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| Greece resumes migrant deportations to Turkey | Greece resumes migrant deportations to Turkey |
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| Greece has lifted its suspension of the EU-Turkey migration deal, deporting a second group of migrants to Turkey after a four-day pause amid administrative chaos and civil unrest. | Greece has lifted its suspension of the EU-Turkey migration deal, deporting a second group of migrants to Turkey after a four-day pause amid administrative chaos and civil unrest. |
| The country forcibly returned 124 people from the islands of Lesbos, Samos and Kos early on Friday – the first deportations since the EU-Turkey migration deal came into effect on Monday and was then halted. | The country forcibly returned 124 people from the islands of Lesbos, Samos and Kos early on Friday – the first deportations since the EU-Turkey migration deal came into effect on Monday and was then halted. |
| The expulsions came just hours after violent clashes on the island of Chios. Exhausted at being detained in conditions that Amnesty International described as appalling, hundreds of migrants broke out of their detention centre last week and camped in the island’s main port. In response, groups of residents began threatening and chasing them, videos showed. | The expulsions came just hours after violent clashes on the island of Chios. Exhausted at being detained in conditions that Amnesty International described as appalling, hundreds of migrants broke out of their detention centre last week and camped in the island’s main port. In response, groups of residents began threatening and chasing them, videos showed. |
| There was further chaos on Lesbos early on Friday, as pro-refugee protesters plunged into the sea and swam alongside EU deportation vessels to try to stop the return of 45 Pakistanis to Turkey. | There was further chaos on Lesbos early on Friday, as pro-refugee protesters plunged into the sea and swam alongside EU deportation vessels to try to stop the return of 45 Pakistanis to Turkey. |
| The men and women, both Greek and foreign, were plucked from the sea by the local coastguard before being taken to the police station and charged. | The men and women, both Greek and foreign, were plucked from the sea by the local coastguard before being taken to the police station and charged. |
| A second ferry carried 79 people, including migrants from Bangladesh, Iraq, India, Morocco, Egypt and the Palestinian territories, according to Athens’ leftist-led government, which issued a statement saying none of the migrants had applied for asylum. | A second ferry carried 79 people, including migrants from Bangladesh, Iraq, India, Morocco, Egypt and the Palestinian territories, according to Athens’ leftist-led government, which issued a statement saying none of the migrants had applied for asylum. |
| In an unprecedented step, Turkish authorities refused to accept one of the migrants, a Pakistani man, “for reasons that are not yet sufficiently clear,” it announced. There were no Syrians on either boat. | In an unprecedented step, Turkish authorities refused to accept one of the migrants, a Pakistani man, “for reasons that are not yet sufficiently clear,” it announced. There were no Syrians on either boat. |
| Protesters dive into sea as ferry carrying #migrants prepares to leave #Lesbos returning them to turkey pic.twitter.com/q1Gz608HAG | Protesters dive into sea as ferry carrying #migrants prepares to leave #Lesbos returning them to turkey pic.twitter.com/q1Gz608HAG |
| The deportations came amid a day of drama in Greece with tensions mounting between the 52,000 men, women and children stranded within its borders, officials keen not to use force to put them in organised camps, and anti-immigrant right-wingers determined to expel them altogether. | The deportations came amid a day of drama in Greece with tensions mounting between the 52,000 men, women and children stranded within its borders, officials keen not to use force to put them in organised camps, and anti-immigrant right-wingers determined to expel them altogether. |
| In Piraeus, where close to 5,000 refugees and migrants have camped out on the harbour’s quayside for almost a month, tensions exploded into violence as neo-fascist Golden Dawn supporters, protesting against “the country’s Islamisation” clashed with pro-refugee groups that also took to the streets. | In Piraeus, where close to 5,000 refugees and migrants have camped out on the harbour’s quayside for almost a month, tensions exploded into violence as neo-fascist Golden Dawn supporters, protesting against “the country’s Islamisation” clashed with pro-refugee groups that also took to the streets. |
| With the nation preparing to celebrate Orthodox Easter on 1 May, the government described the situation as increasingly untenable. Announcing plans to evacuate the port, it said it would begin handing out multi-lingual flyers on Monday making it clear the migrants and refugees had to go. One official said the flyers would be emblazoned with the words: “The port of Piraeus cannot host you any more and you have nothing to gain by remaining here. | With the nation preparing to celebrate Orthodox Easter on 1 May, the government described the situation as increasingly untenable. Announcing plans to evacuate the port, it said it would begin handing out multi-lingual flyers on Monday making it clear the migrants and refugees had to go. One official said the flyers would be emblazoned with the words: “The port of Piraeus cannot host you any more and you have nothing to gain by remaining here. |
| “Do not lose your courage, we stand by you, we love you … !” And “Do not despair. Remain calm. Make sure that no violent incidents take place among you.” | “Do not lose your courage, we stand by you, we love you … !” And “Do not despair. Remain calm. Make sure that no violent incidents take place among you.” |
| Ethnic rivalries, especially between Syrians and Afghans, have also added to the tensions. | Ethnic rivalries, especially between Syrians and Afghans, have also added to the tensions. |
| Meanwhile in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to end Turkey’s participation in the migration deal unless the EU upheld its side of the bargain. | Meanwhile in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to end Turkey’s participation in the migration deal unless the EU upheld its side of the bargain. |
| The EU has begun to fly some Syrian refugees from Turkey to Europe – a prerequisite for Turkey agreeing to take back all refused asylum seekers who arrive in Greece from Turkey. | The EU has begun to fly some Syrian refugees from Turkey to Europe – a prerequisite for Turkey agreeing to take back all refused asylum seekers who arrive in Greece from Turkey. |
| But Erdoğan said he was concerned the EU would renege on plans to provide €6bn (£4.8bn) in aid, ease visa restrictions for Turkish people, and speed up negotiations over the country’s potential accession to the EU. | But Erdoğan said he was concerned the EU would renege on plans to provide €6bn (£4.8bn) in aid, ease visa restrictions for Turkish people, and speed up negotiations over the country’s potential accession to the EU. |
| “There are precise conditions,” he said in a speech. “If the European Union does not take the necessary steps, then Turkey will not implement the agreement.” | “There are precise conditions,” he said in a speech. “If the European Union does not take the necessary steps, then Turkey will not implement the agreement.” |
| The developments represent the fallout from the EU’s new approach to the biggest wave of mass migration within Europe since the second world war. Until recent weeks, European countries were allowing the hundreds of thousands of people who had fled war, poverty or persecution in the past year to travel onwards to the wealthier countries of northern Europe. | The developments represent the fallout from the EU’s new approach to the biggest wave of mass migration within Europe since the second world war. Until recent weeks, European countries were allowing the hundreds of thousands of people who had fled war, poverty or persecution in the past year to travel onwards to the wealthier countries of northern Europe. |
| Since 20 March, all those arriving in Greece are now detained in camps, and the EU has promised to send back most of them to Turkey on the assumption that Turkey is a safe country for refugees. | Since 20 March, all those arriving in Greece are now detained in camps, and the EU has promised to send back most of them to Turkey on the assumption that Turkey is a safe country for refugees. |
| The success of the deal rests on whether cash-strapped Greece can care for so many people who previously would have spent just days in the country before moving on; and whether Greek officials have the resources to properly process so many asylum applications within such a short space of time. | The success of the deal rests on whether cash-strapped Greece can care for so many people who previously would have spent just days in the country before moving on; and whether Greek officials have the resources to properly process so many asylum applications within such a short space of time. |
| Serious doubts emerged this week over both these points, after the UN said that 13 of the first wave of refugees to be deported had been expelled by mistake. Then Amnesty International released a damning report about the conditions in which refugees are being held on islands such as Lesbos and Chios. | Serious doubts emerged this week over both these points, after the UN said that 13 of the first wave of refugees to be deported had been expelled by mistake. Then Amnesty International released a damning report about the conditions in which refugees are being held on islands such as Lesbos and Chios. |
| More than 4,000 people were being detained in appalling conditions on the islands, and had no access to lawyers, proper healthcare, blankets and a respectable quality of food, the human rights group said. | More than 4,000 people were being detained in appalling conditions on the islands, and had no access to lawyers, proper healthcare, blankets and a respectable quality of food, the human rights group said. |
| The detainees included a group of up to 100 vulnerable people who needed urgent attention, including a baby with medical complications after an attack in Syria, pregnant women, people unable to walk, and a girl with a developmental disability, Amnesty said. | The detainees included a group of up to 100 vulnerable people who needed urgent attention, including a baby with medical complications after an attack in Syria, pregnant women, people unable to walk, and a girl with a developmental disability, Amnesty said. |
| “On the edge of Europe, refugees are trapped with no light at the end of the tunnel. A setup that is so flawed, rushed and ill-prepared is ripe for mistakes, trampling the rights and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable people,” said Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty’s deputy Europe director. | “On the edge of Europe, refugees are trapped with no light at the end of the tunnel. A setup that is so flawed, rushed and ill-prepared is ripe for mistakes, trampling the rights and wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable people,” said Gauri van Gulik, Amnesty’s deputy Europe director. |
| “People detained on Lesbos and Chios have virtually no access to legal aid, limited access to services and support, and hardly any information about their current status or possible fate. The fear and desperation are palpable.” | “People detained on Lesbos and Chios have virtually no access to legal aid, limited access to services and support, and hardly any information about their current status or possible fate. The fear and desperation are palpable.” |
| A Syrian man in his late 20s told Amnesty: “I escaped Syria to avoid jail, but now I am in prison.” | A Syrian man in his late 20s told Amnesty: “I escaped Syria to avoid jail, but now I am in prison.” |
| The report found there was one caseworker to review more than 800 asylum applications on the island of Chios, despite Greece’s EU partners having pledged to provide logistical help, including thousands of asylum workers. So far only dozens have arrived. | The report found there was one caseworker to review more than 800 asylum applications on the island of Chios, despite Greece’s EU partners having pledged to provide logistical help, including thousands of asylum workers. So far only dozens have arrived. |
| The situation in Chios is explosive, with locals expressing fears of a major eruption after tensions came to boiling point on Thursday night and Friday morning. | The situation in Chios is explosive, with locals expressing fears of a major eruption after tensions came to boiling point on Thursday night and Friday morning. |
| Police dispatched from Athens were forced early on Friday to intervene after a mob, led by far-right Golden Dawn supporters, turned against refugees and migrants in the port. As many as 500 men, women and children – most from Syria and Pakistan - have been in the port since fleeing the island’s overcrowded detention camp hidden in the hills above Chios town. | Police dispatched from Athens were forced early on Friday to intervene after a mob, led by far-right Golden Dawn supporters, turned against refugees and migrants in the port. As many as 500 men, women and children – most from Syria and Pakistan - have been in the port since fleeing the island’s overcrowded detention camp hidden in the hills above Chios town. |
| One volunteer, who witnessed the clashes, described how riot police attempted to form “a defensive wall” between the refugees and hundreds of angry protesters. “A lot of people were beaten up,” Benjamin Julian, an Icelandic volunteer, told the Guardian. “I saw at least one refugee being carried away on a stretcher although the fascists seemed pre-occupied with targeting volunteers in the solidarity movement and even the media.” | One volunteer, who witnessed the clashes, described how riot police attempted to form “a defensive wall” between the refugees and hundreds of angry protesters. “A lot of people were beaten up,” Benjamin Julian, an Icelandic volunteer, told the Guardian. “I saw at least one refugee being carried away on a stretcher although the fascists seemed pre-occupied with targeting volunteers in the solidarity movement and even the media.” |
| Authorities began evacuating the refugees – taking some to an open camp outside the town and a local police station. Previously they had been unable to clear the port for lack of space. | Authorities began evacuating the refugees – taking some to an open camp outside the town and a local police station. Previously they had been unable to clear the port for lack of space. |
| Chios’ mayor Manolis Vournous conceded that conditions were deplorable. “The refugees are not a problem. The conditions under which they are kept are the problem,” he said in an interview at the town hall. | Chios’ mayor Manolis Vournous conceded that conditions were deplorable. “The refugees are not a problem. The conditions under which they are kept are the problem,” he said in an interview at the town hall. |
| To contain the situation on Chios, about 200 asylum seekers were taken by boat to the nearby island of Leros. This led to heightened tensions on that island, where local media reported that angry officials and residents tried to break into the area where the migrants were being housed. | To contain the situation on Chios, about 200 asylum seekers were taken by boat to the nearby island of Leros. This led to heightened tensions on that island, where local media reported that angry officials and residents tried to break into the area where the migrants were being housed. |