http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d68c9ea4-dbe1-11e5-98fd-06d75973fe09.html#axzz41D0nz9X7
February 25, 2016 5:45 pm
French judge gives go-ahead to clear part of Calais ‘jungle’ camp
Adam Thomson in Paris
A French judge has given the go-ahead for the partial demolition of a camp near Calais that is home to thousands of migrants from war-torn countries trying to cross into the UK.
The order, which followed a failed appeal by migrants and support groups, grants the French government authorisation to clear a southern fringe of the so-called “jungle” camp, where an estimated 1,000 to 6,000 people live in makeshift shelters and tents.
Natacha Bouchart, centre-right mayor of the northern French port, said Thursday that she was relieved by the decision but stressed that clearance of the zone would be carried out “gradually”.
Bernard Cazeneuve, France’s interior minister, said this week that work to clear the zone would be gradual, adding that there would be sufficient alternative accommodation for those affected.
The French government wants to clear part of the camp because it argues that conditions are unsafe. Their aim is to create a security buffer around the camp, which nears local housing on its southern edge.
The population of the jungle, located in an area of dunes on the north east fringe of Calais, has ballooned over the past couple of years as Europe contends with the worst migrant crisis since the second world war.
People fleeing violence in Afghanistan, Eritrea, Syria, Iraq and other global hotspots are holed up there as they try to slip past police and on to a lorry or a train that will take them to the UK.
But the swelling numbers have been a source of tension, not only for local residents who have seen their town overrun, but also internationally. Ms Bouchart and other French politicians have argued that the UK must do more to help France cope with the numbers.
Meanwhile, in a sign of concern about the possible repercussions from the French clearance operation, neighbouring Belgium said Tuesday that it would reintroduce border checks with France to block any exodus of migrants from the jungle.
Jan Jambon, the interior minister, said border guards had already intercepted dozens of migrants attempting to cross into Belgium, stoking worries that its port of Zeebrugge could soon host a camp similar to Calais.
France’s Socialist government has set up an official camp for the migrants next to the jungle, complete with heated containers with bunk beds and clean sheets. But many of the migrants have resisted moving, arguing that doing so would require them to legally register with authorities in France and thus reduce their chances of making it to the UK.
The vast majority continue to see Britain as their preferred destination since they speak English, have friends or family in the UK and believe that they can find work more easily there than in France.
But the increasing difficulty of getting to the UK has lengthened migrants’ average stay in the jungle, which, mixed with a deluge of support from French and English volunteers, has turned the camp into what is starting to look more like a town.
Most of the shelters are now constructed from wood and durable, insulated waterproof covers. Migrants and aid groups also insist that the southern part of the camp is densely populated and contains churches and even a school.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the regional prefect’s office said that the judge’s order to clear the camp would exempt common social areas. “It won’t be applicable to places such as schools, a theatre and a legal office,” he said.
Received on Thu Feb 25 2016 - 14:21:23 EST