Thousands of Migrants Stranded in Greece as Route North Is Narrowed

[xht]

IDOMENI, Greece — There has been a rough triage taking place the last few weeks along the barbed-wire and chain-link fence separating Greece from Macedonia.

“Only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans!” a Greek police officer shouted recently, looking over the bedraggled families coming forward at this transit camp, one of the main gateways for people fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty in search of better lives in Europe.

The rest — the Iranians, Yemenis, Ugandans, Moroccans, Algerians, Pakistanis, Congolese, Somalis and more — are left to look on with anger and despair.

The border crossing here ran smoothly for months, an efficient funnel for tens of thousands of people who had made it across the Aegean and the Mediterranean and were heading toward Germany and beyond. In orderly groups of 50, they were shepherded into Macedonia and onto trains heading north.

But the door to Europe, seemingly flung open this summer to all, has quietly shut for many of them, without much fanfare or explanation and over the objections of Greece. The idea is to slow the flow of people — nearly a million have reached Germany this year — and filter out some of those who would not qualify for refugee status on the basis of fleeing a war.

Since the new policy took effect last month, thousands of migrants, unable to move forward and unwilling to go back, have been living in the fields around here, making do in ragged pup tents, their laundry drying nearby. They have huddled by campfires to stay warm, eagerly telling anyone who will listen that they, too, should be allowed to go north.

After clashes between the police and the migrants, and amid concern that the encampment was blocking rail traffic across the border, the Greek authorities sent forces in on Wednesday to clear it out. They demanded that journalists and aid workers leave the scene, and they began herding hundreds of migrants onto buses that would take them to Athens, where they are to be housed while the government figures out what to do with them. A news release issued by the Greek police on Wednesday afternoon said that about 2,300 migrants had been transferred to temporary accommodations in Athens. Most are from Pakistan, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria and Bangladesh, the statement said.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/world/europe/greece-macedonia-migrants-refugees.html?ref=world

[bryant.coleman]

The rest — the Iranians, Yemenis, Ugandans, Moroccans, Algerians, Pakistanis, Congolese, Somalis and more — are left to look on with anger and despair.

Most are from Pakistan, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria and Bangladesh, the statement said.

I don't understand why these people are even allowed in to Europe. Is it the responsibility of the Europeans to feed these unwashed hordes from Uganda and Somalia? I wish Stalin was alive now. He would have shipped all these welfare rats to gulags in Vorkuta and Verkhoyansk, far away from the inhabited areas of Western Europe.

[croato]

Europe should finaly make end of this madness and send them all (including those from war zones) back to their original countries. We have enough problems without them and more of those barbaric hordes will only make unrest and at end everything is possible. Ask Jews.

[vero]

If they are not from war ravaged country then they are economic migrants, unwelcome in Europe. Go home and sort your own countries out, stop expecting someone else to do it for you.

[bryant.coleman]

If they are not from war ravaged country then they are economic migrants, unwelcome in Europe. Go home and sort your own countries out, stop expecting someone else to do it for you.

Merkel is the problem.

She want to permanently change the European demography by importing millions of these unwashed hordes. It is expected that by the end of 2017, some 5 million refugees, and their family members will arive in the EU. I don't know what is her ultimate aim. Reminds me of der Führer in the 1930s, just before he triggered the WW2. Will Führerin Merkel trigger a WW3? Only god knows.

[jasonjm]

Europeans are total pussies. After being bitch slapped for decades by their overlords in Brussels, they are too scared to say anything anymore.

They just bend over and smile, while proclaiming to be enlightened beings.

[bryant.coleman]

They just bend over and smile, while proclaiming to be enlightened beings.

The Europeans don't enjoy the same level of political freedom as the Americans or the Australians. In the United States, you can say something which is not politically correct and get away with it. The latest example is the anti-Muslim statement by Donald Trump. But such a scenario is impossible to even imagine in the European Union.

[Beliathon]

Just nuke Greece - two birds with one stone!

[Ernstew]

Greece realy has problems, island of Kos is just 3 miles from Turkey coast...and Turkey don't do anything to stop them...so main problem is there. It's easy to say Greece shoud stop them. Than NATO should send army on the islands in Greece and to stop the boats

[abokhalel2]

It is interesting to see many heartless people in this forum. Those Syrian people are fleeing death. Those are moms protecting their children, and families trying to survive. Anyone with the same condition would've done it!

You know why? Because hundreds of bombs are dropped on their heads everyday by the tyrant Assad, Over half millions are already dead. They just need a no-fly zone areas in their country to feel safe and stay home.

btw, the same Syrian people welcomed 12 thousands refugees from Greece during World War II in Aleppo city alone. not to mention the rest of the Syrian cities. What a coincidence!

[bitsmichel]

2015, Dec: Merkel admits multiculturalism in Germany a failure
2016, Feb: Angela Merkel's stance on refugees means she stands alone ...

Her policy does not make sense. Is she blackmailed or has she lost her mind

[galdur]

Well, of course they don´t mention it so as not to offend their American master, but it could be that Europeans feel a moral obligation to shoulder some responsibility for 13 years (and untold years of softening-up before that) of systematic dismantling and ruination of the Middle East. Someone has to do it.

[saddampbuh]

It is interesting to see many heartless people in this forum. Those Syrian people are fleeing death. Those are moms protecting their children, and families trying to survive. Anyone with the same condition would've done it!

You know why? Because hundreds of bombs are dropped on their heads everyday by the tyrant Assad, Over half millions are already dead. They just need a no-fly zone areas in their country to feel safe and stay home.

btw, the same Syrian people welcomed 12 thousands refugees from Greece during World War II in Aleppo city alone. not to mention the rest of the Syrian cities. What a coincidence!

12k greeks =/= 2 million islamic parasites who pick our pockets and rape our women

you islamic vermin should go to islamic countries, we don't want your sas in europe, there are already 50 million of you here sitting on welfare stealing our housing and resources while your repulsive moon faced hijabed females shit out a new child every 9 months for our taxpayers to take care of

not our job to impose a no fly zone on syria and start ww3 with russia on your behalf because you half devil half child savages are too desperate and pathetic to do anything for yourselves

[salinizm]

IDOMENI, Greece — There has been a rough triage taking place the last few weeks along the barbed-wire and chain-link fence separating Greece from Macedonia.

“Only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans!” a Greek police officer shouted recently, looking over the bedraggled families coming forward at this transit camp, one of the main gateways for people fleeing conflict, persecution and poverty in search of better lives in Europe.

The rest — the Iranians, Yemenis, Ugandans, Moroccans, Algerians, Pakistanis, Congolese, Somalis and more — are left to look on with anger and despair.

The border crossing here ran smoothly for months, an efficient funnel for tens of thousands of people who had made it across the Aegean and the Mediterranean and were heading toward Germany and beyond. In orderly groups of 50, they were shepherded into Macedonia and onto trains heading north.

But the door to Europe, seemingly flung open this summer to all, has quietly shut for many of them, without much fanfare or explanation and over the objections of Greece. The idea is to slow the flow of people — nearly a million have reached Germany this year — and filter out some of those who would not qualify for refugee status on the basis of fleeing a war.

Since the new policy took effect last month, thousands of migrants, unable to move forward and unwilling to go back, have been living in the fields around here, making do in ragged pup tents, their laundry drying nearby. They have huddled by campfires to stay warm, eagerly telling anyone who will listen that they, too, should be allowed to go north.

After clashes between the police and the migrants, and amid concern that the encampment was blocking rail traffic across the border, the Greek authorities sent forces in on Wednesday to clear it out. They demanded that journalists and aid workers leave the scene, and they began herding hundreds of migrants onto buses that would take them to Athens, where they are to be housed while the government figures out what to do with them. A news release issued by the Greek police on Wednesday afternoon said that about 2,300 migrants had been transferred to temporary accommodations in Athens. Most are from Pakistan, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria and Bangladesh, the statement said.


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/world/europe/greece-macedonia-migrants-refugees.html?ref=world

i dont understand why eu dont allow turkish and other countiries citizen to enter europe freely .. can anybody explain it to me ? this is so ridiculous...

[jak1]

They should have visas for entrance all EU countries..and only for touristic purpose, no working permit for them..yes they actually don't work nothing except making children..i saw yesterday one syrian family with 6 kids...and woman is pregnant again...simply all these refugees should go to UAE,Kuwait,Saudi Arabia, there is same religion and climate, and also similar way of life, no culture distinction

[Snail2]

It is interesting to see many heartless people in this forum. Those Syrian people are fleeing death. Those are moms protecting their children, and families trying to survive. Anyone with the same condition would've done it!

You know why? Because hundreds of bombs are dropped on their heads everyday by the tyrant Assad, Over half millions are already dead. They just need a no-fly zone areas in their country to feel safe and stay home.

btw, the same Syrian people welcomed 12 thousands refugees from Greece during World War II in Aleppo city alone. not to mention the rest of the Syrian cities. What a coincidence!

Actually you can see very few woman and children between these refugees. The majority of them are young males. Instead of fighting for their country and family they came here for living on benefits and harassing european woman.

As I see at this moment that so called "tyrant Assad" is the best option for Syria. Surely better than those bands of islamist riff raff what is his opposition.

12 thousand vs cca. 15 million... are you kidding?

[jak1]

Yes, there is a lot of young man who should stay in Syria and fight to defend their home..What they expect to get in Europe?