NGO Calls for Government Accountability in Supporting Displaced Communities on Samos, Greece
The lack of human rights provisions and material reception conditions provided by Greek authorities to newly arrived residents of the closed-controlled access centre is overburdening local NGOs. The pressure to fulfill these crucial needs and the vital dignity of people seeking protection is unjust, and the EU Commission must hold Greek authorities accountable.
Collaboration between humanitarian organisations, government authorities, and international organisations is crucial to ensuring that human rights are universally maintained. On Samos, however, this collaboration is held up by the strings of a few grassroots NGOs and overburdened by the dependency and expectations of government and camp authorities that fail to implement their obligations fully.
All humanitarian aid actors and camp representatives are invited during monthly meetings facilitated by the UNHCR team present on Samos. These meetings are, in theory, useful for updates and sharing crucial information but, with rare attendance on behalf of camp officials and the EU Commission, mapping the gaps in policies, the needs of the displaced community on the island, and instigating practical developments falls on absent ears and inactive hands.
According to the EU Directive on Reception Conditions, the obligations expected to be fulfilled by Greek authorities concern material reception conditions and accommodation for people seeking protection. Material reception conditions that are reportedly inadequate include the suspension of cash assistance, insufficient food distribution, inefficient vulnerability assessments, lack of running water and unsanitary sanitation facilities, lack of interpreters, and lack of provision of medical staff.
It has been 11 months since we posted a joint statement with multiple NGOs in Samos demanding that these issues be addressed, and there have been little to no developments so far.
View of the Samos CCAC, 2024.
Clothing Distribution as a Human Right
One of the most significant obstacles to ascertaining dignity and human rights for people seeking protection in Samos is the new arrivals' need for clothing distribution. People on the move often travel with very few personal items and require the distribution of clean clothes to maintain dignity and basic hygiene to avoid developing skin infections or other complications. People are immediately registered to reside in the closed-controlled access centre (CCAC) upon arrival to Samos - around 97% of the displaced community on the island and an average of 3,000+ residents. Due to the asylum system in practice on Samos, people are placed in de facto detention conditions and unable to leave the CCAC until they receive confirmation they are viable applicants for the asylum procedure. There have been multiple reports it can take up to one month before people are allowed to leave their detainment. Therefore, they rely on the CCAC as the first provider of basic needs.
However, clothes distribution by CCAC authorities has been a persistent issue since its opening in 2021. The CCAC authorities entrust NGOs to distribute clothes, providing no or minimal funding and material support.
Speaking with Alessia Contiello, the Project Manager of Samos Volunteers, she mentions that this “blatant denial of obligations” leads NGO actors and grassroots organizations to deal with insurmountable pressure. Samos Volunteers is one of the few providers of emergency clothing distribution to all displaced community members on the island.
Contiello claims,
“The pressure is that no one else will if we do not [distribute clothes]. They put us in a situation where it is our duty to do our work. Otherwise, no one will do that. As an NGO actor that is reliant on donations and individuals supporting us, this amount of pressure is ‘too big.’”
Alessia and a former volunteer checking donated items to ensure quality and cleanliness for our Free Shop.
External Pressures from Overlapping Contexts and Governance
On Samos, many contexts overlap: European and Greek migration policies, CCAC governance, and local and informal practices that further impact our work and community. Rapid changes are made without assessing how they may affect the lives of the CCAC residents who have come to depend on other services provided by independent NGOs. Regarding clothes distribution, people are often informed of the appointments they must attend with little prior warning, meaning they may miss their pre-scheduled appointment to come to our Free Shop and retrieve their clothes. The lack of communication and precedence means people cannot express autonomy in their own lives outside of the camp’s regulations.
These overlapping contexts also mean we must adapt appropriately and efficiently to these changes to ensure we work safely, legally, sustainably, and fairly. However, the lack of support as an NGO operating on the island and the additional pressure the authorities impose on us by failing to fulfill their human rights obligations require us to appeal to our supporters who share our vision.
The Reality of Being a Humanitarian Actor on Samos
The lack of accountability and awareness expressed by the government and CCAC authorities currently in action on Samos has made the situation all the more dire and difficult for us as humanitarian workers. Our commitments and responsibilities to provide for the policy gaps left behind have increased as the government's accountability and support towards displaced people remain minimal. The government must step up to give full, humane, dignified, and direct support to displaced people rather than placing this burden on humanitarian workers to none.
Contiello concludes by stating her hopes for Samos's development in the next five years:
“I personally hope the CCAC will close and be replaced by different ideas of what reception and accommodation centres should be. Ones that inspire respect for the dignity of people and that are not isolating or creating barriers between the local community and the new communities that are coming. I would like to see more opportunities to build positive interactions with locals from both sides.”
As humanitarian actors, we hope that in a few years, there will be no need for our additional humanitarian relief services. We hope that governmental and European authorities will accurately, positively, and efficiently uphold all human rights requirements and material reception conditions, emphasizing a politics of care and universal human rights. Our work will continue as passionately and fervently as possible, as will our pressure on authorities to do better until there is legitimate, long-term, and sustainable change.
Our Demands
We demand immediate action from the government and CCAC authorities to implement sustainable, effective measures:
Implement a comprehensive plan to meet all obligations for the CCAC and displaced residents, including cash assistance, food, medical support, and necessary and appropriate clothing.
EU Commission accountability for Greece’s continued failure to meet human rights standards.
Reduce the burden on NGOs by adequately funding and supporting required services for displaced individuals.
Specific Material Demands:
Reliable food distribution with minimal distribution delays and running clean water supply
Provision of essential items (clothes, hygiene kits, etc.)
Safe, sanitary living conditions with privacy, bedding, and a mattress for each resident
Medical care access, including for those without legal status
Shoes - one of our most high value and needed items.
We sincerely thank our supporters, fundraisers, and volunteers who help us remain a crucial, reliable space for clothing distribution and community solidarity for all on the island.
Please consider donating or contacting us to learn more about how you can set up your own fundraiser for the Samos community.
In Solidarity,
Samos Volunteers
Written by: Dalia Impiglia, Communications, Advocacy and Fundraising Coordinator
For further inquiries, please email: communications@samosvolunteers.org
Our warehouse.