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Gallery|Humanitarian Crises

Dashed dreams on Macedonian border

Restrictions have resulted in a build-up of more than 3,000 asylum seekers at the Greek-Macedonian border.

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People continued to arrive in Idomeni despite the border closures that have left more than 3,000 asylum seekers stranded. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
By Patrick Strickland and Sorin Furcoi
Published On 6 Dec 20156 Dec 2015
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Idomeni, Greece – Guns, masks, batons, shields and newly built barbwire fence stand between refugees and Macedonia.

While Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees are permitted pass at a snail’s pace, those who have fled from other countries across the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia have been dubbed “economic migrants” by Macedonia and barred from entry.

The restrictions have resulted in a build-up of more than 3,000 asylum seekers at the Greek-Macedonian border. Many of them having risked their lives on dinghies in the Mediterranean Sea and spent their life savings to make it this far.


Read more: Macedonia border closure leaves refugees with no hope


Since Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov announced the closure more than two weeks ago, people continue to pour into the area, often unaware of the new restrictions.

Ivanov said that any more than 2,000 refugees crossing through the country at any given moment would cause “permanent and direct threats and risks for national security”.

Although others had heard of the closure before coming to Idomeni, they held out hope that something would give and they would be able to continue their journey to elsewhere in Europe.

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The stranded asylum seekers have little access to food and or clean drinking water, and no access to showers.

Sleeping outside through several days of rain and weeks of cold weather, many people are suffering from colds, gastrointestinal illnesses, infections and other ailments, according to Vassilis Naum, from the Doctors of the World organisation.

With tensions high, the asylum seekers have clashed several times with Macedonian border police, who used rubber bullets and tear gas.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Greek police officer in Idomeni told Al Jazeera that the camp may be forcibly evacuated this week.

Greek authorities have urged asylum seekers to go back to Athens and register in processing centres there. Since Thursday, trains have transported hundreds back to the capital.

Said, a 21-year-old from Casablanca, Morocco, went back to Athens last week after waiting in Idomeni with friends for three days. “The border was closed,” he told Al Jazeera. “We waited for three days in the rain. I dreamed of making it to Germany. Now I don’t know what to tell my family.”

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Two Moroccan men who have been in Idomeni for more than two weeks light fires to stay warm in the wintry weather. Speaking to Al Jazeera, they said they hope the border will open again. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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In many cases, entire families or large groups of people crowded into a single tent. Less fortunate asylum seekers had to sleep outside, while the UNHCR had a shortage of blankets last week. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Asylum seekers from across the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia have protested against Macedonia's border restrictions. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Two Syrian women carry their belongings in plastic trash bags as Greek police move them along in the queue to enter Macedonia. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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When the line began to swell, Greek police pushed Syrian, Iraqi and Afghan refugees back and made them sit and wait. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Macedonian border guards stand on the other side of the fence they erected last week. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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A Syrian man helps his disabled father to the Macedonian crossing after waiting for days. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Macedonian border guards only allowed refugees in five at a time. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Macedonian border guard interrogated refugees before allowing them in. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Afghan children make their way through the Greek border police before being allowed into Macedonia. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Several families were split across the border because of the five-person limit. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Refugee parents had to take care of their children along the journey to Idomeni, which included crossing the Mediterranean Sea on dinghies, taking buses across Greece and walking for several kilometres. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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Hundreds of people took trains back to Athens after giving up hope that Macedonia would open the border. [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
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'We don't have rights in Morocco,' said Hamza (right). 'If you aren't rich there, then you can't live a decent life.' [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]


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