Diavata camp

Diavata refugee camp is located 7,5km away from the centre of Thessaloniki in an industrial outskirt. It is one of the three refugee accommodation sites in mainland Greece that have been established by law (in November 2016)^[1]. RIS is the managing authority while ASB^[2] provides site management support. EODY has a regular presence in the camp since the departure of medical NGOs such as Doctors of World and WAHA in early 2018. An ARSIS programme providing legal advice and social support to the camps’ residents has ended recently. Meanwhile, according to the UNHCRs’ protection monitoring tool of September 2018, no special services for victims of torture were available on site.^[3]

The camp was established in the former Anagnostopoulou military camp in order to cope with the ‘crisis’ in Idomeni and opened on 24 February 2016.^[4] Its original capacity was for 2.500 persons.

Since spring 2018, the camp has received undocumented new arrivals from the land borders. Once described as a role model by former Migration Policy Minister Mouzalas^[5], it is now one of the most overcrowded camps in mainland Greece. During the past three years, the camp has seen a series of protests.

As of 21 September 2018, there were 816 residents^[6] and the camp’s reported official capacity was for 936 persons.^[7] A significant percentage of the camp’s population were children (48%).^[8] Among the residents, there were also persons who were transferred in the camp in 2017 and had been subsequently granted with international protection status.^[9] In 25 January 2019, the Ministry of National Defence General Secretariat of Information counted 1.357 residents.^[10]

Refugees living in the camp have to walk along the highway to reach the next bus station or a nearby super market. Other than that, there are no other local amenities near the site. The fenced area has a guarded gate.

In May 2019, residents stayed in prefabs, UNHCR tents, a hand full of summer tents and two buildings. Some were housed informally in empty office prefabs without any provisions. The prefabs are constructed in rows around two buildings, one of which is used to house unaccompanied minors in one of 10 ‘safe zones’ currently existing.^[11] The other building is used to temporarily host unregistered new arrivals – mainly families. Every prefab has two rooms, but only one air condition in the corridor and one bathroom. Many prefabs are shared between two families.

In the past three years, a number of protests linked to poor living conditions took place.^{[12] [13]} Fights between refugees were also reported.^{[14] [15]} In April 2019, the camp attracted wide international media coverage when riot police fired tear gas to hundreds of refugees who had set up an informal camp outside Diavata. The refugees hoped to revive the Balkans route, cross the borders with Northern Macedonia and then reach other EU countries.^[16]

Those interviewed spoke about the recurring problem of overcrowding, difficult living conditions and lack of security including tensions arising between residents as a result of the different types of housing they are offered. Female interviewees said that they preferred to stay inside their prefabs with their children because they felt unsafe. One refugee reported he had been subjected to racist attacks on his way to the bus and his wife to harassment.

“Here in the camp, we do not feel safe. We are permanently stressed. I don’t remember any time to be relaxed here. There are fights. One time during a big fight, we Afghan men had to bring all our children and women into the prefabs and lock them inside to protect them. There were men with knives and big woods. The police didn’t do anything. We had to stay in front of the houses to protect our families. Even I had to be ready to fight. You see: we escaped from war just to be in danger in Europe.”

Hassan M.* (58)^[17] from Afghanistan, Diavata camp
He lives in the camp with his wife Nouria M.* (53) and their 17-year-old son.

Residents with serious health problems described having to wait in long queues in front of the medical services in order to receiving simple medicines such as painkillers. Lack of interpreters to accompany refugees to hospitals was also another cause of worry for those suffering with health problems.

For those already recognized, the lack of prospects and absence of regular language lessons in the camp dashed their hopes for a better future.

“I don’t see a future. … I can only give up. My days in the camp pass by without any change of my situation. During the day, I sit on a chair in front of the isobox and at night I try for hours to fall asleep. There are no lessons now, no measures to make a living, nothing.”

Behruz K.* (22)^[18] from Afghanistan, victim of torture and recognized refugee, Diavata camp