News from the “Village of All Together” – LESVOS Dec 27th‏

http://lesvos.w2eu.net/2012/12/28/news-from-the-village-of-all-together-dec-27th/#more-71

News from the “Village of All Together” – Dec 27th
Posted on December 28, 2012
The network of volunteer organisations and active civilians of Lesvos
“Village of All Together” reached it’s 100th day of life. The
initiatives of the VoAT were supported by members of our network, the
social polyclinic, farmacy and shops, offering food supply for families
who can not afford buying food and the reception / hosting of migrants
and refugees. Finally the VoAT organised a support initiative for a
village that had recently been hit by strong rainfalls.
With the functioning of PIKPA as an open reception centre for migrants
and refugees we experienced a wave of volunteering and solidarity from
the local society surpassing all our expectations.

We want to thank all citizens of Lesvos and the uncountable volunteers
who stood actively by the side of the refugees.

The project of PIKPA gave it’s own – prototypical for the country –
answer to the practices of detaining refugees and migrants in police
stations or detention centres like Pagani or Amigdaleza. We believe that
we have reached the right time to absorb the EU-funds for creating open
first reception camps and to secure international protection to all who
have a right on it.

We believe that the detention and violence against people who arrive in
our place create an overall feeling of violence and insecurity for all
of us. These practices endanger human lives and threaten the remains of
the rule of law with its extinction.

Given the fact that all migrants/refugees who stayed in PIKPA were
arrested by the police, detained in cells of the police station and
given the documents (deportation order) in expeditious procedures, PIKPA
currently doesn’t host any migrant.

On Lesvos island a wave of sympathy and solidarity has been created that
will not just turn off easily. The society of Lesvos has proven that it
can claim and achieve solutions that are perceived as impossible it will
continue to do so.

All together we managed to activate the expeditious procedures by the
police (we hope not only temporarily) – a major demand of ours towards
the authorities. We will continue to stand by the side of
refugees/migrants, to struggle for human reception conditions and to
oppose all kinds of inhuman and degrading detention. The society of our
island will not accept again refugees/ migrants homeless on the streets.

We continue our solidarity towards all fellow citizens who are in need
and we want to inform that we need the co-operation of everybody, in
order that no one remains alone in times of crisis.

We will in the near future give priority to the collection of:
- firewoods
- medicine that has not expired
- food with a long expiration date [rice, pasta, legumes, nuts, sugar,
oil, milk, honey, tea, beens, preserves, coffee, tomato paste, baby
milk, jams, preserves, dried or salted food, etc.]
- household consumables [toilet paper, gas canisters, matches or
lighters, soap, shampoo, bleach and other cleaners]
- clothing. Mainly: blankets, socks, baby-cloths
- services offered by plumbers, refrigeration technicians, electricians,
teachers, doctors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and lawyers as
well as volunteers who will work in the call center of the VoAT but also
in our other actions.

Only together we will succeed!

Finally we are interested in offers of storage space within the city of
Mytilene and used refrigerators for the food preservation.

We urge citizens who are able and willing to offer these kinds of things
and services to contact the following numbers:
in the morning: 2251351150
in the afternoon: 2251041597
or mobile 6979013823 – 6976234668

The preferred ways to bring donations / offer services are:
A. Through telephone communication
B. At PIKPA (in the back and left of Hotel Lasia) within the week 11-12
& 18-19 o ‘clock and on Saturdays 11-12.