Today I went to Karatepe again. It was worse than ever.
I am ashamed of saying that I could not do more than taking pictures today.
We need a system. We need a real functioning system to help the people in the camp. But how? Today there were once again more than 2,000 people. And it remains to be 12 toilets and the hygiene situation is worse than ever. It is too many people. I even saw workers that cleaned some parts, but it is too much.
The huge number of people at Karatepe is trying to settle elsewhere than the camp to avoid sickness and misery. So they built their (still selfbought) tents around the area in the woods, in parking lots, in the trees even.
An afghan woman said to me today:
“Oh good. You´re taking pictures. Everyone comes and takes their pictures. What are you going to do then? Tell me! What can you really do for us? What is your help?”
I talked to her almost half an hour. I tried to explain that I am only one person and don´t know how to give help to 2,000 people in a situation like this. If I come with a pile of shoes and a pile of bread it will be gone by the first five metres. If I come with a car the fastest people will take what they can get (and I am in no way blaming them), afterwards people will fight over it.
How do you do it? And also, giving pills against diarrhoea in a place like Karatepe is like blowing against a hurricane.
But of course. I know deep down my heart the she is just right. I feel so ashamed.
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015: in the middle of the camp. It´s like this everywhere. You cannot believe the dirt.
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015: in the middle of the camp. It´s like this everywhere. You cannot believe the dirt.
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015: in the middle of the camp. It´s like this everywhere. You cannot believe the dirt.
policemen in front of camp Karatepe 20th July, i felt extremely threatened by them. when they realized I took pictures one ran after me shouting and holding up his baton: You don´t take pictures of the police! Not of the bus not of the men! You understood?
policemen in front of camp Karatepe 20th July, i felt extremely threatened by them. when they realized I took pictures one ran after me shouting and holding up his baton: You don´t take pictures of the police! Not of the bus not of the men! You understood?
policemen in front of camp Karatepe 20th July, i felt extremely threatened by them. when they realized I took pictures one ran after me shouting and holding up his baton: You don´t take pictures of the police! Not of the bus not of the men! You understood?
policemen in front of camp Karatepe 20th July, i felt extremely threatened by them. when they realized I took pictures one ran after me shouting and holding up his baton: You don´t take pictures of the police! Not of the bus not of the men! You understood?
policemen in front of camp Karatepe 20th July, i felt extremely threatened by them. when they realized I took pictures one ran after me shouting and holding up his baton: You don´t take pictures of the police! Not of the bus not of the men! You understood?
policemen in front of camp Karatepe 20th July, i felt extremely threatened by them. when they realized I took pictures one ran after me shouting and holding up his baton: You don´t take pictures of the police! Not of the bus not of the men! You understood?
next to camp Karatepe 20.July 2015, people building their camps in order to escape the horrors of the camp
outside camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
people outside the camp, trying to escape the horrors of the place, waiting for registration
people outside the camp, trying to escape the horrors of the place, waiting for registration
people outside the camp, trying to escape the horrors of the place, waiting for registration
syrian man showing me his wounds of the war
registration in the middle of the day (1st time of 20thy july)
registration in the middle of the day (1st time of 20thy july)
registration in the middle of the day (1st time of 20thy july)
registration in the middle of the day (1st time of 20thy july)
registration in the middle of the day (1st time of 20thy july)
desperate refugee praying while waiting for his name to be called out at registration to finally leave camp Karatepe
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
camp Karatepe 20.July 2015
registration, 2nd time of the day
registration, 2nd time of the day
registration, 2nd time of the day
registration, 2nd time of the day; happy refugees that had gotten their papers
happy man, happy because he got his papers, about to leave to athens
children at karatepe
“How much does Greece earn with one refugee? They don´t give us food or anything. We even have to buy our tents. Tell me, what do you think? How much money do they make from one refugee?”
selling and taking advantage of the situation: people working for vodafone and cheap sim card providers in the camp
a conversation with a refugee while 2nd registration of the day:
“This is like a prison.”
“It is the worst place I have seen. But it is not a prison. It is not like Moria, you can get out if you want.”
“No, it is a prison. I cannot leave without papers. I don´t need water, I don´t need food. I need my papers.”
Dear Miriam, thank you for this Blog! I’m on Lesvos myself at the moment and have tried to capture whats happening. I couldn’t find contact details so I’m writing here to you and hope you read it. I’m here until Saturday and like to ask if you would meet with me in Mytilene? You can write me an e-mail rejane.herwig@posteo.de, then I could tell you more about me before we meet. Thank you so much!
Thank you very much for sharing this. Can you let me know if there is someone I can get in touch with regarding coordination of volunteers and local support?
lesvosrefugees.wordpress.com 
21. July 2015 at 15:02
Dear Miriam, thank you for this Blog! I’m on Lesvos myself at the moment and have tried to capture whats happening. I couldn’t find contact details so I’m writing here to you and hope you read it. I’m here until Saturday and like to ask if you would meet with me in Mytilene? You can write me an e-mail rejane.herwig@posteo.de, then I could tell you more about me before we meet. Thank you so much!
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10. August 2015 at 15:31
Thank you very much for sharing this. Can you let me know if there is someone I can get in touch with regarding coordination of volunteers and local support?
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