Beginning on the evening of September 8th, 2020, fire destroyed the vast majority of the Reception and Identification Center (RIC) and Olive Grove in Moria Refugee Camp, Europe’s largest hotspot refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece. As of now, at least 11,000 refugees and asylum seekers are displaced while essential aid from humanitarian organisations has been restricted from distribution by the Greek authorities in Lesbos. 

We call upon the European Union, European governments and international bodies to increase their support with Greece and together act now to set a precedent for the basic health and safety of asylum seekers through the evacuation of Moria Camp and hotspot camps in the Aegean Islands, with the safe transferring of people to member states.

The inhumane conditions of Moria camp cannot continue. Now is the time for change. Although the physical structures of Moria camp are burnt, the political structures that enabled this catastrophe still remain. This fire is an insufferable disaster for the residents of the camp, who already are under increasing volatile distress from being unable to exit the premises for the last 6 months due to COVID-19, whilst living with incredibly limited resources.

This petition is a reactive approach to the crisis, after preventative and previous reactive measures have not been sufficient. This is a critical moment to care for those displaced and create the structures that will forever improve the conditions for asylum seekers in Europe, with the result that no centre will ever operate with the standards seen in Moria camp.

We demand a change in policy and action to assist refugees in safe passage. We demand policy that upholds international humanitarian law. The safety and peace of Greece and Europe must be held paramount, this extends to all people here, both the resident population, inter-generational migrants and asylum seekers of today and tomorrow. Strategies to improve the integration and acceptance of asylum seekers must be strengthened.

Urgent calls to action have been demanded previously to ameliorate conditions in the camp. They have been demanded again and again, particularly in response to the pandemic. Now that the accumulation of insufficient action is enough, the demand is greater than ever.

When global citizens are neglected, the neglected shout louder. It is our duty to listen, honour human rights and act effectively, lawfully and peacefully. We as citizens demand our policy makers, governments and international bodies to be held accountable and to take responsibility for the welfare and protection of asylum seekers. This petition is to demonstrate that we will not tolerate the neglect, abuse and torment that has been unjustly received by those seeking safety from Europe. We demand action. Europe must stand in solidarity with Greece to make this possible.

In March 24, 2020, a press release signed by 24 human rights and humanitarian organisations listed the following measures that must be taken to prevent COVID-19 infections within the camp.

We repeat, these unmet measures must be met by the government immediately, to ensure the safe passage of all asylum seekers and refugees who are now displaced from Moria due to the fire to adequate and safe housing.

We also demand an increase in access to legal aid, to address the asylum procedures in a more timely, effective and lawful manner. It is the right of all individuals to have access to legal counsel. To offer the required legal assistance to all asylum seekers to enable them to proceed with their rights maintained, in a dignified manner.

We ask for the protection and support from the police and military within Greece. With such a huge displacement of people, rehousing will require special measures in each constituency for peaceful integration and it is within the role of police officers to uphold the law and protection of all people.

We ask for non-governmental organisations to be able to assist in the process but not take the majority of responsibility, this needs to come from the state. The NGO’s must not be withheld from offering basic aid, healthcare and psychological support.

Greece’s government should take the measures outlined below, which will reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections among the population living in these centers and generally help protect public health:

• Move people out of the reception centers to appropriate, small-scale centers on the mainland, such as hotels and apartments, taking necessary precautions for safe transport. This will enable the government to carry out the guidelines against the spread of the coronavirus. Priority should be given to older people, people with chronic diseases and serious underlying medical conditions, people with disabilities, pregnant women, new mothers and their children, and children, including those who are unaccompanied. Accommodation for people with disabilities should be reasonably adapted as needed, taking individual needs into account. Suitable shelters for unaccompanied children should be established immediately.
• Adopt special measures to guarantee universal and unrestrictive access to healthcare in the public system for asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants alike without discrimination, including testing and treatment for COVID-19. These groups should also have access to any preventive measures put in place in Greece in response to COVID-19, as do people in the rest of Greece. Asylum seekers should receive without delay their Provisional Insurance and Health Care Number (PAAYPA), as mandated by Common Ministerial Decision 717.2020.
  Supply the reception centers with adequate sanitary and hygiene products and ensure continuous running water so that residents can follow the guidelines of the National Public Health Organization and the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding protection from COVID-19. Ensure frequent disinfection of common areas, bathrooms, and toilets, as well as timely collection and removal of waste.
• Provide information to all residents of the reception centers about (a) how to prevent COVID-19 and (b) what to do and how to get help if they experience symptoms of COVID-19 in all necessary languages to allow for full comprehension. People with reading and comprehension disabilities should be provided with information in accessible formats, such as sign language, captioning, text, and easy-to-read messages. Ensure necessary responsive measures are available such as self-isolation and quarantine areas, and medical personnel with adequate training and protective gear.
• Urgently address the situation and special needs of people living in the informal settlements adjacent to the camps, as these groups may face additional challenges due to inadequate access to water and sanitation, hygiene products, and garbage collection.
• Ensure, until the reception centers are decongested, that they have adequate numbers of medical and nursing personnel, as well as mental health support services. Where possible, these services could be provided remotely.
• Cited : https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/24/greece-move-asylum-seekers-migrants-safety

Our message is directed particularly but not exclusively to the European Union, the Greek Government, the Mayor of Lesvos and the UNHCR, all who have direct responsibility to remedy this catastrophe under the world’s watchful eye. We demand the immediate evacuation to safe premises, provision of aid and just integration of asylum seekers. We urge you to set a precedent to stand for greater moral and just action, not only for the safety of asylum seekers but to the benefit of the current and future European population.