Caritas aid reaches refugees on Greek islands

(Vatican Radio) As refugees and forced migrants continue to arrive in Europe, the Greek Islands closest to Turkey are being overwhelmed by people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.
 
They’re fleeing war and poverty and in one week alone more than 20,000 arrived. Most of them want to reach Germany or other North European nations where they believe they may find job opportunities.

Caritas Greece is on the Islands with an emergency humanitarian project providing aid to the most vulnerable.

Evelina Manola, a social worker from Caritas Greece has been helping with relief efforts on the Island of Chios. She spoke to Linda Bordoni of the situation…

Listen to the interview: 

Evelina says people are arriving every day. She says that although the Greek Coast Guard is on the lookout and rescuing people from the sea, often it is unable to identify all the small boats arriving on the shores as the refugees make their way from Turkey mainly to the islands of Lesbos, Chios, and Kos.

Evelina says most refugees are from Syria, but there are also people fleeing conflict and poverty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Caritas Greece is providing aid especially to the most vulnerable, and Evelina points out there are many children and women arriving on the boats.

She says Caritas in Chios has handed out 100 sleeping bags and 100 mats to children who are staying in or near the Registration Centre in Mersinidi where all refugees have to register before moving on.

Likewise on the Islands of Lesbos and on Kos where it is also distributing children’s snacks every day. 

This is part of the emergency project that is scheduled to last six months but that could be expanded if the need arises. She says the situation is not going to get better: “it is more likely it will get worse”. 

Evelina explains that each refugee pays 1,200  US dollars to traffickers to do the crossing. She says they arrive on small boats sorely overloaded with up to fifty people which makes the journey very risky.

She says the refugees sleep mostly in the open air and do not plan to stay long. When they get their papers they leave by ferry to Athens. Their goal is to reach Germany and Sweden “which they see as paradise”.

Evelina speaks of the solidarity shown by the people of Chios and by the tourists who are witnessing the arrivals, but she says Europe must show solidarity “because this is not an issue that only Greece has to deal with. It is a European issue – not to say a universal issue – so European Governments must show their solidarity: it is now the time”.