s Director of Policy and Advocacy for the International Rescue Committee said:
“The devastation caused by short term solutions to the migration response is seen on a daily basis, with overcrowding in reception centres in Greece and lives lost at sea across the Mediterranean making headlines each Summer. The upcoming EU meeting of interior ministers is an opportunity for the European leaders to take action and put the idea of solidarity into practice. This can be achieved by establishing a predictable disembarkation and relocation system that safeguards the rights of refugees and asylum seekers reaching the European shores. Moreover, ahead of next week’s UN General Assembly, EU countries must lead the way by demonstrating they do not leave behind displaced people within their own borders.”