| Series Title | The Guardian |
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| Series Details | 24.09.16 |
| Publication Date | 24/09/2016 |
| Content Type | News |
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French President Francois Hollande said in a tv interview on the 24 September 2016 that 9,000 places were to be created around the country in 'reception and orientation centres' for migrants currently living in the Calais 'jungle' camps . At the centres, each accommodating 40-50 people, they would be assessed within 3-4 months. Those granted asylum would be able to stay in France and others would be deported. President Hollande visited Calais on the 26 September 2016 as the unsatisfactory situation at the camp was increasingly featuring in the early campaigning for the French Presidential Election in 2017. He called upon the UK to 'play their part' in dealing with the situation. The President met police, local politicians, NGOs and business leaders but did not visit the camp itself. Nicolas Sarkozy and Marine Le Pen were using the issue of the camp in their campaigns. Nicolas Sarkozy said on a visit to the camp in September 2016 'The Calais situation demonstrates a complete surrender of the French state'. He also said he wanted to renegotiate the Le Touquet Treaty with the United Kingdom, which he had signed as France's Interior Minister in 2003. Aid agencies spoke of increasing panic amongst the large numbers of unaccompanied children at the camp - the vast majority of whom wished to reach the United Kingdom - and of the dangers of exploitation that many were facing. The UK’s new Independent Anti-slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland warned in September 2016 in a letter to the UK Government that the slow pace of Britain’s efforts to give sanctuary to unaccompanied child refugees in Calais was exposing them to the risk of modern slavery and exploitation. Eleven French charities sought a court order on the 12 October 2016 to block the planned demolition, deeming it an attack on fundamental rights. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on the 14 October 2016 that it would welcome the closure of the informal Calais camp. 'It is vital that they be moved in a planned and organized manner, and that proper alternative accommodation is found for them around the country. People need to be fully informed in advance about the dismantling of the camp. Asylum seekers need to be given proper information and prompt access to asylum procedures'. 'It is also crucial to pay special attention to the estimated more than 1,200 unaccompanied or separated children in the Jungle, whose best interests have to be taken into account, making arrangements such as special reception centres to ensure their safety and welfare when the site is closed'. The BBC and other news sources reported on the 15 October 2016 that UK and French officials had begun registering unaccompanied children in the Calais 'Jungle' who were hoping to join relatives in Britain. It was thought that a significant number of child refugees would arrive in the UK from the migrant camp within days. A separate registration process would take place for vulnerable children who did not have family in the UK. The 'Jungle' migrant camp would be cleared of its residents on the 24 October 2016 before being demolished, French authorities said on the 21 October 2016. |
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| Source Link | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/24/france-calais-refugees-migrants-reception-centres-francois-hollande |
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| Subject Categories | Justice and Home Affairs |
| Countries / Regions | France, United Kingdom |
