http://moving-europe.org/idomeni-eviction-on-early-tuesday-morning/
Since heavy clash’s between the Greek police and inhabitants of the make shift camp of Idomeni have erupted and most of the people had to experience police violence by tear gas (1). Idomeni hasn’t become calm. Meanwhile on the weekend intense rain transformed the camp in a mud place again (2), supporting structures got more and more limited access to the camp. Cars have been stopped, frisked and volunteers have been taken to police stations for several hours.
In the night to Monday, several sources were reporting about massive police force movements towards Idomeni in order to be ready for an upcoming eviction. According to media sources, it is highly likable that police is going to start the eviction on early Tuesday morning (3). Due to high pressure from the opposition and the latest heavy clashes in Idomeni, the government changed their mind on waiting for a volunteering closure of the camp. The police is hoping for a non-violent eviction, which is in the eyes of Moving-Europe nearly impossible since tension is high and frustration about the desperation which the Greek and European authority’s forced the inhabitants of Idomeni camp in is high. Members of supporting structures in and around Idomeni expressed to us their concerns about the physical and psychological conditions for the people if they going to be confronted with massive police and military forces. “It is insane to conduct an eviction at the moment. There are hundreds of family’s, thousands of children and many people in bad physical conditions, this will create enormous damage and raise frustration even more”. Referring to the current developments with the agreement between Turkey and the EU which seems to be at a crossroads (4), she adds: “Everything is unsure at the moment, we can’t understand why the authority is creating facts when there is everything instable and nothing working as they want”.
On Monday morning it was reported from Idomeni, that at several points, authority’s closed the waterlines (5). Next to the limitation of food supply, this gives an idea about how police is planning to empty the camp: Creating a lack of basic needs and force the people, particually the vulnerable people on leaving by them self, which accordingly to posts on social media is working for many people (6). This was also confirmed by an inhabitant of the camp on Monday morning on the phone: “There are several busses this morning waiting for people, I think several will take this, since it is maybe the last chance”. He adds that NGO’s are present, but one NGO worker told him that they probably can’t come from tomorrow on anymore.
CNN Greece reports, that the upcoming eviction might take up to 7 days and is following a strategy, which were brought to us as an rumor already two month ago: The forces will separate the camp in several sectors which will be isolated from each other, these sectors will be over several days emptied, outside the view of media and volunteers in order to avoid witnesses (7).
The future of the about 9.000 inhabitants of Idomeni camp is unsure. Some sources report people are going to be brought to Thessaloniki to guarantee health service and housing8, but supporters are doubtful that there are places for everybody, needless to say that situation in other camps is even worth to Idomeni and disillusioning.
Notes
[1] Statement by MSF: http://www.msf.org/en/article/greece-msf-resumes-activities-idomeni-after-clashes-and-tear-gas-cause-temporary-suspension
[2] Rain: https://twitter.com/Laura_Naude/status/734431370550861825
[3] http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/fluechtlinge-in-idomeni-polizei-soll-camp-am-dienstag-raeumen-a-1093562.html
[4] http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/merkel-refugee-deal-with-turkey-in-danger-of-failure-a-1092331.html?platform=hootsuite
[5] https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1579995312299371&id=1469254766706760
[6] https://www.facebook.com/yusufphotographie/posts/10154799444858906
[7] http://www.cnn.gr/news/ellada/story/33102/etoimazoyn-epixeirisi-ekkenosis-tis-eidomenis
[8] http://sputniknews.com/europe/20160523/1040067038/greece-evacuates-idomeni-camp.html