Updates from the borders, 22. Oct 2015, 01:30

EUROPE, PLEASE ACT! - An Open Letter to the Governments of Europe from Volunteers - http://www.europeact.eu.

50+ groups of volunteers across the Europe connected to common call to action. Please read it, share it and urge your government to act now! #europeact

Thank all of you who already urged your government to cat. Desperate pictures are flowing from the region and your voice is needed to be heard!

Croatia / Serbia

BERKASOVO/BAPSKA - Border was opened at 10:00 and refugees who has been there for the night walked to Opatovac, later taken by bus. Border then again closed. Many of the NGOs left the place, at the evening there were about 400 refugees. House has been rented in nearby village by Czech team to provide shelter and shower for volunteers to take a rest during their work. Warm clothes, shoes and raincoats still needed there, as well as volunteer help. Czech team asks to be strengthened, medical help will be a plus. Contact number +381 649 366 029.

OPATOVAC - Visited by diplomats in Croatia today. Further boarding trains at Tovarnik continues, and also many of buses from Opatovac went to Slovenian borders. Volunteer help needed in Opatovac, and supplies, especially shoes (size 39-45), socks and children & men jackets. As cold as 4 C during the night.

PRESEVO - situation is really volatile, but calm now, queue for registration camp is about 2 hours. Volunteers are needed to replace the tired ones soon, also warm clothes, blankets and shoes for children are needed. Several organizations providing medical help and special room for children care. Contact number +381 642 653 479

BEOGRAD - Volunteers helping at Miksaliste (Mostarska 5, Beograd) set up also their VolunteerSpot account and are asking anyone who is in Belgrade to sign up for various tasks needed to be done there. Visit http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/4179297180119 to see what is needed there and to sign up for timeslots.

Slovenia / Croatia

BREZICE - Several tents burned in the morning in the camp Brezice and refugees moved away, but during the afternoon new tents has been pitched and camp continues to work again. Army presence in the area. Your help is needed near migrant transition camp, lack of food and warm clothes. Contact number is +41791929040.

RIGONCE / HARMICA - This appears to be the main route at this moment. Refugees had to walk from borders to Brežice camp, which is about 5 hours of walk. Several groups comprising of hundreds of refugees took the route today, others still waiting at the borders and will spend the night there. Harmica/Rigonce borders crossing closed for regular traffic.

SPIELFELD/SENTILJ - The Slovenia/Austria border crossing at Spielfeld is now becoming the main portal to Austria. Red Cross and Army organise the welcome camp, heated tents are available, more tents are expected by Thursday night. Volunteers are needed and are swiftly integrated by the Red Cross Einsatzleitung. More volunteers will be needed especially in a couple of days when the current volunteers will need to be replaced. Right now a few more medical doctors would be very much welcome to offer a more continuous service. In Obenaus we invite volunteers to come for a rest, it's just five minutes away from the border station Spielfeld. They also offer a few places for volunteers to stay over. Contact: +436801327177 or +436803060900.

SREDIŠČE OB DRAVI - Reported to be empty during the day.

For Slovenia-related updates throughout the day, follow Protirasistična fronta bez meja on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Protirasistična-fronta-brez-meja-962830080456004/

Other news

- Do you have enough time and sources to travel to Lesvos, Greece, where situation is more desperate? RedaRead this volunteering guide to Lesvos: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KBPNoW1fNvDdmmzCyc3yMBBGJ5V21s-EP0yxQY4K990

- Supplies which are needed almost at all places: warm and/or waterproof clothing (jackets, pullovers), blankets, shoes, hats, gloves, socks, dry and canned food, fruit; food for babies and milk. Generally, anything what could make them at least little bit warm and help them of hunger.

- Also SIM cards for those who has to wait would be great so they can contact their relatives.

- Be prepared, that individual volunteers could have problems accessing refugees to provide help. Please always try to communicate UNHRC, Red Cross and/or police on the site before providing help, however, they may not be welcoming your there, so be polite and patient and don't get refused. This is the common approach of Red Cross at many places, and eventually it was always possible to find a common way.

- Supplies and money donations are also being collected in the Social Centre Rog (Trubarjeva 72, Ljubljana) and in Maribor (at the parking lot in front of the railway station, where they set up a container. Tomorrow, on Tuesday, they start collecting from 12:30 on).

- Large amounts of supplies could be picked up also in Zagreb, please call Lejla +385 91 456 77 05 if you are able to bring any supplies from Zagreb to any of the borders.

- The city Red Cross Čakovec submitted the appeal for assistance to refugees waiting in Trnovac. They are asking for biscuits, cheese slices, ribnljih cans, dates, raisins, chicken pate, dry biscuits and baby food and water in bottles, soaps, wipes, diapers and sanitary napkins.

- UNHRC released a report, which states that number of refugees crossing to Greece this year just hit the half million mark: http://www.unhcr.org/56263d536.html

- and don't forget to act :: europeact.eu.

Source :: pastebin.com/Y6MHV2cQ, 22. Oct 2015.