Not long ago, citizens of the European Union were proud of their status as guarantors of human rights and social peace. Upheavals of the past — when economic rivalry and religious differences forced people, including Mennonites, to flee to the New World — had become nothing more than historical events.

Postwar European protections for the weak and disadvantaged led to the EU being awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. Governments had advanced peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in a landscape that had known war and religious persecution for much of its history.

But things have changed. Just as in the United States, newly arrived people seeking a better life discover that Europe’s reputation for upholding human dignity does not match the reality. Many people who work for peace and justice in Europe mourn the loss of a welcoming culture.

This was the underlying concern of a workshop I led with Nefeli Belavila on May 16 at the CMERK European Mennonite gathering in the Netherlands. We talked about the work of Community Peacemaker Teams, which accompanies refugees at the EU’s borders. These are people who expected to be treated with greater dignity than in the places they fled.

The Greek island of Lesbos, six miles from the Turkish mainland, has long served as a crossing point to Europe for migrants fleeing Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Eritrea and beyond. Despite patrols by the Greek coast guard and EU Frontex ships, many small rubber dinghies attempt “unauthorized entry” into Greece.

For almost every boat that arrives, the authorities accuse someone on the boat of smuggling-related crimes — facilitating the unauthorized transport of people into Greece. In most cases, people are held in pre-­trial detention for months, without the opportunity to register their asylum claims. While detainees theoretically retain the right to apply for asylum, these procedures are consistently sus­pended.

In the Greek judicial system, mi­grants are treated as second-class citizens. They are denied adequate legal representation or even access to interpreters. They are tried in summary proceedings and often receive absurdly long sentences, such as 150 years.

A famous event in Lesbos’ recent refugee history was the burning and destruction of the Moria camp in September 2020. Moria was an overcrowded facility near the capital, Mytilene, built for up to 3,000 people. The fire left nearly 13,000 people without shelter. Six Afghan minors were arrested for starting the fire. Their names were not divulged, and it was not clear where they were being held.

CPT’s Aegean Migrant Solidarity, or AMS, team struggled to provide legal aid and to visit those in prison. It was hard to find out merely who was apprehended. Then there were the tasks of devising a legal defense strategy, finding witnesses, attracting media attention and contacting worried families. It was a huge task for a small group of underpaid peace and justice workers.

The AMS team used a network of supporters and informants to find out where the six youths were held. Legal experts helped prepare for hearings. Nevertheless, it took over four years before all of them were released from pre-trial detention and declared innocent.

Justice delayed is justice denied. Even when charges are dropped or the person is acquitted, prolonged delays have deprived them of essential legal protections.

What is more, opportunities for integration are lost. People who have lost years in prison need to be integrated back into society. AMS works with locals and church-related organizations to facilitate this. Promoting migrant justice on the island and in the EU is essential to change policies that prevent migrants from becoming full citizens.

Amid a political and societal shift to harsh and suspicious treatment of foreigners, the AMS team is motivated to act. We believe it is a moral duty to acknowledge these people’s dignity.

The team invites visitors to come and join its delegations on Lesbos. It is important not to close our eyes to what is going on. We need to be aware of what is happening and stand in solidarity.

Information about the next trip to Lesbos in September can be found at cpt.org.

James Jakob Fehr, originally from Canada, directs the German Mennonite Peace Committee and supports the work of Community Peacemaker Teams.