Molyvos today:
https://www.facebook.com/philippa.kempson.1/posts/10153175627384355Today we were not able to count the amount of arrivals that we had as they were so many. This morning one boat was picked up at sea and two men who were in the water as they had jumped in from another boat to save it. Thier boat went to shore but the two men were taken to the harbour. The men started to panic as they had lost their wife and family. A lovely port police official went and collected the people from the boat on the shore and when the family was reunited there was clapping and tears. So we had a total of 59 in the harbour. The phone did not stop ringing telling us that another boat had arrived, another boat, another boat. We fed over 400 maybe more. The one volunteer who was the driver did not stop driving between the parking area and storage room re stocking. The other volunteers who were making the sandwiches did not stop for quite a few hours. The young men have left with hats and water. There are about 150 still at the parking area which are only families with many young children. There is no hope of a bus as we only had one today it collected all the ones from the harbour. They are waiting for the sun to go down a bit before attempting the long walk to Mytilene. We have been informed that there were over 1400 people that arrived today on Lesvos.
'Heroes and villains'
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=3Vts9Mg6g3Uhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=5JocoTk0S98The resolution Eric Kempson talks about in the second video, link
here. I've only posted it up because it's mentioned in the video and it's otherwise hidden away as a youtube comment, not because it's really worth reading. Feel free to ignore it.
(English Translation) RESOLUTION of the committees of Mithimna (Molyvos) and its wider region regarding the creation… of a hosting center for refugees and immigrants at the “camping” of Molyvos. T o the Mayor of Lesvos mr Spyros Galinos, the President of the City Council mr Psanis Georgios, the President of ADEL and Vice-Mayor of Tourism Affairs mr Astyrakakis Konstantinos, Head of the municipal parties Kourtzis Nikos, Georgoulas Efstratios, Tsirigoti Niki, Kyrantzis Efstratios, Vice-Mayor of Mithimna mr Apostolou Stefanos, President and other local councelors of Mithimna Notification: Prefect of the Nothern Aegean mrs Kalogirou Christiana, Parliament Members of Lesvos Zerdelis Ioannis, Athanasiou Charalambos, Tassos Stavros mass media. Today, 9th of June 2015, the committees of Molyvos along with lots of parishioners, we gathered at the “Sun Rise” hotel of Molyvos in order to discuss the creation of a hosting center for refugees and immigrants at the camping of Molyvos after the recent decision of the local board and affirmation to the broadcasting media by the Mayor of Lesvos. The big problem of the refugee-immigrant influx that has been observed the last two months at the island requires a permanent solution. Molyvo’s society, always an antiracist one and tolerant towards diversity indicated, indicates and will indicate its humanitarianism through the generous way that has been observed by everyone. It’s a society with deep solidarity to ailing and voluntary conscious contribution. However, it is requisite, necessary but, also, fair to make decisions which – on one hand will help and nurse the persecuted with dignity and on the other hand to ensure its social cohesion and tourist economy which is based on tranquility and visitor’s sense of security, women’s one above all. This is the balance that should be held at any cost so as the refugees and immigrants can be nursed and the economic development, employment and the general island’s income not to be put at risk in such difficult times for the Country and every single one of us. Unfortunately the local tourism development already undergoes great loss while the booking cancellations from abroad are increasing dramatically, right after the publicity of the immigrant issue. The danger of the current annual season but also the future of tourism has touched perilously not only the greater region of Molyvos but the whole Lesvos as the Mayor of Lesvos has mentioned in his interview at Vima FM, on Monday 8th of June, where he claims the following: “at this moment we are not just playing with the luck of our island, we are playing with the luck of what will happen to the tourism merchandise this summer but also for the following years. The camping’s choice or any other region in Molyvos, at the fundamental region (στρατηγίδα) of Lesvo’s tourism, DOES NOT solve the problem. The logic of a temporary installation “until the buses get them” is not valid since there is nothing more permanent than the temporary. This decision is simply intensifying and multiplying the problem. Camping’s capacity is no longer than a hundred tents as the infrastructure is few, inadequate, destructed and only for summer seasons. Molyvo’s camping is located at the heart of the hotel infrastructure of our region, on the way to Eftalou, a street for visitors’ hiking. Any criminal incident, taking into account that there are lots of violent incidents observed amongst immigrants, any other harassment towards women will blow up the whole building of tourism in this region. A rational solution is to find a place capable of size and infrastructure in order to have a permanent and dignified solution for the persecuted refugees-immigrants. We should also point out that repeatedly, during the mayoralties of D. Vounatsos and S. Galinos, there have been testified utilisation proposals for the camping which has been characterized as one of the most beautiful in Greece so as to accomplish the aim that has been created for: the hosting of mainly new visitors at low cost. One of these proposals was to turn the camping into one of the summer hosting centers of European and international scouting with lots of actions and events, with high imprint of environmental and cultural consciousness for the young people of our region. The committees of Molyvos are aware with high sense of responsibility to this big problem, with sense of justice towards the refugee-immigrant but also towards the future of the children and the region in general, with this current RESOLUTION, declare their decision to conquer a fair solution for everyone in any legal way, to publicise to all the responsible committees of the State and the broadcasting media their decision for an essential solution and REQUEST 1. The decision revoking of the local committee by which NOT ANY immigration problem can be essentially solved – on the contrary tourism and its derivative profits which keep alive a huge part of the work force of the island of Lesvos are torpedoed. 2. The convergence of a local committee along with the presence of the Mayor and a steering committee of local committees with exclusive topic the joint effort and action of the immediate refugee transfer in Mytilini as well as the organised and concerted assertion towards the responsible state factors so as to have a permanent and solution with duration and humanitarian character. The Resolution is signed -amongst the large number of parishioners – by the following: - Molyvo’s Committee of Tourism - Hotel Association of Northern Lesvos - Molyvo’s Corporation of Caterers and pertinent - A.P.P.F.S. of Molyvo’s Aryans - Agricultural Cooperation of Mithimna - Cultural Association of folk dance “Molyvos” - G.A.S. of Olympia - Ladies and Donators Association “The Love” - Parent’s Association of the Primary School and Kindergarten of Mithimna - Vatis Dimitrios, ex-Mayor of Mithimna - Karantonis Stelios, ex-Mayor of Mithimna - Hadjichristos Ignatios, Municipal Councilor of Lesvos - Vatis Efstratios, Local Councilor of Mithimna - Triantafyllou Panagiotis, Local Councilor of Mithimna
It should probably be pointed out that according to Eric Kempson this bit is racist nonsense without any basis; "Any criminal incident, taking into account that there are lots of violent incidents observed amongst immigrants, any other harassment towards women will blow up the whole building of tourism in this region."
Topic: Greek island refugee crisis