El camino del infierno está enlosado de buenas intenciones

Grecia y Macedonia acusan a activistas de llevar a la muerte a 3 refugiados en la frontera de Grecia con Macedonia

Nobody knows for sure who distributed the deadly directions. But, in a rare moment of agreement, the Macedonian and Greek authorities have both pointed the finger at activists and volunteer groups working in Idomeni.

The gathering in Idomeni started, as scheduled on the leaflet, just after noon on Tuesday near the exit of the camp. At first the mood was jubilant, and the crowd of hundreds quickly grew to more than a thousand.

Streams of people carrying backpacks and sleeping bags made their way along the winding path towards the dense scrubland leading to the border. Chants of "Germany," the preferred end destination for many of the migrants, rang through the air. Women walked hand-in-hand with children, some had babies strapped to their chests. On Twitter, #marchofhope was used to track their progress through the muddy fields.

But after a three-mile trek the marchers discovered the "dry river" was far from dry. Instead, they were greeted with a treacherous icy-cold stream of water swollen by heavy rains, and on the other side, hostile Macedonian forces.

"When we arrived at the river there were volunteers who helped us across the water with ropes," Mohammed, a 32-year-old Iraqi, told VICE News. "I think some were from England, maybe Germany." Taking off his shoes and hoisting his five-year-old daughter on his shoulders he crossed first with his wife behind him. But on the other side the family was picked up immediately by the waiting Macedonian army who detained them along with hundreds of others before returning them, wet and cold, back across the border into Greece.

"The children were scared, my wife was scared, I was cold. It was a bad situation and for nothing because now we are back here," Mohammed added.

Other migrants that VICE News spoke to said that they were beaten by Macedonian security forces while being detained and showed cuts and bruises on their faces, arms and legs.

A migrant stumbles while crossing the River Suva on the Greek border with Macedonia. Authorities from both countries have blamed volunteers for organizing the mass illegal crossing. (Photo by Nicolas Economou)

For others, however, the situation was much worse. In the early hours of the morning, not long after the leaflet was first distributed in Idomeni, a small group of migrants had tried to make the journey alone ahead of the en masse march.

The results were fatal. With no rope in place or helping hands to haul them across the river three members of the party — including a pregnant woman from Afghanistan and her 17-year-old sister — were swept away by fierce currents and drowned. Another 23 were rescued by Macedonian security forces and taken to hospital for immediate medical treatment.

Now, both the Macedonian and Greek governments have condemned activists and volunteer groups.

"Unknown people, perhaps groups that call themselves volunteers, handed out leaflets advising migrants to cross the border by bypassing the fence and warning that if migrants left the overflowing Idomeni camp for shelters in northern Greece, they would be imprisoned there. This is criminal behavior toward people who face great hardship...This must stop," said Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Greek police confirmed that they had opened an investigation into the matter. "We try to establish what happened and who is responsible for the origin of these leaflets and mass movement of people toward the border area," a representative from the investigating police force told VICE News. "It is hoped that we will have some conclusions in upcoming days."

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