Calais. The government launches a vigilance “committee” on migrants
The government has been trying to resolve the situation in Calais, a border town with the United Kingdom for several weeks where activists have observed a hunger strike for 30 days in particular to demand a moratorium on the dismantling of camps in winter. “To improve the dialogue between all the associative partners and the State services, a committee which meets is set up and will meet at least once a month”, declared before the National Assembly the minister delegate, in charge in particular of the questions of asylum and integration.
“Coordinate action on the ground”
Asked about the situation in Calais during questions to the government, Marlène Schiappa recalled that the Ministry of the Interior had appointed a mediator at the end of October, the Director General of Ofii (French Office for Immigration and Integration) Didier Leschi, to try to find a way out of the crisis.
He must steer the committee which aims, according to Marlène Schiappa, to “Organize (the) action on the ground”.
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The first of these meetings will be held on Wednesday, confirmed Didier Leschi, said that the creation of the committee “Correspond to the demand for a dialogue” with the State, from associations.
The number of migrants “divided by five”
Last week, the mediator announced to local actors and strikers (one of whom put an end to his action) that shelter operations would now be carried out without any “surprise” effect, and that the exiles had to be warned upstream. in particular to be able to recover their personal effects.
Accommodation will be systematically offered, outside of Calais.
“No, the State is not losing control of the situation in Calais”, again affirmed before the Assembly Marlène Schiappa, in response to the question of a deputy LR.
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In five years, she insisted, “The number of migrants has been divided by fifteen” in Calais where evictions and dismantling are numerous, while “The number of intrusions in the port and the tunnel have decreased by 90%”.