CAFOD pledges more emergency aid to stranded refugees on Greek-Macedonian border

Caritas Hellas fooddistribution, Idomeni image Natalia Tsoukala/Caritas International

CAFOD is working with its local Greek partner, Caritas Hellas (Caritas Greece) to respond to the deteriorating situation of refugees stranded at Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonian border, as Macedonia says it will no longer let any more refugees and migrants cross its border with Greece. Following recent border restrictions, between 13,000 and 15,000 refugees have found themselves stuck at the Greek-Macedonian border. They are living in dire conditions on a muddy wasteland, their route to northern Europe now closed.

CAFOD received this report from Evelyn Karastamati, Emergency Coordinator with Caritas Hellas:

"In Idomeni people are sleeping in flimsy tents in fields, some have no shelter and are sleeping out in the open. It's a very tense atmosphere. It's cold, people are trying to find anything to make a fire and keep warm. There's a lack of tents and food. Many families with children have been waiting for days at the border."

The £100,000 pledged will be used to scale up Caritas Hellas's emergency aid response to get urgently needed food and weather-proof clothing to refugees, as well as installing basic chemical toilets and shower facilities.

In Athens at Piraeus Port, Caritas Hellas will also be able to reach more refugees by providing food for people who are anxiously waiting the next stage on their onward journey.

Philippe Mougin, CAFOD's Europe Emergency Programme Manager is working with Caritas Hellas to support them to scale up their emergency response. He said: "Sadly, the numbers of vulnerable families seeking refuge continues to grow. Caritas Hellas is continuing to distribute food packages at Idomeni and we have increased the number of aid workers on the ground, so that we can reach more people with vital aid."

In November, countries in the Balkans announced they would only allow in refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. In February Macedonia said it was halting access to Afghans. Meanwhile thousands of refugees continue to arrive every week in Greece.

According to the UN, at the end of 2015, more than a million refugees had crossed into Europe. The winter conditions have not stopped the desperate plight of people seeking safety in Europe, as the UN reports that 141,930 refugees have reached Europe by sea since the start of 2016.

Philippe Mougin concluded: "We can no longer be in any doubt about the scale of this crisis. The EU must work together to ensure that human rights, safety and dignity of all refugees seeking refuge in the EU are upheld."