Collection of written statements from our meeting
The wildfires are raging again in Europe’s south. In Greece, 1.2 million acres of forest and several villages have already been destroyed. Countless people and animals have been displaced and lost their homes.
Continue reading Headhunters in Evros: the civilian face of Pushbacks
Over the last two months we have witnessed a series of murders in which the Greek State is the main actor. On 14 June, the fishing boat Adriana sank at the deepest point of the Mediterranean while the Greek Coast Guard dangerously tried to pull it towards Italy and killed more than 500 migrants who will probably never be found. On 8 July, a cop shot and killed a Syrian migrant in Larisa. On 10 July, Anna, a trans migrant woman, was murdered in her own home. On 26 July a migrant died in Amygdaleza detention center due to a lack of medical support. The detainee was sick and, according to other prisoners, prison personnel refused to provide him with medical treatment. When the ambulance arrived after many hours of waiting the man was already dead.
On 13 June 2023 around 2pm, 750 migrants called for help off the coast of Pylos. According to Alarm Phone by 5pm the Greek authorities, including Hellenic Coast Guard, FRONTEX and UNHCR, were alerted. A nearby merchant vessel was informed of the distressed ship, but stated it could only intervene under the authority of the Hellenic Coast Guard. Despite this, the merchant vessel provided water to the people in distress. Some time after midnight, the group called Alarm Phone for the last time.
Yesterday through the active neglect of Greek and European authorities at least 79 people died and hundreds more are missing, very likely dead. Later that day the Hellenic Coastguard tried to wash their hands by making a statement that assistance was refused by the people on the boat.
We could imagine why people would refuse your help, but that simply does not matter at all. A boat in distress, highly overcrowded, without a driver was in the middle of the sea. You knew it for hours and did nothing. You are the Coast Guard. This is supposed to be your job.
Continue reading Statement on Pylos to the Hellenic Coastguard
On Saturday, July 2, a demonstration against border violence and more specifically, against the systematic and strategic deployment of pushbacks by the Greek State in coordination with the Greek Coast Guard, took place in the centre of Mytilene. The hostile attitude of the local authorities towards an organised demonstration against pushbacks was made clear from the beginning. By the time we started gathering at Sappho Square (the central square of Mitilini), the undercover police officers approached us and cautioned us against marching through the central market road, as we were planning to do.
