LESBOS, Greece (AP) — Most drowned making the hazardous sea crossing from nearby Turkey, while others died of natural causes in migrant camps on the Greek island of Lesbos. After years of neglect, a makeshift burial ground for migrants on the island has been cleaned up and landscaped to provide a dignified resting place for the dead, and for their relatives to visit. Earth Medicine, the Lesbos-based charity that handled the project near the village of Kato Tritos, formally handed over the redesigned cemetery to municipal officials on Wednesday. “We wanted it to be clear that this was a burial ground, (mostly) for people who died at sea — some of whom have been identified while others have not,” Earth Medicine spokesman Dimitris Patounis said. “It used to be just a field.” For years, Lesbos has been a major destination for people seeking a better life in the European Union. They leave Turkish shores crammed into small, unseaworthy vessels provided by smuggling gangs. About 3,800 people have made the journey so far this year. |
School bans pupils from using the toilet during lessons to crack down on fears they are vapingTrout bats leadoff for first time since 2020 as threeChinese scientists develop new treatment for tendonFederal money eyed for Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in North DakotaPhilippines, U.S. kick off largestRoyal Navy names latest 7,400College students, inmates and a nun: A unique book club meets at one of the nation’s largest jailsGeneral Motors reports strong firstUSPS commits to rerouting RenoWorld seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says