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Syrian Refugee Camp in Greece Braces For “Looming Disaster”

"A disaster you will read about in major publications"
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By Stephanie Parker
Editor

September 30, 2016

The laundry list of conflict inducing struggles and setbacks are long, especially when it comes to Syria. A country in the midst of a bloody civil war between Bashar al-Assad’s forces and factions of the Syrian opposition. An unfortunate situation that has left many dead and millions displaced.

Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

According to statistics released from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) at the beginning of September, there are almost 5 million registered refugees due to the crisis, a term used to describe individuals that have been forced to flee from their home because of conflict or a natural disaster.

It is also a large population that is on the move to locate housing.

Jacob Plitman, a worker with Echo 100, an Austrian non-profit charity spoke with Faithwire about the uphill battles Syrians are facing inside of the Greece based camp, Ritsona, a location that himself and 180 families call home.

It is also the fountainhead of a “looming disaster.”

According to the warehouse manager and former New York City dweller, the pending season change can mean life or death for this vulnerable population.

“One of the main things I am concerned about, is that it is going to rain. It is going to get cold very soon and … it is going to land on my three tons of rice that I need to feed (camp refugees) in about three months,” he said.

Daily life inside Diavata UNHCR refugee camp in Northern Greece on 22 September 2016. Diavata Refugee camp is a former military camp ( Anagnostopoulou camp) that was not in use. Now it hosts more than 1000 refugees. In the peaking time it held 4500 people. It is run by UNHCR, IRC (ngo) and the greek army, under the supervision of the Migration ministry. Refugees are blocked in Greece. They don't want to stay here but to continue their trip to central and northern Europe. Many of them mention the welfare privilages. Others complaint about the living conditions and that they are not allowed to work in Greece in contrast with Turkey that they were working for a few pennies. Most of the people here are from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. This camp has a high concentration of minors.(Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“(Now) winter literally feels far away, I am sweating in my office, (but) it is going to come much faster than we will be able to adapt so I need to make sure this place, the things that keep them alive, hygiene etc. is secure,” Plitman stated.

“So while there is a present conflict outside, inside (the camp) there is a present conflict in the immediate term,” he explained, adding that,”I’m so far from any city, healthcare is miles away and hours away. These are really hard facts.”

Including, the question,”have you ever been in rain storm in a pine forest?”

Well in response to it, he said,”this thing happens, this thing with pine needles (is that) it doesn’t absorb any water, it is almost like you are standing on something instead of dirt.”

“So here, it is all pine needles and red mud, it is the same, if you have seen the pictures of the greek beaches. It is completely water repellant, it is like stone.”

Daily life inside Diavata UNHCR refugee camp in Northern Greece on 22 September 2016. Diavata Refugee camp is a former military camp ( Anagnostopoulou camp) that was not in use. Now it hosts more than 1000 refugees. In the peaking time it held 4500 people. It is run by UNHCR, IRC (ngo) and the greek army, under the supervision of the Migration ministry. Refugees are blocked in Greece. They don't want to stay here but to continue their trip to central and northern Europe. Many of them mention the welfare privilages. Others complaint about the living conditions and that they are not allowed to work in Greece in contrast with Turkey that they were working for a few pennies. Most of the people here are from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. This camp has a high concentration of minors.(Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“So we are sitting in a bowl of pine needles and red mud and what is going to happen if it rains more than 30 to 40 cm’s? which is predicted to happen…the school will be gone and homes will be gone, electricity will be gone, the drains will be flooded, we’re talking about … a disaster you will read about in major publications as a warning.”

Yet, Plitman highlighted another concern, the prediction of 200,000 refugees to the area.

Thus, adding another layer of difficulty to the unarmed camp.

RAISING AWARENESS

Plitman is asking the global community to lend a helping hand through his Go Fund Me Page dedicated to aiding the families.

“With this GoFundMe (page) we are trying to be able to react a little more quickly,” he said.

“While I am incredibly grateful for the people that are donating money, it is not going to be sufficient unless we far exceed our fundraising goals, we are not going to be able to take care of all the problems but I think will be able to protect the food and our most core resources.”

“But that’s just for the immediate emergency in front of my face that I’m trying to react too.”

Plitman has raised over $6,900 of his $8,000 goal in one month.

screen-shot-2016-09-30-at-8-01-34-am

If you wish to help, visit the GoFundMe page HERE.

 

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