Urgent call for help refugees in Macedonia
Wanneer: 12/01/2016 - 10:08
Supporters/volunteers/relief immediately needed!
We, a network of independent groups, need urgently support/relief in
Macedonia. In the past weeks we have built up a support structure for
illegalized refugees. Due to their criminalisation by the government
they cannot access any means of legal help and are exposed to
mistreatment by police and so called 'mafia'. Besides offering
unbureaucratic and independent help (food, water, cloths, first
aid/medical help and information) we aim to build up networks and
structures for supporting these people on their way from Greece to Serbia.
According to Macedonian law any kind of support towards illegalized
people can be seen as criminal act itself. Therefore local supporters
risk to go to prison for up to 5 years, if they help these refugees.
This is why illegalized refugees depend especially on help from
international supporters.
Contact: Pepper 0038970475943
refugeesupportmacedonia(at)riseup.net
The Greek Police and Frontex are to carry out checks on non-governmental
organizations and volunteers on islands of the northern Aegean which
have been receiving large numbers of migrants, sources have told the
Athens-Macedonia News Agency.
"Our goal is not to offend the volunteers and employees of NGOs nor to
disrupt their work but to simply highlight the presence of the police on
the coastline and generally in areas where migrants and refugees are
disembarking," a police source told AMNA.
There will also be an investigation into reports that certain
individuals posed as refugees in order to steal the personal belongings
of refugees or the smuggling boats on which they reach the islands.
The broader checks will seek to determine that people declaring
themselves as volunteers are working for an accredited organization.
The aim is to restore a sense of security on the islands, police source
said, not to prevent the work of the NGOs.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/204883/article/ekathimerini/news/greek-polic...