Despite its barbed wire and razor strip fencing and armed guards, Amygdaleza, Greece’s notorious detention centre for child refugees, in many ways is testimony to children doing childish things. Greek authorities call it a “special place for the accommodation of foreigners”, part of a chain of closed facilities available to some of the 3,464 migrant children registered nationwide. In a few words, we need everything really.”When Sidoropoulos took the job a year ago he had dreams of transforming Amygdaleza. In an ideal world, the minors would be transferred rapidly to other EU countries through relocation and family reunification schemes. “But what is most important,” says Kouvelaki, “is that these children are allowed to be what they are – children – again.”

Source: The Guardian September 10, 2016 19:27 UTC