Yesterday refugees marched from the Moria prison camp to Mytilene on the Greek island Lesvos. The refugees stayed overnight in Mytilene and refuse to go back to the camp. Some of the refugees are on Lesvos for more than a year now. Since the EU-Turkey deal was introduced in March 2016, the Greek Aegean islands are big open air prisons where refugees are subject to police violence, repression and deportations. Other refugees on Lesvos, among them former hunger striker Arash Hampay started a campaign to remind EU member states and the UN to the 1951 refugee convention, as all of these states seem to have forgotten that they designed and ratified the refugee convention.

Image: A protesting refugee in Mytilene, Lesvos, who arrived at March 28, 2016. Image by Arash Hampay Facebook.

Published by Enough is Enough.

Note: Enough is Enough is not organizing any of these events, we are publishing this text for people across the US and Europe to be able to see what is going on and for documentation only.

Refugees in Moria: Enough is Enough!

Yesterday refugees marched from the Moria prison camp to Mytilene on the Greek island Lesvos. The refugees stayed overnight in Mytilene and refuse to go back to the camp. Other refugees on Lesvos, among them former hunger striker Arash Hampay started a campaign to remind EU member states and the UN to the 1951 refugee convention, as all of these states seem to have forgotten that they designed and ratified the refugee convention.

Some of the refugees are on Lesvos for more than a year now. Since the EU-Turkey deal was introduced the Greek Aegean islands are big open air prisons. Refugees on Lesvos are subject to police violence, arbitrary detention, other forms of repression and deportations.

The No Border Kitchen crew is supporting the protesting refugees and wrote on their Facebook page: “The Afghan community from Moria prison camp has marched from the detention centre into Sappho Square, at the heart of Mytilene city, Lesvos.

Numbering about 100, they say they won’t leave until their demands are heard: that Afghanistan is not a safe country for deportations, that they should not be condemned to rot here while their asylum cases, that the borders should be opened and allow all refugees to cross.

On the reverse is written the message that they will not return to Moria prison camp.

Moria is full to bursting these days – perhaps a thousand over capacity and swelling. new arrivals are sleeping rough among the containers. Self-harm, violence and health crises are endemic.

The demonstrators wear t-shirts with the date of their arrival: 9 months, 12 months, 18 months ago. Though they have been suffering here for inhumane period of time, effectively detained without charge or trial, somehow they still have the will to struggle and resist the border regime.

We stand alongside them, and will do for as long as their struggle continues.

Azadi!” Today the No Border Kitchen crew posted an update on their Facebook page:

“The Afghan protesters are still in Sappho Square, where they spent the night, sleeping together as a community outside of Moria for the first time in months

The group of around 50 who remained overnight say they will stay until they are transferred to Athens, and given decisions on their cases: they also demand

The police have refused to hear their demands, and say they will be evicted, and arrested – quite possibly tonight.

But, the Afghan community leaders responded, they are not scared of police violence or arrests: Human rights and justice are on their side, even if the brutal, carceral detention/deportation system is not.

The police told the protesters to pursue their claims through the “legal” channels in Moria.

But these channels have already failed, condemning asylum-seekers to face persecution, death and rampant destruction and violence in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Many others, like those gathered today in Sappho Square, have been left to rot in Moria for 12 or 18 months without interview or decision.

No Border Kitchen Lesvos will continue to support them with food and other supplies, and stand alongside them as they face one more threat of violence among many.

Azadi”

Former hunger striker Arash Hampay wrote last night on his Facebook page:

“The refugees DID NOT return to MORIA CONCENTRATION CAMP. The refugees who protested against the injustice, who protested against how UN and the Greek government are violating their own conventions and laws. The refugees stay now in the city square of Mytilini.

The refugees have basic demands. They demand that UN and the states of the world will follow the laws and conventions that they themselves have written and ratified. UN and the states of the world are obliged to follow ARTICLE NUMBER 26 and ARTICLE NUMBER 31 in the #1951REFUGEECONVENTION. We want justice and we want them to follow their own laws and conventions.”

Images: A protesting refugees in Mytilene, Lesvos. Images by Arash Hampay Facebook.

Today Arash Hampay posted an update on his Facebook page saying that: “Yes, they respond to calls for help with threats!

The police are always present to prosecute the people. It is as if the injustice committed by UN and the States of this world are not widespread and severe enough, where refugees are met with threats and batons whenever they demand their basic rights to be adhered to. The police call themselves defenders of safety and stability. They define themselves as protectors of harmony. However, they are merely spreading and causing horror, fear and prosecution.



What is the task of the police? Is it to whip people or is it to create a sense of safety? Is it to oppose violations made against the law and to fight lawlessness? If so, they first have to look inwards and interrogate the UN and the State. It is these institutions that are violating the law; they are the ones dehumanizing the people.

Refugees want the law to be adhered to, and they must not be prosecuted for seeking this.



WE want the UN and The Greek Government to study the #1951RefugeeConvention once more, for they themselves were involved in writing and ratifying it. We want them to study this in order to remember what they committed themselves to; so that they may reconsider their motives in permitting police to chase down and detain refugees.

The refugees currently occupying Sappho Square in Mytilini are waiting for aid and solidarity from the people, they are waiting for the media to pay attention.“

Images: A protesting refugees in Mytilene, Lesvos. Images by Arash Hampay Facebook.

On September 14 Cars of Hope Wuppertal will arrive in Greece to support refugees who are trapped in the EU member state, some for more than a year now. Cars of Hope will be active in Athens and on Lesvos. A few members of the Enough is Enough collective will join them. They will work together with refugees and also deliver food, sanitary products and other basis needs. Our work with refugees is only possible because of the many donations we receive. Read more about the support work with refugees in Greece by Cars of Hope; here and in this interview.

Please support the Cars of Hope Wuppertal Crowdfunding Campaign for refugees in Greece: https://www.youcaring.com/cohsupportrefugees

You can also support the work of Cars of Hope with donations on their bank- or Paypal account:

Paypal account: carsofhopewtal@gmx.de

Bank account for donations:

Name of account holder: Sozialtal e.V.

Iban: DE80 3305 0000 0000 6968 49

Bic: WUPSDE33XXX

Description: Cars Of Hope

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