Calais ’Jungle’ Evacuation Begins after Clashes with Riot Police
Local Editor
The evacuation of the Calais ‘Jungle' has begun following clashes between residents and police as refugees living in the camp are told they must get on buses that will take them to reception centers across France.
Sixty buses are scheduled to arrive at the camp throughout the day to transport 3,000 people to the shelters, known as CAO [centres d'accueil et d'orientation], where they will have to claim asylum in France within a set period of time or face deportation - but it is unlikely that all of the camp's residents will agree to board.
The operation is set to continue throughout the week, with more buses set to arrive and the physical dismantling of the camp starting on Tuesday with plans for the operation to be finished by Friday 28 October.
It is set to take place under the watch of heavily armed police, but the authorities have implied that force will not be used, suggesting there had been an effort to avoid the violent clashes that took place when half of the camp was dismantled in February.
But many volunteers and charities on the ground raised fears that what is hoped to be a straightforward and peaceful operation will inevitably become chaotic, leading to violence between police and residents of the camp. Over the weekend violence in the camp flared, with tear gas released by police on both evenings amid clashes involving small rocks being thrown.
Volunteer-run charity Calais Action have said they believe there will be "anxiety, chaos and confusion" as the evacuation gets underway.
Leaflets issued by the Prefecture of Calais and distributed in the camp over the weekend stated, in several languages - unlike previously when they have only been written in French - that people living there must prepare to leave.
But the atmosphere in the camp is said to be permeated with uncertainty, with no one - neither refugees nor volunteers - entirely sure how the "eviction" will be carried out.
Attitudes among camp residents towards leaving to board buses to other parts of France are mixed. While those who have or were hoping to claim asylum in France are experiencing a feeling relief, others, who are still determined to get to the UK, have reportedly expressed unwillingness to get on a bus when the time comes, and up to a third are thought to have already left on their own accord.
Most of the voluntary organizations and individuals on the ground do not believe the operation that will take place in the coming days is a long-term solution to the problem.
A recent survey by the Refugee Rights Data Project revealed that the majority of residents did not want to stay in a French accommodation center.
The most common reasons given were not wanting to stay in France in the long-term or because they did not trust the French authorities following their negative experiences of them in the Calais camp - such as brutality and ill-treatment by police.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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