UPDATE (6 pm in Germany): People were forced to choose - Istanbul or Greece. Those who said Greece are now in the No-men's-Land between the two border crossings. The camping side is destroyed and people can not move back anymore. They are caught between the barbed wire from Greece and the soldiers from Turkey.
I was just (26.03.20, 15 pm in Germany) called by a young man from Irak, still at the border crossing of Pazarkule. People are told they have to leave today, in order to prevent a spreading of Corona. A huge amount of police officers and soldiers arrived to the camp area today. Some of them started to destroy the makeshift "tents" that people built for themselves. Apparently, the refugees are told they will be brought to a temporary shelter in Edirne for two weeks, and can then return to the border. But my contact expects that to be a lie to make people cooperative. He fears an outbreak of violence, if some of the refugees do not want to leave - which we absolutely expect to be the case.
Still the remaining question is: where will the thousands of people be taken to, and what will happen to them once they arrive?
This morning our partners could provide food to some people, that was than taken away from them as they entered the camp area. The argument: no food or water from outside allowed. People had to line 7 hours for the one food distribution per day. They are hungry, cold and once again just a game for politicians.
UPDATE (6 pm in Germany): People were forced to choose - Istanbul or Greece. Those who said Greece are now in the No-men's-Land between the two border crossings. The camping side is destroyed and people can not move back anymore. They are caught between the barbed wire from Greece and the soldiers from Turkey.
I was just (26.03.20, 15 pm in Germany) called by a young man from Irak, still at the border crossing of Pazarkule. People are told they have to leave today, in order to prevent a spreading of Corona. A huge amount of police officers and soldiers arrived to the camp area today. Some of them started to destroy the makeshift "tents" that people built for themselves. Apparently, the refugees are told they will be brought to a temporary shelter in Edirne for two weeks, and can then return to the border. But my contact expects that to be a lie to make people cooperative. He fears an outbreak of violence, if some of the refugees do not want to leave - which we absolutely expect to be the case.
Still the remaining question is: where will the thousands of people be taken to, and what will happen to them once they arrive?
This morning our partners could provide food to some people, that was than taken away from them as they entered the camp area. The argument: no food or water from outside allowed. People had to line 7 hours for the one food distribution per day. They are hungry, cold and once again just a game for politicians.
