The United Nations called on Sunday for calm and not to use "excessive" force against the thousands of migrants who flock to the Greek-Turkish border in an attempt to enter the European Union. The UN refugee agency "calls for calm and easing of border tensions".
"States do have the legitimate right to control their borders and manage irregular movements, but they should refrain from using excessive and disproportionate force and put in place a system for making an asylum claim in a manner orderly, "wrote a spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Babar Baloch.
Over 13,000 migrants
Thousands of migrants and refugees flocked to the Turkish border with the EU over the weekend, following the announcement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, entangled in the conflict in Syria where he seeks the support of his European allies and NATO, that he would no longer prevent them from entering Europe.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Saturday evening that some 13,000 migrants had gathered on the Greek-Turkish border, including families with young children who spent the night in the cold.
Clashes between police and migrants on Saturday
About 2,000 more people arrived at the Pazarkule (Turkey) border crossing on Sunday, including Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis. Greece announced on Sunday that it had blocked tens of thousands of people at its border after clashes on Saturday between Greek police who fired tear gas and migrants who threw stones at it.
Babar Baloch explained that UNHCR staff in the Turkish provinces of Izmir, Canakkale and Edirne (west) "monitor increased movements of people, assess their situation (and) provide humanitarian assistance when necessary".
The operation, which is carried out in coordination with the Turkish Red Crescent, IOM and Unicef (United Nations Children's Fund), also consists in informing migrants and refugees on the move of the risks they may encounter "Trying to cross the border illegally, by sea or by land," said the spokesman. The UNHCR also calls on asylum seekers to "respect the law and refrain from creating situations that disturb public order and security at borders and elsewhere".
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