On Sunday evening (8 November) we had a meeting in an upstairs room at the harbour. Aside from regular agenda points, UNHCR people would be talking to us about security. Most people sat around on the floor, leaning against the wall, and the Oxy dog, Kanella (Cinammon) walked back and forth before deciding at whose feet she wanted to snuggle up. When we arrived here on 30 October, Starfish had to make do with 25 volunteers, and now there is suddenly a full staff, close to 90. We can open the children's tent! Some volunteers stay only for a few days, so numbers vary wildly. Starfish is virtually unique in its willingness to accept people for short stays. They can always make sandwiches, clean up, or sort clothes. One day I was assisted at the food tent by a Scottish couple who live in a different part of the island and come to help out at Oxy at the weekend. They had spent weeks trying to find an organisation that would allow them to help on an incidental basis before they found Starfish.
Melinda, who set up and leads the Starfish volunteer organisation, expertly handled a range of agenda points, urging us to drive safely, informing us of the public address system that she had ordered to improve information, especially for those who are illiterate, and dwelling on the problem of some refugees at Oxy who tended to avoid the toilets and go up the hill instead. This would cause a sanitation problem when it rains. The toilets are clean, so people suggested a variety of reasons. A clean-up was arranged, along with design improvements to the toilets. Then T talked about shifts, the importance of arriving on time, and set up a group to discuss ways of improving internal communication.
One of the UNHCR representatives started on his presentation. Disappointingly, it was his standard security chat. He told us things we already knew, and advised us to do things we already do: give people information, issue tickets, be fair, explain why some people are being prioritized, create safe lines etc etc. People started drifting away, some in mind, others in body.
One of the camp managers, O, had a question about a specific issue he had faced. He had collected a family with two small children from the beach and brought them to Oxy. The doctor who was there told O that he had sedated the husband, who was a heroin addict. When the man came round, the doctor warned, he might be very aggressive, to his family, to others, to himself. O wanted to know what he should have done, what is permissible, in such a situation. Should he tie up a person who might constitute a threat? Was that not a human rights issue? Suppose the man died, could he be liable?
The UNHCR rep said: "First protect yourself and others, take care of the vulnerable first. Get the security guard. Then call the police." This was not very helpful. One of our security guards was at the meeting. Although there are a few policemen who live in Molyvos, the police station here has been closed, due to financial cuts. The nearest one is at Kalloni, at least half an hour's drive away. How about the police at Mytilini? the UNHCR man suggested. That is well over an hour's drive away. Eventually the UNHCR man said O should tie the man up, but the other questions remained unanswered. In this specific case everything had worked out OK. When the man woke up he had merely wept and needed comforting.
There was an odd clash at the meeting. One woman said:
"I have just heard the word 'violence' mentioned seven times, but we have no violence at Oxy, the refugees are very peaceful!" A few others murmured agreement. They disliked talk of security and violence, and thought it unnecessary. Others thought it obvious that a security protocol needs to be in place, however rare the incidents may be. The bottom line is that if something happens, we need to solve it ourselves.
Melinda, who set up and leads the Starfish volunteer organisation, expertly handled a range of agenda points, urging us to drive safely, informing us of the public address system that she had ordered to improve information, especially for those who are illiterate, and dwelling on the problem of some refugees at Oxy who tended to avoid the toilets and go up the hill instead. This would cause a sanitation problem when it rains. The toilets are clean, so people suggested a variety of reasons. A clean-up was arranged, along with design improvements to the toilets. Then T talked about shifts, the importance of arriving on time, and set up a group to discuss ways of improving internal communication.
One of the UNHCR representatives started on his presentation. Disappointingly, it was his standard security chat. He told us things we already knew, and advised us to do things we already do: give people information, issue tickets, be fair, explain why some people are being prioritized, create safe lines etc etc. People started drifting away, some in mind, others in body.
One of the camp managers, O, had a question about a specific issue he had faced. He had collected a family with two small children from the beach and brought them to Oxy. The doctor who was there told O that he had sedated the husband, who was a heroin addict. When the man came round, the doctor warned, he might be very aggressive, to his family, to others, to himself. O wanted to know what he should have done, what is permissible, in such a situation. Should he tie up a person who might constitute a threat? Was that not a human rights issue? Suppose the man died, could he be liable?
The UNHCR rep said: "First protect yourself and others, take care of the vulnerable first. Get the security guard. Then call the police." This was not very helpful. One of our security guards was at the meeting. Although there are a few policemen who live in Molyvos, the police station here has been closed, due to financial cuts. The nearest one is at Kalloni, at least half an hour's drive away. How about the police at Mytilini? the UNHCR man suggested. That is well over an hour's drive away. Eventually the UNHCR man said O should tie the man up, but the other questions remained unanswered. In this specific case everything had worked out OK. When the man woke up he had merely wept and needed comforting.
There was an odd clash at the meeting. One woman said:
"I have just heard the word 'violence' mentioned seven times, but we have no violence at Oxy, the refugees are very peaceful!" A few others murmured agreement. They disliked talk of security and violence, and thought it unnecessary. Others thought it obvious that a security protocol needs to be in place, however rare the incidents may be. The bottom line is that if something happens, we need to solve it ourselves.
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