19 human rights and humanitarian aid organizations release an open letter requesting the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to end the Greek government’s “containment policy” of confining asylum seekers to the Aegean islands.

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His Excellency Mr. Alexis Tsipras

Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic

Prime Minister’s Diplomatic Cabinet

Vasilissis Sofias 5

106 71 Athens

Greece

dipl.of.pm@mfa.gr

Fax: +30 210 368 1717

 

Athens, October 23, 2017

Dear Prime Minister Tsipras,

We, undersigned human rights and humanitarian non-governmental organisations, are writing to express our deep concern at the deteriorating conditions for thousands of women, men and children, seeking asylum and trapped on the Aegean islands as winter sets in.

We urge you to put an end to the ongoing “containment policy” of trapping asylum seekers on the islands if they arrived after the entry into force of the EU-Turkey Statement of March 18, 2016, and to immediately transfer asylum seekers to the mainland and meet their protection needs, including by providing them with adequate and dignified protection, accommodation and access to services.

We acknowledge the efforts of the Greek Government and the solidarity of the Greek people towards asylum seekers and migrants in the past years. Many of our organisations have repeatedly called on the European Union and its member states to demonstrate genuine collective action and share fairly the responsibility towards asylum seekers and migrants arriving in Greece since 2015 in a way that is humane and respects their human rights. However, the disappointing lack of real solidarity and commitment to responsibility sharing by many EU member states is no justification for the current state of asylum seekers on the Greek islands.

Since the EU-Turkey Statement came into effect, the Greek islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros have been transformed into places of indefinite confinement for asylum seekers. Thousands of women, men and children have been trapped on these islands in abysmal conditions and many lack access to adequate and timely asylum procedures and protection. Some who arrived on the islands in the early days of the EU-Turkey Statement have remained stuck there for 19 months.

The recent increase in arrivals, which are still comparatively quite low and should be manageable for Greece and the EU more broadly, include a considerable number of women and children, and have put further pressure on the already overcrowded hotspots. According

to recent government data, the situation is particularly critical in the hotspots on Samos and Lesbos, where a total of more than 8,300 people are living in facilities intended for just 3,000. We welcome the recent announcement that 2,000 asylum seekers will be moved from Samos and Lesbos to the mainland in the coming weeks as an emergency decongestion measure, and hope to see this commitment fulfilled as soon as possible; however, this is not sufficient to alleviate the current overcrowding of the facilities and does not sustainably address the systemic issues that have created this emergency situation. Only uplifting the geographical limitation imposed on the asylum seekers on the islands can provide a sustainable solution.

While the ongoing transition to full State management of the provision of services on the islands began in August, a harmonised, holistic response plan has yet to be released, reception conditions are deteriorating, and gaps in basic services, especially medical, are increasing.

On Lesbos, more than 5,400 people live in overcrowded tents and containers, with little access to proper shelter, food, water, sanitation, health care, or protection. Dozens of people, including very young children, are crammed into tents with only a canvas cloth separating one family from another. The living conditions are particularly harsh for pregnant women to endure, and place themselves and their babies’ health at risk. Summer camping tents, designed to accommodate not more than two people, are now holding families of up to seven. Accessing water, sanitation and food is particularly difficult for the many people with physical disabilities—for example, people using wheelchairs simply cannot reach these basic services. Single women in the hotspots report harassment by some of the men. And some asylum seekers have gone through their asylum interview without having had the requisite vulnerability assessment critical for determining both the asylum pathway available to them and the care they may require to prevent further deterioration of their health. These conditions have a devastating impact on the long-term well-being of people trapped there.

A number of human rights and humanitarian non-governmental organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and Human Rights Watch, have documented the impact of these conditions on the mental health of asylum seekers and migrants – including incidents of self-injury, suicide attempts, anxiety, aggression, and depression. Professionals who have interacted with the asylum seekers note that in many cases, the psychological distress they experience has been factored and/or exacerbated by the policy of “containing” them on islands, which also impedes their access to adequate support and mental health care.

Implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement has been cited by EU and Greek officials as a justification for the containment policy. But forcing asylum seekers to remain in conditions that violate their rights and are harmful to their wellbeing, health and dignity cannot be justified. As we approach the third winter since large-scale arrivals on the islands began, and the second winter since the entry into force of the EU-Turkey Statement, it is evident that the Greek authorities cannot meet the basic needs and protect the rights of asylum seekers while they remain on the islands.

Greece has a responsibility to protect the human rights of women, men and children arriving on the islands. That can only be achieved by ending the current containment policy and transferring asylum seekers to the mainland, so that they can be provided with adequate accommodation, services to meet their needs, and access to fair and efficient asylum procedures.

We thank you for your attention, and remain available for any further discussion with your excellency or a relevant government official on this important matter.

Yours sincerely,

ActionAid

Advocates Abroad

Aitima

Amnesty International

Care

Danish Refugee Council

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

Greek Council for Refugees (The Greek Council for Refugees endorses the text, within the framework of its actions and scope)

Greek Forum of Refugees

Greek Helsinki Monitor

Hellenic League for Human Rights

Human Rights Watch

International Rescue Committee

Jesuit Refugee Council

Lesbos Legal Center

Norwegian Refugee Council

Oxfam

Praksis

Solidarity Now

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Read the letter here

The Greek Ombudsman’s response to a report submitted in February by SolidarityNow and the organization Generation 2.0 Red is being published, regarding the unacceptable discrimination against foreign workers, legally residing in Greece, who enjoy – undoubtedly – fewer benefits than Greek nationals, even though they pay the same social security fees.

The Ombudsman fully justifies both NGOs by considering that the provisions of existing insurance legislation conflict with the principle of equal treatment since they result in different treatment with mere criterion the nationality, without any justification for the deviation, and calls on the EFKA to submit their views ASAP because of the urgency of the matter.

Full text here (in GR)

25 organizations submitted a petition with which they wish to inform the responsible Greek authorities of the ongoing problems that arise regarding the granting of AMKA (Social Security number), AFM (Tax Registration number) and unemployment cards to applicants of international protection, requesting their intervention to harmonize administrative practices with the applicable legislation. They also want to reintroduce the issue of the obvious need to extend all rights to applicants who are at the stage of pre-registration.

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25 organizations submitted a joint letter-report with which they wish to inform the responsible Greek authorities of the ongoing problems that arise regarding the granting of AMKA (Social Security number), AFM (Tax Registration number) and unemployment cards to applicants of international protection, requesting their intervention to harmonize administrative practices with the applicable legislation. They also want to reintroduce the issue of the obvious need to extend all rights to applicants who are at the stage of pre-registration.

Regarding AMKA (Social Security number):

According to Greek legislation, asylum seekers have the right of access to the Greek labour market and to hospital and health care. A prerequisite for the full realization of these rights is the possession of AMKA which many times employees from the Citizens’ Service Centre (KEP) do not provide even though the applicants meet the legal requirements.

This refusal is accompanied by several excuses – most of the times unfortunately preemptive – which ultimately constitute a denial by the administration to apply existing legislation. Given that these are people who are in extremely difficult circumstances, the inability to satisfy their fundamental rights and the complete lack of access to health structures or work, does not only further exacerbates their physical, psychological and economic situation but also constitutes a straightforward Violation of existing legislation.

Regarding AFM (Tax Registration number):

According to Greek legislation an AFM number is provided to all natural, legal entities and associations of persons who have their residence or professional establishment or carry out transactions of tax interest within the Greek territory. According to a relevant ministerial decision on AFM provision, what is required is simply a relevant special form upon presentation of an identity card or passport, and, for foreigners, it is also required the provision of evidence that they are legally residing in Greece. As far as asylum-seekers are concerned, the ‘asylum applicant’s alien’ card issued by the Asylum Service constitutes proof that they reside legally in the country.

Unfortunately, asylum seekers often face problems with tax office officials who do not issue AFMs, despite the fact that applicants meet the legal requirements. This refusal is accompanied by several excuses – most of the times unfortunately preemptive – which ultimately constitute a denial by the administration to apply existing legislation.

In the context of good administration practices, there must finally be harmonization of administrative procedure and unimpeded application of the legal framework so as not to interfere with the enjoyment of the rights of those individuals.

Regarding the registration at OAED’s (Manpower Employment Organisation) unemployment register

Employees from the signatory organizations have repeatedly stated that the above mentioned administrative problems in the provision of AMKA and AFM increase the difficulties for asylum seekers to register at OAED’s unemployment register.

Therefore, we appeal to all Greek authorities and ask for their intervention in whatever manner you deem most appropriate in order for the administration to comply with and adhere to the principle of legality and ensure the unhindered provision of AMKA, AFM and unemployment card to all people who meet the legal requirements throughout the Greek territory.

Regarding the lack of access to rights for applicants who are pre-registered

Lastly, the signatory organizations would like to point out that the right to work, as already mentioned above, is guaranteed by Greek legislation for applicants of international protection, only after completing “full registration” of their asylum application according to the existing provisions.

However, de facto delays in the completion of the process of filing an application for international protection, results in the deprivation of those who are at that stage of their fundamental rights, making it necessary that the protective provisions extend their scope to include applicants who are also in the process of “pre-registration”.

Finally, the signatory organizations emphasize that the integration of asylum seekers and refugees in our society, beyond legal obligations of the State, should also constitute a political priority, which apart from the formal requirements, provides the substantial conditions for the inclusion of the population in the social fabric of the country. Therefore, the need for a national action plan for integration, covering both formal (legislation and implementation) and the material conditions of integration (awareness and training of public officials, intercultural mediation and interpreting, access to information etc.) remains a fundamental demand of our organizations.

The co-signed organisations

SolidarityNow
Wind of Renewal
ANTIGONE – Information and Documentation Center on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non Violence
ARSIS
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Nostos
Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR)
Greek Forum of Refugees
Greek Forum of Migrants
Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
Ιliaktida
Marangopoulos Foundation For Human Rights
Caritas Hellas
BABEL
Melissa Network
Kentro Zois
City of Athens Migrant Integration Council
Ecumenical Refugee Program/ERP
ASANTE
CARE
Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity
HIAS Greece
JRS Greece
PRAKSIS
Save the Children