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Syrian refugees say Greek aid workers urged them to convert to Christianity

Translation by Yusra Ahmed

(Eqtsad)- Eye witnesses in Moria camp in Greek Lesbos island reported to Eqtsad that relief workers had distributed forms in Arabic in regard to adopting Christianity twice last month, targeting refugees in general and Syrian refugees in particular.

Yusuf Falaha, a resident in Moria camp reported via his phone call to Eqtsad that forms were distributed over with their relief package, which they anticipate it as a sign of blackmailing and provoking especially it happened in the holy month of Ramadan, which annoyed most of the people especially the educated and religious and believers.

Following the Euro-Turkish agreement about organising migration, most charitable organisations and associations used to support the camp, withdrew an stop their support to refugees, protesting for the human rights violation of the agreement, which opened the way to “Euro Relief” organisation, that is believed to have distributed the forms. But the organisation denied the accusations. Samer Dallah from Homs a resident in Moria camp explained to Eqtsad: “the Ministry of immigration in Greece, however when the relief organisation withdrew after the Euro-Turkish agreement, Euro Relief has taken over all the administrative work and it whole camp has become under their control practically.

Camps in Greece are one of the outcomes of the Euro-Turkish agreement in regard to migration. There are 57 thousand refugees in the country were prevented from leaving Greece after last March 18, when crossing point between Greece and the rest of Europe had been closed.

Nisrin, a Syrian lady from Damascus talked to Eqtsad: “there was only 45 people before me at the crossing point between Greece and Macedonia, however, when signing the agreement, the crossing point was closed resulted in keeping us stuck here with my husband and 3 children for 5 months.

Living conditions in camps of Greece are too bad, no electricity, water in not always available, besides lack of children milk.

Mohammed from Hama told Eqtsad that asylum application are too slow in Greece, besides that camps are too bad, many of us wish to go back to Syria rather than staying in those camps.

After the inauspicious agreement between Turkey an Europe in regard to refugees, more than 50 thousand people face vague future in Europe, amid overcrowding in camps and slowness in processing asylum applications in Greece, left Syrians very stressed about their future.

Khalid, an engineer from Homs lives in one of the camps in Greece said: “there is no feeling of security in Greece, we have been living here for 5 months, we have no idea for how long or why, we feel deeply insecure especially after distributing the forms to follow the Christianity.

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