France and Germany join forces to welcome refugees after Lesbos camp blaze, says Macron

Macron said Thursday that he "hoped to include as many European countries as possible" in the response after the overcrowded Moria camp was devastated by massive fires on Wednesday.

"We are coordinating to offer a proposition, Germany and France, and we're trying to include a maximum of European countries, to welcome refugees and minors in particular, depending on the demands of the Greek government," Macron said during a speech in Corsica.

He said Europe had to stand in solidarity with Greece in face of "the terrible reality that is before us."

The details of the response will be finalized "in the coming hours," Macron added. On Thursday evening, the Med7 Summit will gather leaders of southern European countries in Porticcio, Corsica.

"What is happening in Moria is a humanitarian catastrophe," tweeted German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. "As quickly as possible, we have to clarify with the EU commission and other EU countries willing to help, how we can support Greece. This includes the distribution of those fleeing amongst those in the EU willing to accept them."

The fires that razed the camp were started by residents expressing "dissatisfaction" with coronavirus-related lockdown measures, Greek authorities believe.

Moria, which has been under lockdown after 35 people tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week, was home to an estimated 13,000 people, more than six times its maximum capacity of 2,200 people. More than 4,000 children lived in the camp, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

In a televised statement, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared a state of emergency on the island, condemning the rioters he said had started the fires that ravaged the camp.

"I recognize the difficult conditions. However, nothing can become an alibi for violent reactions to health checks. And, much more, for riots of this magnitude," said Mitsotakis. "The situation in Moria cannot continue because it is a matter of public health, humanity and national security at the same time."

The country's Minister for Migration and Asylum Panagiotis Mitarachis confirmed to CNN that the fire appeared to be deliberately lit, adding that a new "safer" and "more humane" facility is needed.

"It is clear that we need a new facility which is safer and offers more humane conditions and offers the appropriate capacity needed," he said.

Unaccompanied children removed

A group of more than 400 unaccompanied children was removed from Lesbos following the blaze, the Greek government said in a statement on Thursday.

"The departure of the 406 unaccompanied minors from Lesbos was completed at dawn, with coordinated actions by the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum and the International Organization for Migration," the statement read.

The children were first sent to shelters on the island before leaving in three chartered flights from Odysseas Elytis airport in Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos, between 10 p.m. Wednesday night and 7.30 a.m. Thursday morning local time, according to the statement.

"The children have been transferred to safe accommodation facilities in northern mainland Greece, where they will remain temporarily, as the relocation program to EU countries and their placement in long-term mainland guesthouses continues unabated," the statement said, adding that the minors have been tested for Covid-19.

"The main concern of the Greek government is the protection of those at risk."

'All the camp is burned'

There are no reports of injuries, but George Moutafis, a photographer on the ground, told Greek TV channel Mega the camp had been "completely destroyed."

"The Moria camp no longer exists. The camp has been completely destroyed. The containers and tents have been completely destroyed. The fires are now out. Many migrants and refugees are now back at the camp and looking for their belongings," Moutafis said.

"All the camp is burned," he said on Wednesday.

Charity and activist groups on the ground also said the fire had destroyed large swathes of the camp.

"Last night some people living in the camp were angry about the quarantine. They started a small fire. So police came and there was tear gas. And then the fire grew and we had to run," said a camp resident, who declined to disclose his full name for security reasons.

"There is nothing there. I am standing out on the street, near the camp, there are many people here. There is also police but they don't tell us where to go," the resident added. "We have no food or water. They say 'wait here.' It is very hot today and there are women and babies."

Congolese camp resident Paul Kadima Muzangueno told CNN that a group of minors started the fire.

"They started fires everywhere," said Muzangueno. "Everything deteriorated quickly. The police did not contain the situation."

German charity group Mission Lifeline said in a statement: "In the evening, the anger and despair of the refugees who have been interned at Moria erupted."

"First there was a dispute at the Covid-19 station in the camp which spread to the entire area during the night. Security forces used tear gas," the statement said. "A large part of the dwellings burned down. The homeless people fled into the surrounding olive groves."

Axel Steier, co-founder of Mission Life, said he had warned that the situation would "escalate" over the camp's poor conditions, calling the lockdown measures "the final straw."

"The people in Moria are exposed to extreme psychological stress. The lockdown of the camp has now been the final straw," said Steier. "The refugees in Moria are not treated as humans.

"Among other things, we asked the [German] federal government again and again to evacuate all people from the Greek camps. But hardly anything has happened," Steier added.

State of limbo

The Moria encampment extends out of the main UN camp into olive groves where thousands live in makeshift wooden huts. Its inhabitants say they wait for hours to use a bathroom, and sometimes spend an entire day queuing for food.

When CNN reported from the camp in March, a rank odor filled the air, the river was strewn in garbage and camp dwellers staged protests at the island's main port on a nearly daily basis demanding transport to the Greek mainland.

On Wednesday, migrant residents of Moria described being in a state of limbo, waiting for instructions from authorities among their charred belongings. "We have been told nothing. No one has shown up," said Muzangueno. "We are here and we are waiting."

Mitsotakis has promised to house the migrants in "suitable tents" but said they would be banned from leaving the island.

In a statement Wednesday, the UN Refugee Agency said it had deployed staff to the area and offered assistance to Greek authorities.

"UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, deplores the fire that largely destroyed Moria's Registration and Identification Center (RIC) last night and thanks to the local authorities, including the fire department and emergency services that helped to contain the fire and assisted the people," the statement said.