Does the reception of certain asylum seekers leave something to be desired in Toulouse and in the Occitanie region?
While Gérald Darmanin announces the report on the examination of the immigration bill, France Bleu Occitanie is asking itself the question of the reception of asylum seekers: leave something to be desired in Toulouse and the region? Four associations (Amnesty, Cimade, Avocat.es pour la defense des Etranger.es and Aprem) wrote on July 7 to the territorial director of the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) but also to Claire Hédon, the defender of rights. They mention that the support for some of the 4,000 asylum seekers in part of Occitania (Toulouse, Montauban, Rodez, Montpellier and Perpignan) is not up to par.
Problems with interpreters?
And for them, this is linked to the new association “Adelphité par CVH” which won, in January 2022, the public contract to manage SPADA (first reception structure for asylum seekers, which is the first point of contact when asylum seekers and which monitors asylum seekers who are not accommodated) ousting another association (Forum Réfugiés). Activists say they have seen lack of information on procedures, insufficiently trained employees, insufficient interpreters etc Hugo Zamith, member of the APREM, a collective which makes access to rights hotlines, says: “One person explained that they were gay and they were translated as homophobic.” According to him, it does not matter which association manages the SPADAs, the main thing is that fundamental rights, international conventions and French law are respected, which would not be the case. “Some asylum seekers can die if they are sent home, we must allow them to exercise their rights in France. Or some find themselves in squats or on the street when they have the right and the possibility of being housed by the State.”
We could be treated better. – An asylum seeker living in Toulouse
France Bleu Occitanie also encountered a young woman arrived from the Middle East by Turkey. She confides: “Yes, for me we could be treated better. For example, an employee uses ‘Google translate’ because he does not speak English, it’s complicated.” She also that for her life story, a written explanation important to recognize in order to obtain asylum, she was not accompanied. “It was necessary to write three pages, I did four because I lived through many difficult things, I risk a lot in my country, and I had to fight for the last page to be taken from me. » But she adds: “I can’t say that I’m disappointed, because it’s a new chance for me to live; difficult but it’s still a new chance.”
Towards improvements?
Christophe Gontard, territorial director of the French Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), based in Toulouse – to whom the letter was translated – assures that he does not understand these accusations. “The structure we have chosen has already managed a SPADA in Pays de la Loire, it works with experienced interpreters and has applied these services. We have meetings at least every month, random checks.”
He recognizes that there may have been difficulties at the beginning. “As with the old provider, you have to adjust, but it’s better than in January.” Christophe Gontard refuses to confirm that CVH offers a lower offer of one million euros to that of Forum Réfugiés and ensures that money is not at the heart of the choice of service provider. It was also proposed to the four associations for the defense of migrants to find them, which was done on July 25. In view of the discussions, the director of Ofii assures that he asked his service provider “better delivery of mail, individualized follow-up of asylum seekers” and wants “maintain the dialogue with these associations, even if I have no account to render to them.” Hugo Zamit says “to have been listened to and to wait to see”before a next meeting scheduled for the fall.