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Greece begins moving migrants from Idomeni camp Greece moves thousands of migrants from Idomeni camp
(about 2 hours later)
Greece has begun evacuating thousands of stranded migrants from the makeshift Idomeni camp on its northern border with Macedonia. Thousands of stranded migrants are being evacuated from the makeshift Idomeni camp on Greece's northern border with Macedonia.
The operation began at dawn and witnesses reported police vehicles and buses standing by to transfer people to better organised facilities. Most are being taken to specially designed processing facilities some 80km (50 miles) south, near Greece's second city, Thessaloniki.
Hundreds of riot police have been deployed but officials say force will not be used. Hundreds of riot police moved into the camp at dawn, but the authorities have stressed force will not be used.
At least 8,400 people - many of them women and children - are at the camp. The Greek-Macedonia border was closed in March.
Most of them had been on their way to northern Europe when they became stranded after Macedonia closed its border with Greece. Since then at least 8,400 people - many of them women and children - have remained stranded in the border area, having been prevented from continuing their journey to northern Europe.
They have been promised much better facilities at newly-created asylum processing centres near Greece's second city Thessaloniki. At the scene: Yolande Knell, BBC News
At least four bus loads of migrants were seen leaving the camp on Tuesday morning, with others leaving on foot or by taxi. A police helicopter has been circling overhead and we have seen riot police heading to the camp. But so far the situation appears calm and residents are leaving voluntarily. More than 10 buses have left with families on board.
The migrants, mostly from conflict zones in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, had been reluctant to move away from the border - despite having to sleep in tents in very difficult conditions. Only journalists from Greek national television are being allowed to film the clearance operation. Others are being kept back at a roadblock along with some aid workers and a group of children's entertainers who used to organise activities at the camp. When the buses pass us, clowns jump up and down and dance at little refugee children who wave back.
But the mood among migrants was one of resignation in recent days, reports the BBC's Yolande Knell from the scene. Last week when we visited Idomeni camp, many expected this clearance operation. But they were reluctant to leave their location by the border gate with Macedonia, even though it has remained firmly closed since March.
One Syrian, Rezan, who has been living in the camp since early March, told the BBC he did not want to leave, but would if he had to. Many of the migrants are from conflict zones in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. They have been living in tents with little food to eat.
"I prepared my bags. If they didn't use force, I will stay for a while, but if they use force, I didn't come here to fight anybody. I will just go. I escaped from Syria because I don't want to fight anybody," he said. One Syrian, Rezan, who has been at the camp since early March, said that despite the poor conditions he did not want to leave - although he would if he had to.
Police prevented journalists entering the camp on Tuesday morning but at least 20 police vans were seen going in while a police helicopter monitored the operation. "I prepared my bags. If they didn't use force, I will stay for a while, but if they use force, I didn't come here to fight anybody. I will just go. I escaped from Syria because I don't want to fight anybody," he told the BBC.
Stelios Kouloglou, of Greece's governing Syriza Party, told the BBC that the migrants needed to know there was no "short-term solution" to their situation, and they would be better off at what he called "hospitality centres".
Idomeni, he said, had become a "humanitarian and also social disaster", not only with "the problem of the health and the miserable conditions" but also of the emergence of gangs.
Giorgos Christides, a journalist at the camp for the German magazine Der Spiegel, told the BBC that police were determined to clear one part of the camp on Tuesday.Giorgos Christides, a journalist at the camp for the German magazine Der Spiegel, told the BBC that police were determined to clear one part of the camp on Tuesday.
They are planning to complete the operation within 10 days, he added. They plan to complete the operation within 10 days, he added.
Speaking on Monday, government spokesman Giorgos Kyritsis told Greek television all migrants would be moved.
"A thing like Idomeni cannot be maintained. It only serves the interests of smugglers," he said.
Also on Monday, police were reported to have started removing about 2,000 people who have been blocking the rail track on the border.Also on Monday, police were reported to have started removing about 2,000 people who have been blocking the rail track on the border.
The tracks have been blocked by the migrants for more than a month, forcing trains to re-route through Bulgaria further to the east. Migrants have blocked the tracks for more than a month, forcing trains to re-route further east through Bulgaria.
Mr Kyritsis said that while the government did plan to reopen the railway, it was not planning a police sweep operation at the camp. Macedonia closed its border with Greece to migrants in March after Austria announced it was tightening its own controls.
"Removing all the refugees from the disgrace which is Idomeni is in their own interest," he said. "The rail track will open for the train to pass through normally but the fundamental thing is for the people to be transferred to where the conditions are humane." Since then, other Balkan countries have closed their own borders.
Macedonia's decision to stop migrants crossing the border from Greece followed an announcement by Austria, further north, that it was tightening its own border controls. More than a million undocumented refugees and other migrants have entered the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece since early last year, generating an unprecedented crisis for the EU's 28 member states.
Since then other Balkan countries have closed their own borders.
More than a million undocumented refugees and other migrants have entered the EU by boat from Turkey to Greece since early last year, generating an unprecedented crisis for the EU's 28 member-states.
The European Commission told journalists on Monday it welcomed any initiative by Greece to evacuate migrants and move them to organised reception facilities.
A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.A note on terminology: The BBC uses the term migrant to refer to all people on the move who have yet to complete the legal process of claiming asylum. This group includes people fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria, who are likely to be granted refugee status, as well as people who are seeking jobs and better lives, who governments are likely to rule are economic migrants.
Are you in the area and affected by the issues raised in this story? Email us haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in the area and affected by the issues raised in this story? Email us haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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