Greek islands that are hosting large migrant camps kicked off a day of protests on Wednesday, calling for the immediate removal of thousands of asylum-seekers. The islands of Lesbos, Samos and Chios staged a general strike, with public services being closed and street demonstrations being scheduled for later in the day. 

The main slogan of the protest is "We want our islands back, we want our lives back."

There are more than 19,000 asylum seekers in the largest camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos, which only has a capacity for 2,840. The situation is equally severe on other islands and living conditions in the camp have been repeatedly criticized by rights groups and medical charities. 

The overcrowding issue is severe across all of the islands, and the conditions have been criticized by rights groups and medical charities. 

The government announced its proposals in November to build larger camps on Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros, where there are currently a total of nearly 42,000 migrants and refugees. The plans have been faced with strong opposition from local officials and residents, who want smaller facilities after hosting thousands of asylum seekers for the past five years. 

Speaking about the camps to AFP, 72-year-old Lesbos pensioner Efstratios Peppas said asylum-seekers "should be shared out across Greece".

"Europe must assume its responsibilities. It too must take migrants... You can't walk outside alone after dark, people get stabbed." said Peppas. 

Last year, Greece became the main entry into Europe for migrants and refugees, many of whom were fleeing war on poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Syria. The UN refugee agency recorded more than 55,000 arrivals by sea and more than 14,000 via the land border with Turkey. 

Only a fraction are allowed passage to the Greek mainland while the rest spend months in the camps, waiting for their asylum applications to go through a process of approval. 

On Tuesday, 17 human rights organisations warned of a rising "climate of discrimination and xenophobia" towards asylum-seekers, who also faced "serious consequences to their well-being and public health." 

In November, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees urged the Greek government to improve living conditions in the camps and said that Europe must do more to protect unaccompanied children. 

Greece's new conservation government has a tougher approach to the migrant crisis compared to the former leftist government, saying it will "shut the door" to people not entitled to stay in the country. It has previously announced plans to shut overcrowded refugee camps and replace them with detention centers that will serves as waiting rooms for deporting asylum seekers and as a reception and processing center for new arrivals to the country. 

The UN Commissioner Filippo Grandi said "We cannot accept that they (refugees) live in such miserable living conditions. The conditions are very challenging and need urgent improvement." 

Grandi said that Greece was the most impacted among the EU's coastal states from the migrant crisis and called for a unified European solution to protect unaccompanied minors. 

This month at the Moria camp, two young asylum-seekers have been fatally stabbed in brawls. Another 18-year-old Afghan girl was also severely injured in a knife attack and remains in hospital. 

Read more: about the refugee crisis here. 

Source(s): AFP