It’s not always sunny in Greece

The Greek daily paper Kathimerini posted this video today, about life in one of the refugee camps in Greece, where are large number of people are stuck indefinitely, with no idea of what will happen to them.

 

 

In another article, I read that in Syria the army has started to conscript civilians.

Relatives of detainees claim that Syrian forces are arresting and forcibly conscripting civilians fleeing opposition-held areas of east Aleppo. Dozens of military-aged teachers, medics and aid workers are reported to have been rounded up and spirited away, as regime troops push further into the city.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group,  more than 300 people have gone missing from east Aleppo since the regime began its blistering ground offensive late last month. They believe the army has been looking to bolster its dwindling numbers, having suffered a huge loss of manpower during the bloody five-year-conflict.

It is difficult to know what conclusions to draw from all this, but no wonder people are putting their lives in the hands of traffickers…

18 thoughts on “It’s not always sunny in Greece”

  4. This is such an important issue, but the world simply chooses to look the other way. I find it shameful that people and governments refuse to accept more Syrian refugees. Countries are even building walls to keep people out! I know taking people in can be a burden on the economy, but the consequences of not doing anything will be terrible for the whole world in a few years’ time.

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  5. And over here, we gather up what we can and send it–somewhere. Whatever refugee camp seems to need it most. Whichever one the organizers can get stuff to. We lobby the government, which ignores us. It’s a pitiful excuse for a response, but it’s what we can do. This is a repeat of the world turning its back on the Jewish refugees before World War II, and every bit as inexcusable.

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  7. I couldn’t watch the video, Marina.
    We don’t need to build a wall as there already is a natural one around Australia. Refugees who come by boat are not allowed to even set foot on Australia, so successive governments have shipped them off to hell holes of camps on Naru and Manus island. Refugees are railed against and told they should have come through the “proper channels”. What proper channels can there be if you are fleeing for your life?

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    1. Some people also forget that their ancestors were immigrants once, and they wouldn’t be where the are today if someone hadn’t helped them. That’s what the grannies on Lesvos say while knitting sweaters for the immigrants’ babies…

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  9. What arrogance of everyone in the world, to believe that they are the true owners of the ground on which they stand. We are all immigrants, every single one of us. Justice will only come about when it is safe to live anywhere in the world, everywhere in the world, and no one will be approached for a passport or a bribe.

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  10. I ove touch with this crisis while dealing with my domestic ones. However, the regime is dictatorial and kills all opponents. It is helped by Russia (issue of geostrategy and oil mainly) DAESCH is the arch enemy under cover of religion (extremism)but with economic interests as well. The West started not too badly but is now scared by possible religious attacks on the territories (and the consequent far right, nationalist, etc, movements – see trump) The West is aso paralysed by what happened during the Arab Spring and the umber of refugees it implies (see far right and religion above). So the West has discussions and summits and generally leave the bargain to Greece (see again, far right, economy, etc).
    Who should logically those who flee successfully the war do?
    Who is fleeing whom?
    We all know we are dancing on fire with satin shoes and that another war is not far: I expect we are trying to look from very far those who feet are burning and not to mix with them.
    Sorry, Marina, but in all Western selfish politics, refugees will stay refugees until the approaching next war. Those of us who have a roof, heat, water, electricity, and per chance something to eat will watch those who are even more poor than they are and rejoice to be where they are.
    Three years ago, The Girls had nothing to eat for Xmas but dry pasta (without anything else). I signalled this to my RC parish and I was wished a merry and happy Christmas, being remembered that Jesus was born poor. And that we were a whole brotherhood of human beings. It was lucky for us to live a true Christ ‘s Christmas.

    We may use our blogs to cry out that the world is gone cynic and mad, and that people NEED US NOW.

    But what chance have we?

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