EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GREECE-KOS MSF MSF maintains makeshift migrant centre in dilapidated Kos hotel

Record ID: 144133

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/GREECE-KOS MSF MSF maintains makeshift migrant centre in dilapidated Kos hotel
  • Date: 13th August 2015
  • Summary: KOS, GREECE (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) MAN COLLECTING RUBBISH IN DISUSED HOTEL CAPTAIN ELIAS / MIGRANT CHILDREN VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF HOTEL LITTLE BOY WITH BANDAGED HEAD ON BALCONY SIGN FOR CHARITY "MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES" ON SIDE OF A TENT LITTLE BOY NEXT TO TENT VARIOUS OF TENT WITH MIGRANTS INSIDE (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFGHAN MIGRANT, NEGIR, SAYING: "We have a real problem about children. The weather is very warm and we don't have a place to stay. For example, we live in a roof, we live in a yard, every day children go into hospital, and we don't have good food. We live in a bad situation." SHREDDED POSTER ON WALL / MIGRANTS IN HOTEL CORRIDOR VARIOUS OF YARD WHERE MIGRANT TOILETS LOCATED SHATTERED WINDOW / MIGRANTS LYING DOWN HUMANITARIAN MEDICAL CHARITY MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES (MSF) DOCTOR IN VAN QUEUE OF MIGRANTS OUTSIDE VAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) MSF COORDINATOR FOR THE SOUTH-EASTERN GREEK ISLANDS, VANGELIS ORFANOUDAKIS, SAYING: "The migrants used to be directed there upon arrival. This is a place with 20 rooms, it has a capacity of approximately maximum 200 people, in it's heyday it used to host almost 800 or 900 people. In this place now there is no electricity, water has been connected by MSF, water and sanitation facilities, toilets, have been put by MSF also sewers. Officially, no one is responsible for this place although you have migrants staying there." TOILETS OUTSIDE HOTEL VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS WASHING (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFGHAN MIGRANT, BASHIR ATYI, SAYING: "We are two months from Afghanistan to here coming. I pay money and somebody's died, somebody's sick this way. It's very difficult." WOMAN SITTING ON HOTEL BALCONY VARIOUS OF TENTS
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Greece
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAC29GC4H81P8JH33K8LDRGNO6B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF/Doctors Without Borders) has turned a dilapidated hotel on Kos into a makeshift migrant camp but said the Greek authorities are not doing enough to welcome thousands coming to the island, many fleeing conflict in Syria and Afghanistan.
    The humanitarian charity says that in the absence of adequate facilities set up by the government, it is providing medical assistance and running water at the abandoned building, which still has no electricity.
    Hundreds have camped out in its corridors and rooms, with some housed in tents in the yard.
    Afghan migrant Negir, sitting with her daughter outside the hotel, said that despite the work done by the charity, the living conditions were appalling.
    "We have a real problem about children. The weather is very warm and we don't have a place to stay. For example, we live in a roof, we live in a yard, every day children go into hospital, and we don't have good food. We live in a bad situation," she told Reuters TV.
    MSF says the government has failed to respond to calls for a dedicated reception centre on the island.
    The authorities on Wednesday promised to bolster security and provide a cruise ship with a capacity of 2,500 to help handle the new arrivals and deal with the spike in refugees.
    Cash-starved Greece has found itself in the spotlight in recent months as Europe grapples with a stream of refugees fleeing war and poverty.
    MSF coordinator for the south-eastern Greek islands, Vangelis Orfanoudakis, said that where previously the migrants on Kos were directed towards the hotel, there is now little coordination and what facilities there are had all been provided by MSF.
    "Officially, no one is responsible for this place although you have migrants staying there," he said.
    Most stay at the hotel for an average of 10 to 15 days, the charity said, before being granted papers by the authorities allowing them to continue their journeys.
    On Tuesday, skirmishes erupted at a makeshift reception centre at a sports stadium on Kos during which police used fire extinguishing spray to disperse people waiting for their documentation.
    Hundreds of people, including infants, returned to the queues on Thursday.
    "We are two months from Afghanistan to here coming. I pay money and somebody's died, somebody's sick this way. It's very difficult," Afghan migrant Bashir Atyri said.
    Many migrants told Reuters they had been at the hotel for two months, and MSF said that most are not properly informed of the process of getting paperwork done.
    The charity said that more than 7,000 arrived on the island in the month of July.
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