Get a mobile library to refugee camps in Greece

Dear friends,

we are writing this after our first few weeks back following our August break and we are so happy to be a very busy library, loaning more books than before to a broad range of language groups. In particular our Malakasa evening sessions have allowed us to meet many new friends from Sudan, Eritrea, Palestine, Afghanistan and beyond and our library shelves are needing re-stocking more than they have in a long time. We are in dire need of, wait for it, Arabic poetry and books in all languages on psychology, so if anyone has any to give, let us know!

This summer was challenging for the library and the wider community for many reasons. May arrived with the re-election with a larger majority than before of the right-wing government Nea Demokratia who have done much damage to the rights and living standards of people on the move that find themselves in Greece and who continue to murder people at both land and sea borders of the country. They have overseen the camps becoming even more closed, monitored and prison-like, with people stuck in an asylum "system" seemingly designed either to reject as many people's claims as possible, or to keep them in limbo for as long as they can. Under their watch grassroots groups such as ECHO continue to be denied access to the camps that we once served.

ECHO library participated in a delightful but very hot community day in Protomagias in central Athens in June where we connected with many young people, many whom became new book borrowers. The library also made an appearance at the Athens anti-racist festival a few weeks later, ready to talk with curious visitors about our project and offer some of the books that are not needed in the library to new homes.

In June we were shaken by the news of the shipwreck of Pylos where it is estimated that as many as 650 people drowned. Eyewitnesses stated, before being shut off in a closed camp and barred from speaking with journalists, that the Greek coastguard approached the boat which was still in the water, tied ropes to it and tugged it towards them, causing the boat to overturn twice. The BBC has called into question the Greek coastguard's official version of events; you can watch their report here. State of the art cameras that were fitted onto the brand new coastguard vessel were never switched on, leaving many questions unanswered.

Following the shipwreck and an awareness of a growing scandal survivors' asylum claims were then prioritised, meaning that many others already in the asylum system reported having their process delayed yet again. Most of the shipwreck survivors have already left Greece, when in contrast most others in the system are waiting here for years. Some would suggest that this is a cynical move by the Greek government to silence survivors or make it harder for them to contact one another, or unite together to demand accountability. We stand in solidarity with those families and communities who have lost people close to them and who are still demanding answers. 

In July in a dawn raid more suited to a blockbuster movie rather than a small town in Greece, police evicted the historic self-organised Kurdish camp in Lavrio and forcibly removed the residents to the newly re-opened Oinofyta camp, a disused chemical factory suitably removed from anything that would allow humans living inside it a dignified existence. Fortunately we were in contact with many of the families and people affected and have now re-started our visits to Oinofyta, though it saddens us that this miserable place is once again open for use. Families tell us that they were not allowed to bring the majority of their personal belongings with them, although we were pleasantly suprised that one library user returned a Turkish non-fiction book to us that he had borrowed months before!

Mid-July brought with it the longest sustained heatwave Greece had ever seen, with scorching temperatures which directly fed into the devastating forest fires that have destroyed huge swathes of forests all around Greece, from Rhodos through to Evros, where Europe's largest ever forest fire burned for more than two weeks. In the midst of this burnt-out wasteland, the bodies of 18 migrants were discovered. Other groups of migrants in the area, still alive, contacted activist groups saying they were terrified of the fires, but they were also afraid of being pushed back to Turkey. Pushbacks continue on both land and sea with no accountability. An investigation published in April traced a particular group who arrived on Samos island, only to be abducted by Greek forces, put on a dinghy and pushed back into Turkish waters. 

As the fire continued to burn Greece was then struck by storm Daniel which caused 3 feet of rain to fall in less than 24 hours and triggered catastrophic flooding in Thessaly in central Greece. The area accounts for 25% of Greece's agricultural input, and the lack of effective flood controls has called into question where previous funding earmarked for this has gone. Residents in camps near to Athens found themselves sharing their spaces with people moved down from camps in the north which were then being used to house Greeks displaced by the flooding. Until now much of the land remains waterlogged, agricultural land and livestock totally destroyed.

In September we treated the library van to a little TLC. Giulio and I started the month sanding down, filling and varnishing the library floor to protect it from the ravages of time. Then a very generous little Greek carwash helped us clear and clear the interior and gave our van a really good soapy scrub down. Newly donated children's books from Hoopoe and bilingual poetry compendiums from the Poetry Translation Centre (many many thanks) were added to the shelves and we were ready to go.

For autumn we have started sessions in Oinofyta camp once again, and we shall also begin sessions at Thiva camp, aboout 1.5 hours from Athens. Malakasa and Ritsona camps are part of the timetable, as well as a weekly city session, which we may expand to other sites. Despite the doom-laden summer events it's been so unbelievably lovely to meet new library users and new volunteers who come along with us and give their time for free to loan books, chat with people and support children's activities. It is the simple human interactions - forming connections with strangers through books and learning in our humble little library space - that give us the energy and hope to continue. 

Thank you for your continued support for our little library. 

Becka and Giulio

Links:

• report on the Adriana Pylos shipwreck