The misery continues in the crowded refugee camp of Moria on the Greek island of Lesvos. A huge test of patience – not least for the residents in the neighbouring village of Moria.
The camp is in the foreground, the small village of Moria, not far away (archive image)
Dimitrios Karsiotis is beside himself: “My sheep are gone, and my pomegranate harvest is also way, these people stole everything they got” – outraged the pensioners and opportunity for the farmer. If Karsiotis talks about “these people”, he says, the refugees and migrants, the time limits in the adjacent Camp of Moria is a sad existence. They appear again and again in his village. In the Camp, there is already no place. Actually, the tent was a camp of Moria for 2800 people; but today, more than 13,000 – life unworthy circumstances to remain there.
In the neighbouring village of Moria, easy to reach on foot, housing approximately 1000 people. You hesitate for a long time, until you comment on the situation on the ground, you don’t want to be as xenophobic stamped. But silence could not more, could mean also it.
Stratos Marinatos, who works in the grocery store of his father, hopes for the support
“Almost all here are tolerant, the works one way or the other also has contact with the newcomers, but there are problems,” explains Stratos Marinatos, the store is in the grocery of his father in the village. Apparently, it comes to minor criminal offences, more specifically, the young man does not want to be. But how to create the “problems” in Moria from the world? Clear, self-justice, not a solution, is Marinatos emphasized. However, the challenges are simply too large to be from the villagers, yet alone mastered. At some point, of which Marinatos is firmly convinced, should be the Ruling and, not least, the EU is also to take care of the Concerns of the people of Lesvos.
Unrest is spreading
Passers-by to vote nodding. For binding information, please refer to the newly elected mayor, Ioannis Mastro Giannis. The man is a guard of retired veterans of the coast. No, he says, as a vigilante, he had to do with the refugees in the Aegean sea, barely, during his active service, he was transferred to different places in Greece. The current situation in the Camp he evaluated skeptical – if only because Refugees from more than seventy countries pushed close to each other: “living In the smallest space, ethnic and religious differences are particularly clear, as there may be tensions,” says the 70-year-old.
Community leaders Ioannis Mastro Yiannis is concerned, but also shows understanding
In the village there was no violence, he assured. When the first migrants came to Lesvos, would have done the Locals after all, everything to help the Needy. But, in the meantime, unrest’m wide: “there’s Always fruit, vegetables or livestock to be stolen in our village; the inhabitants in fear of their modest assets,” warns the head of municipality.
The newcomers dominate the village. Stroll through the streets, get something to eat, bask in the Green. The majority of them come from Afghanistan. Also, women are occasionally in smaller groups on the road. Anyone who has ever seen a refugee camp from the inside, you can blame these people, that is, the picking time of fruit on the roadside. But the ways of the Locals are not unlimited.
A pensioner and a farmer’s Dimitrios Karsiotis (right, with friends) know how to go on
Pensioners Dimitrios Karsiotis is concerned, he would have to get along with 338 euros pension and, also, to the unemployed related to care. Also, he had to rely on his additional income as a sheep breeder. He has lost thirty sheep, can’t he get over – despite one-off compensation in the amount of 1700 Euro. “The sheep breeding gave me an annual income of 3000 euros, but this money is gone forever. I’m done,” laments Karsiotis.
An island of emigrants tradition
Lesvos, the third largest island of Greece, with a long emigrant tradition: In the 1960s, thousands went to Germany, Australia or the United States, in order to work there. Not least for this reason, many people on the island in recent years has demonstrated compassion for Refugees from all over the world. An 85-year-old grandmother, which is distributed on the beach of Sykamia bread to newcomers, was nominated in 2016, even for the Nobel peace prize – on behalf of the entire island population.
The village of Moria – picturesque, but not without problems
Of course, this solidarity is not shining now. Ioannis Mastro Giannis says he has special understanding of what it means to leave home to somewhere else for a better life. Finally, his own son had emigrated a long time ago in the USA and now lives in New York. However: “He was at the time, quite legally entered the country and respected even today, in the full extent of the laws and regulations of his country of residence,” warns the head of municipality of Moria.
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The misery of Moria
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