On the Greek island of Lesbos, locals and asylum seekers spoke of their mutual fear as exasperation and exhaustion set in on Monday after the destruction of the Moria migrant camp.
Families, children, young men and pregnant women have been left wandering aimlessly since a blaze ripped through the camp on the night of September 8-9, forcing its 12,000 occupants to sleep rough in abandoned buildings, on roadsides and even rooftops.
Authorities are erecting a new camp of white tents in haste near the eastern port-village of Panagiouda, but many refuse to go there, fearing they will just be forgotten there, as they were at Moria, Europe's biggest migrant camp.
And residents nearby look on with a wary eye, calling on Europe to lend a helping hand.
"We're afraid. 90 percent of the people here are against the new camp, and all of us we want them to leave the island," says Savvas Afentoulis, 70, sitting at a cafe in Panagiouda.
"Greece can't handle alone the situation, the EU has to find a solution.
"All of them came here, in Greece, but the other countries have to help and take a number of them".
Afentoulis was quick to point out this was not always the case in Lesbos, the main port of entry for arrivals in EU member state Greece because of its close proximity to Turkey.
At the height of the migrant crisis that kicked off in 2015, Lesbos saw hundreds of thousands of people arrive, many of them Syrians fleeing war, and residents had united in solidarity to help them.
"But after, when Moria got full with people, they started to steal our sheep, and made damages," he said.
Not far off, four young Somalis who dream of going to France or Germany hope to be allowed into the new camp. They too are scared.
"If we go there we are killed," says Ahmed, 18, showing the road where thousands of refugees are sleeping rough.
"If we go there, we are killed," he says again, this time pointing to the nearby village and simulating his throat being cut with his hand.
"Here, safety."
But they're not sure if they will be let in as the new camp prioritises families.
Just as they're speaking, three people including a pregnant woman enter the site where some 500 asylum seekers have settled since Sunday evening.
- 'Tension and anxiety' -
For some migrants, though, the street is more attractive than the camp itself, which occupants won't be able to leave as they please due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Greece's migrations minister, some 200 migrants may be contaminated.
Several European countries have signed up to a scheme to host unaccompanied minors from the destroyed Moria camp.
But that's around 400 people, a drop in the ocean.
Germany said Monday it was mulling taking in more migrants, possibly families with children.
In Lesbos meanwhile, incidents between migrants and locals have been frequent on the island since last year.
"This situation, here, it's a disaster for local people," Vassilis Kiosia said in Panagiouda.
The 35-year-old local who himself migrated from Albania said he understood the plight of the asylum seekers but couldn't see a solution.
"There is no job," he said.
Stratis Kytelis, the mayor of Lesbos capital Mytilene, stressed the Greek government knows that the local population is against keeping the migrants there.
Moria itself had been severely criticised by locals and rights organisations alike for its lack of hygiene and over-population.
It is now gone, but "the tension and anxiety with all these people on the streets" continues, Kytelis said.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Tue Sep 15 2020
![Lesbos on edge as locals and migrants live in fear Lesbos on edge as locals and migrants live in fear](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-09/71600091634_LESBOS.jpg)
A child sleeps rough, exposed to the elements after the destruction of the Moria migrant camp. AFPRelaxpic
![Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721017239_TBFADILLAH.jpg)
Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah
Pelan Transformasi Air sasar tingkatkan air bersih, tingkatkan liputan sistem kumbahan - Fadillah
![Warga Thailand mengaku tidak bersalah seleweng diesel Warga Thailand mengaku tidak bersalah seleweng diesel](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721103547_WargaThailandWitt.jpg)
Warga Thailand mengaku tidak bersalah seleweng diesel
Seorang warga Thailand mengaku tidak bersalah di Mahkamah Sesyen Alor Setar atas pertuduhan menyeleweng 322 liter minyak diesel.
Lilitan reben putih tak langgar peraturan - Timbalan Speaker
Ramli berkata, perkara itu juga adalah merupakan keputusannya dan bukan dibuat oleh Yang Dipertua Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
Kos pampasan tanah fasa 1B proses projek LPB Sabah RM1.2 bilion - Alexander
Anggaran kos pengambilan balik tanah bagi keseluruhan Fasa 1B proses pengambilan tanah dan penilaian pampasan tanah bagi Projek Lebuh Raya Pan Borneo Sabah (LPB Sabah) berjumlah RM1.2 bilion.
KR sedia tambah baik SOP pembinaan lebuhraya
Alaxender berkata kementerian bersedia untuk mendedahkan laporan kajian insiden jika ia melibatkan kemalangan berskala besar dan meragut nyawa.
![Reman suspek kes keropok beracun disambung dua hari Reman suspek kes keropok beracun disambung dua hari](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721107133_keropokberacunrem.jpg)
Reman suspek kes keropok beracun disambung dua hari
Tempoh reman terhadap seorang pemilik kebun disambung selama dua hari, bagi membantu siasatan kematian dua kanak-kanak yang meninggal dunia akibat makan keropok beracun.
KPM alukan pesara guru ajar Bahasa Inggeris
Jelas Fadhlina Sidek pesara-pesara guru telah banyak membantu usaha KPM dalam meningkatkan PdP bahasa Inggeris termasuk melalui Program Highly Immersive Programme Mentor (HIP Mentor).
![Tidak perlu lagi kemas kini status COVID-19 dalam MySejahtera - KKM Tidak perlu lagi kemas kini status COVID-19 dalam MySejahtera - KKM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721100784_TBmysj.jpg)
Tidak perlu lagi kemas kini status COVID-19 dalam MySejahtera - KKM
Jika positif COVID-19 melalui ujian kendiri, pesakit boleh mengunjungi klinik dan hospital berdekatan bagi mendapatkan pengesahan.
![Mayat hampir reput dijumpai di rumah usang Mayat hampir reput dijumpai di rumah usang](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/41702437730_maut.jpg)
Mayat hampir reput dijumpai di rumah usang
Mayat hampir reput ditemui di sebuah rumah usang di Kesang Laut, berdekatan pusat timbang Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) pada Ahad.
Wanita dakwa dituduh Rafizi fail saman
Seorang wanita memfailkan saman terhadap Menteri Ekonomi, Rafizi Ramli bagi menuntut permohonan maaf secara terbuka berhubung dakwaan bahawa wanita berkenaan ialah isteri kepada bekas menteri yang dikaitkan dengan isu kapal tempur pesisir (LCS).
Bagaimanapun, Rafizi bergantung kepada pembelaan justifikasi berkata bersedia membuktikan kenyataan di mahkamah termasuk perlindungan bersyarat dan ulasan yang saksama terhadap saman fitnah yang difailkan oleh Zainab Mohd Salleh.
Bagaimanapun, Rafizi bergantung kepada pembelaan justifikasi berkata bersedia membuktikan kenyataan di mahkamah termasuk perlindungan bersyarat dan ulasan yang saksama terhadap saman fitnah yang difailkan oleh Zainab Mohd Salleh.
![COVID-19: Lebih 86 juta kanak-kanak bakal dibelenggu krisis kemiskinan COVID-19: Lebih 86 juta kanak-kanak bakal dibelenggu krisis kemiskinan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-05/71590645254_riskofpoverty.jpg)
COVID-19: Lebih 86 juta kanak-kanak bakal dibelenggu krisis kemiskinan
Lebih 86 juta kanak-kanak akan hidup dalam kemiskinan hujung tahun ini, menurut kajian bersama Pergerakan Save The Children dan Tabung Kanak-kanak PBB (UNICEF).
![38 kanak-kanak jadi mangsa korban serangan di Idlib, Syria 38 kanak-kanak jadi mangsa korban serangan di Idlib, Syria](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2018-09/51536830177_TBSYRIAxjpg.jpg)
38 kanak-kanak jadi mangsa korban serangan di Idlib, Syria
Sekurang-kurangnya 38 kanak-kanak dilaporkan terbunuh dan 46 lagi cedera dalam serangan di Idlib, Syria sejak 1 April lalu.
![Children, tema iklan Merdeka Petronas Children, tema iklan Merdeka Petronas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-08/81377058878_295x200.jpg)
Children, tema iklan Merdeka Petronas
Kehidupan kita mungkin berbeza. Impian dan harapan tetap sama. Itulah tema yang diketengahkan oleh Petronas untuk Hari Kebangsaan 2013.