Kara Tepe (Greek: Καρά Τεπέ, from Turkish for "black hill") is located in the area of Mavrovouni (Greek: Μαυροβούνι, in Greek it in means black mountain) about 2.5 km north of Mytilene, the capital of the island of Lesbos.[1] The camp is managed by the Municipality of Mytilene and UNHCR in collaboration with the NGOs that operate there. The Site Manager is Mr. Michail Batzakis.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/86/Refugee_Drawing_Yesterday.jpg/220px-Refugee_Drawing_Yesterday.jpg)
The purpose of the camp is to provide temporary housing for asylum seekers as they await their registration processes.[2] Kara Tepe was the overflow site for Moria Refugee Camp, the main registration center in Greece, and Europe's biggest refugee camp,[3] known as a 'hotspot' established by the Greek government through which new arrivals would be processed.[4] Initially, refugees were mandated to spend a minimum of 25 days in the Moria camp before being transferred to Kara Tepe,[5] however due to the overcrowding of the Moria camp, most stayed much longer.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Refugee_Drawing_Tomorrow.jpg/220px-Refugee_Drawing_Tomorrow.jpg)
Kara Tepe's mandate is to accommodate vulnerable families. The majority of individuals living in the camp are of Afghani, Iraqi or Syrian origin.[2] According to a survey conducted in December 2016, asylum seekers spent an average of four months at the Kara Tepe camp.[1] Asylum seekers living in Kara Tepe are able to leave and reenter the site daily. The services at the site are run, in large part, by several NGOs, among them: IRC, Médecins du Monde, METAdrasi, SOS Villages, Caritas, Movement on the Ground and Because we Carry. Médecins Sans Frontières has a clinic in Mytilini that serves patients from the Kara Tepe camp who are referred to them by outreach teams.[6]
While Kara Tepe has been lauded for its infrastructure and community-like atmosphere,[5] the residents of Kara Tepe and the administration of the camp still face a great deal of challenges. Such challenges include: inadequate access to electricity, limited space and resources for food preparation, restrictions on employment, and lack of targeted mental health interventions for youth.[citation needed]
In August 2017, Kara Tepe's accommodation capacity was expanded by 56% to make room for up to 1300 persons. UNHCR reported that 260 new accommodation units had been installed at the camp in 2017.[7]
After the September 2020 fire destroyed the Moria camp, Kara Tepe became the main camp on Lesbos for refugees and asylum seekers. The Greek government then approved the construction of a new closed reception centre at Vastria (near the village of Nees Kydonies), scheduled be completed by summer 2022.[8] However, the greek Counsil of State revoked the construction permit, due to a lack of an environmental study, and construction work has since been put on hold.[9]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Asylum Seekers in lesvos, Greece, 2016-2017 (PDF Download Available)". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
- ^ a b Krikigianni, Christina (2016). "What Are the Reasons that Refugee Children Seek Emergency Health Care in Lesbos Island, Greece: A Cross-sectional study; Primary Data Collection" (PDF). Uppsala University.
- ^ "Oxfam condemns EU over 'inhumane' Lesbos refugee camp". The Guardian. 2019-01-09.
- ^ Wain, John F. 2017. “Shelter for Refugees Arriving in Greece, 2015-17.” Forced Migration Review 55. Accessed October 29, 2017.
- ^ a b "Searching for Dignity and Work in Kara Tepe Refugee Camp". KENNEDY SCHOOL REVIEW. 2017-07-13. Retrieved 2017-11-19.
- ^ "Greece: MSF activity update – December 2017 | Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) International". Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "More speed needed to help refugees stranded in Greek islands". UNHCR. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
- ^ "Λέσβος / Ετοιμάζουν κλειστή δομή για τους πρόσφυγες στη Βάστρια" [Lesvos / They are preparing a secure structure for the refugees in Vastria]. Αυγή (in Greek). 2020-11-30. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
- ^ Newsroom (2023-08-08). "Λέσβος: Το ΣτΕ ακύρωσε την άδεια για ΚΥΤ στη Βάστρια". Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-02-09.