Desperation takes over in refugee camps – NGOs stop their activities

Tensions boil over in Idomeni – Save the Children organization announced it will stop its activities on Greek islands

Refugees and immigrants stranded in Greece see their hopes to continue their journey to Europe fading away, while the living conditions in makeshift camp are getting worse.

In Idomeni tensions boil over, while the health of more than 12,000 refugees is deteriorating day by day. Moreover, several NGOs decided to leave the camp leaving the people with no medical care at all.

International humanitarian organizations arrived in Idomeni this week, ” do not know what to do,” volunteers say. However, most humanitarian organizations decided to return to Idomeni since the refugees have not received food on a regular basis for more than 24 hours.

As the refugees and immigrants in Greece start to realize the new situation created following the EU-Turkey agreement on refugee, tensions boil over. Some people decided to go on a hunger strike protesting, while humanitarian organizations are trying to persuade them to at least give some food to their children.

About 500 people staying at the temporary reception center in Nea Kavala, Kilkis had a protest rally on Wednesday protesting against the closed borders.

On the island of Lesvos, many people threatened to fall into the sea if they were forced to return to Turkey, while Doctors without Borders decided to stop all activities linked to the hotspots on the Greek islands of Lesvos and Samos. The NGO said the decision was prompted by its objections to the EU-Turkey agreement on refugees, which it described as a “cynical mechanism” that jeopardised asylum and showed “contempt” for humanitarian needs.

Moreover, Save the Children organization announced early on Thursday morning that it will stop its activities on Greek islands causing great concerns, since it is the main organization caring about the refugee children.

Meanwhile, on Thursday morning the refugees and immigrants blocked Thessaloniki – Kilkis highway protesting against the closed borders.