: Blaze That Destroyed Greece’s Moria Refugee Camp Symbolizes Breakdown in E.U. Over Future of Migrants #WorldNEWS 12,000 migrants and refugees were left without shelter or access to basic services

Blaze That Destroyed Greece’s Moria Refugee Camp Symbolizes Breakdown in E.U. Over Future of Migrants #WorldNEWS
12,000 migrants and refugees were left without shelter or access to basic services after fires over the past two days spread throughout Greece’s largest refugee camp, Moria, on the island of Lesbos.
The fires come amid escalating tension on the island of Lesbos, within Greece and the wider European Union over the issue of migrants. The residents, most of whom are fleeing from Afghanistan and Syria, have faced overcrowded and dangerous living circumstances since the camp was founded in 2015. Then last week the camp had its first outbreak of COVID-19, leading to a two-week quarantine that severely restricted residents movements.

The first fire broke out on Tuesday evening, destroying the majority of the camp. The next night, a second fire broke out at an informal settlement in a nearby olive grove, turning the last intact section of the camp into ash.
Although it remains unclear how exactly the fires began, authorities say the fires were started by refugees protesting new COVID-19 policies. Others blamed far-right Greek locals for starting the fire, amid rising anti-migrant sentiment on the island.
While neither accounts have been verified, the rumours circulating about who started the fires are illustrative of larger tensions on the island whereby migrants are fed up of their poor living circumstances and local residents are increasingly resentful of the lack of national, regional and international support for managing the influx of migrants and refugees on the island.
It also comes at a time where many migrants feel Europe is turning its back on them, becoming less tolerant and less willing to help, with countries like France taking tougher measures on immigration.
Weve been saying that Moria is a ticking time bomb,” says Eva Cossé, a researcher at Human Rights Watch who says she and many other experts predicted a crisis like this would unfold. “It’s not surprising at all but it is incredibly sad. It shows how badly the European Union and Greece have managed this situation. ”
Now, with most of the camp destroyed, the future of migrants and refugees living in Moria remain unknown.
Here’s what to know.
What is the Moria refugee camp?
The Moria refugee camp is the largest refugee camp in Greece located on the island of Lesbos. Initially built for 2,200 people, the camp has hosted almost ten times the amount of people it was originally meant for. At the time of the fire it was housing 12,000. Since 2015, over a million migrants have arrived at Moria, with the majority coming from Afghanistan and Syria by sea. 85% of people living in the camp are refugees; the others are classified as migrants.