Chaos and Tension Prevail in Lesbos Island

* Photos: Ayhan Mehmet - Lesbos / AA

Click to read the article in Turkish

In Greece, especially the nationalists are "on the edge", both literally and metaphorically.

We have spoken to journalist Ioanna Kleftogianni and researcher Nagehan Uskan about the situation in Lesbos Island, which is the first stop of refugee boats in Greece and hosts the most crowded refugee camps.

Both Kleftogianni and Uskan have indicated that chaos and tension prevail in the island as nationalists/racists are in control of the situation and the island is tense and dangerous for refugees, NGO workers and journalists.

Telling us that some of the media in Greece are approaching the issue in an exaggerated manner which is far from common sense, Kleftogianni has stated that the government has closed the borders completely, saying that the whole Europe has a responsibility in this situation.

Kleftogianni says that racist gangs in Lesbos get organized to support the army and police and tells that it was just yesterday when they prevented refugees from coming ashore at the port in Lesbos and far right groups are making identity checks on the island.

"The government of Greece thinks that it is not solely their problem, but 'Europe's problem',", says Kleftogianni and adds, "The goverment blames Turkey. Considers that the Turkish government is blackmailing and have evidence that smugglers work together with the Turkish police.

They think that [President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan is blackmailing. They also think that smugglers are covertly given permission."

'Some refugees say 'We wish we hadn't crossed'"

Ioanna Kleftogianni has told us the following in brief:

"The situation at the borders is very chaotic. So is the situation in Lesbos... Some refugees say, 'We wish we had not crossed here.'

"The situation is tense and caotic both at Evros border and the sea borders to Lesbos and Samos, where many plastic boats arrive the last days. The government and some of the people in Greece worry because they expect million of refugees to arrive the next weeks to Greece. We are very concerned.

"Police do not do anything, they are just watching. Racist groups do not allow the ones who come to solidarize with refugees either. They are doing identity checks on the streets.

"Refugees have been stuck at Evros border as and at the port of Lesbos. That’s why today a lot of them in Evros go by bus back to İstanbul, as our police observed. In Evros, every time they tried to enter the borders, they were violently repelled with tear gas. But, also from the immigrants side, there have been thrown tear gas. It is believed that the Turkish authorities gave them to the poor people.

"Greece is in state of emergency. It has closed the border and is not giving asylum. Many immigrants who passed the borders are sentenced to 4 years in prison. Even the people who feel solidarity with the refugees are wondering what will happen if many thousand enter the country. Another Moria? Another Idomeni? They are both shame to the human civilization.

“I realize that such extreme situations test not only our politicians and our governments, but also the humanistic reflections of the citizens. I feel ashamed for the Greeks in Lesbos that attacked the refugee mothers who carried their babies, forbidding them to disembark to the island. We watch dehumanization. I hope we shall not see again such humiliating scenes in my country.

“On the other hand, I also believe that Mr. Erdoğan is trying to blackmail Europe in order to gain something in the Syrian front. It is his method. It is a very dangerous situation, both geopolitically and politically, and we have to stay calm between blackmails, pressures and fake news. It is hard, I know . But Greeks, at the borderline of Europe, we also feel at this very hard situation totally abandoned by the EU.”

'Refugees could come ashore thanks to antifascists'

Currently in Lesbos island, researcher Nagehan Uskan has told us that the situation is also dangerous for the volunteers who are there to help refugees as well as for NGO workers and journalists:

"Since 2015, it has been the first time the volunteers were not allowed to monitor the arrival of boats. There was a serious influx of police officers from Athens last week as a new camp was about to open. People here did not want the police either, they repulsed them from the island. The priest of the local church wrote on social media, 'We will send the NGOs.'

"The coast guard is also sending back the refugee boats. Unable to come closer to the island, several refugees boats are waiting offshore. The people who gathered in Thermi region yesterday threw plastic bottles at police officers, journalists were battered, they played anthems of Greece. And the police did nothing, but watched.

"Then, a group of around 300 anti-fascists marched, there is also a large group of anti-fascists in the island. Some refugees could come ashore thanks to anti-fascists."

'People are in panic, police just watch'

According to Uskan, civil society workers, volunteers and journalists are also at risk in the islands: "Some NGOs have got frightened, they have left the island. They are even afraid of speaking English outside. Rented cars are especially stoned or they take your pictures and threaten you. The rented cars have removed their 'rent-a-car' labels."

Telling us that the camps have also closed their gates to both the journalists coming from outside and the ones who want to leave the camps, Uskan has said, "Normally, the ones who had recently arrived in the island were taken to the reception; however, it has also been closed now. When we speak to refugees, we tell them 'You are not safe, do not go out'.

"And the saddest of all is that there are so many people ready to support them in an organized manner, but they are not allowed to do so either. People are in panic. The police do nothing to the assaulters. It is not clear what will happen..." (AS/SD)