a meeting in the sub-prefecture of Calais to try to calm the situation
While three people are going to start their 12th day of hunger strike, in Calais, to denounce the situation of migrants, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais reacts. Associations are invited to a meeting, this Friday evening at the sub-prefecture, to try to improve the situation.
The associations denounce in particular the almost daily dismantling of makeshift camps, the dismantling of the tents, and request their suspension during the winter break.
Meeting in the sub-prefecture
In a press release, the prefect of Pas-de-Calais, saying to himself “anxious to dialogue“, extends a hand to associations. This Friday evening, a meeting is organized in sub-prefecture from Calais. The prefect wishes “increase the frequency of meetings“, on a monthly basis.”A positive point“for François Guennoc, president of the Auberge des migrants,”car since the arrival of the new sub-prefect a year ago, there have been two meetings“.
On the agenda of this meeting, there is the problem of recovering personal affairs of migrants, collected during evacuations. They are stored in a resource center. But according to the associations, it is very difficult to recover them, they even denounce flights. The authorities therefore intend to propose a new method: the objects will be sorted, dried, and returned to migrants. The opening hours of the resource center will also be adapted.
We call for an end to the evictions
But for François Guennoc, this point “is not a valid subject. We, we call winter, for the trêvenale, the stop of the expulsions and the kidnapping of the affairs of the exiles“.
We will try to renew the dialogue
The Salam association will also participate in the meeting this Friday, “out of respect for our friends on hunger strike“explains its president Jean-Claude Lenoir.”We will try to renew the dialogue“, he continues,”but we really don’t believe it. It is scandalous what is happening today. Where has this France gone, which prides itself on being the cradle of human rights?“.
When contacted, the Pas-de-Calais prefecture did not respond to our request for an interview.