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Refugees in Moria camp left with no water, no soap and no support against virus

THE Greek government has left refugees detained in the massively overcrowded Moria camp on Lesbos without any supplies or information on the coronavirus pandemic, according to people trapped in the camp.  

Speaking to volunteers from German refugee rescue charity Mission Lifeline in the camp yesterday, Sayed (not his real name) said the Greek government has done nothing.

“They have not [provided] any [information] or anything that could help people understand what coronavirus is and how to prevent it and how to not get infected by it,” he said. 

“And they have not given anything like sanitisers or masks, although they know it’s a very serious threat to the refugees, especially in an overcrowded place like Moria.

“So people in Moria camp are [totally unaware] about the coronavirus. They just know the name of the virus. Nothing more about it.”

Abelfast, an Afghan teenager, told Mission Lifeline’s volunteers that people in the camp can’t do anything to avoid contracting coronavirus. 

“Most of the time there is no water here and people here don’t have any masks,” he said. 

“I think everyone here will die. Everyone will die because there is no hospital and the doctors don’t do anything.”

Mission Lifeline’s volunteers made it inside the camp before the Greek government put all of its Aegean island migrant camps on lockdown, banning outside aid agencies from providing support.  

The charity’s co-founder Axel Steier told the Star that EU countries aren’t doing enough, if anything at all. 

“All countries are in lockdown and some are using coronavirus to justify a fortress Europe that is clearly unlawful and a violation of Geneva and Human Rights conventions. 

“People are jailed on these islands in terribly overcrowded camps. They have no access to medical help, clean water, housing, heating, in fact all basic needs. 

“Thousands of children, unaccompanied or with their parents, have to live there, facing violence and crime every day. The coronavirus will make the situation even worse. 

“There is zero chance to not get infected in such a place.”

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