ICTU Global Solidarity Delegation to Refugee Camps in Calais and Dunkirk (16-18 September)

Transcription

1 ICTU Global Solidarity Delegation to Refugee Camps in Calais and Dunkirk (16-18 September) The delegation was led by Yvonne O Callaghan (SIPTU) and included Joan McCrohan (IMPACT), Sean Byers (UNITE), Brian Condra (SIPTU), Paul Bell (SIPTU), Mary O Connor (INTO), Tom O Connor (TUI), Marie Barry (SIPTU), Paddy Cole (SIPTU), Graham Seely (Gansee Films) and Gary Daly (Human Rights Activist and Lawyer). Report: (The following is an initial brief report. A comprehensive report will be forthcoming in the coming weeks) The ICTU Global Solidarity Committee has been undertaking policy work on the issue of Migrants and Refugees over the last year. As part of this work, it organised for a delegation to the Refugee camps in Calais and Dunkirk in France to coincide with the UN Summit on Migrants and Refugees, which took place in New York on the 19 th September. The Irish government co-chaired this summit. The delegation visit also was undertaken on foot of a recent discussion by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on access to education and decent work for refugees and migrants, particularly in the case of children and young people. The delegation aimed to focus on a number of issues during the visit: Health and Living Conditions: Recent studies have shown that migrant residents of the camps routinely report hunger as they are only provided one meal a day. Reports have also shown that physical injuries within the camp as a result of attempted border crossings, dangerous living conditions, and alleged physical abuse 1

2 are common. There are consistent reports by migrants and medical practitioners that injured migrants are receiving insufficient treatment at French medical facilities. Many migrants and refugees are suffering with mental health issues, insufficient provision exists for psychological trauma and mental health conditions to be assessed and treated adequately. Un-accompanied Minors: The children in Calais are the nearest and most visible cases of children who are fleeing conflict and making dangerous journeys in search of safety. They are also the most vulnerable who are targeted for exploitation. Opportunities to apply for Asylum and Refugee Status. First day of the trade union delegation trip to the Calais Jungle was severely curtailed by prolonged monsoon-type rain but the group still got to meet some wonderful volunteers working in the camp who took the time to discuss the incredibly important work that they do and recount stories of camp residents, stories of torture and brutalisation, illness and injury, determination and resilience of those who persevere with dignity and strength. On entering the camp, the delegation was treated to new arbitrary security checks by the CRS (French National Police), in which they had to produce their passports and their details were taken. As the delegation walked the camp in the torrential rain they witnessed those residing there scramble to save their few belongings from the wet conditions and to rescue their shelters (mere camping tents) from being washed away as rivers of water cascaded through the camp. Chemical toilets are sporadically available in the camps and residents receive a coupon for a shower facility (only every 3 days) which gives them access for only 7 minutes. The camp itself is built on an old commercial dump. The L Auberge de Migrants NGO completed a census of residents in the recent weeks and 2

3 the camp has for the first time surpassed 10,000 residents with approximately 50 new arrivals daily. As the delegation sheltered in a makeshift structure which acted as restaurant in the camp they shared lunch with refugees from Afghanistan who recounted their stories. Unfortunately, the torrential rain persisted and the delegation had to abandon efforts to remain in the camp as everyone had sought shelter for the rest of the day away from the rain. The delegation that evening reflected on how inhumane spending the night in a leaking tent in the torrential rain, malnourished and brutalised by security forces must be. On the second day the delegation faced more wet weather but set off early to ensure that they could spend a long day in the Calais Jungle. The delegation through various sources had raised almost 1500 ( 500 was donated by delegates at the ICTU Global Solidarity Sumer School, 500 donated by SIPTU Staff and an additional 500 raised by other delegates from personal fundraising). On day two and three the delegation used the funds to purchase essentials for the camp based on contact with various volunteers and groups working in Calais. The delegations purchased the following: For the L Auberge Warehouse, Care4Calais and Calais Kitchens: Kitchen Roll, Kidney Beans, UHT Milk, Deodorant, Cotton Buds, Toiletries for Women and Children For the Youth Services working with families and unaccompanied minors: 12 GSM phones and 9 smartphones. These also included the donations of power banks as there is very little electricity sources available in the camps. Phones are essential in keeping contact with vulnerable children and families. For the Women s Centre in Dunkirk: Toiletries for Women and Children 3

4 The delegation following the purchasing of goods brought them to the L'Auberge des Migrants warehouse and met some of the volunteers who shared stories of why they have travelled to Calais to help out. This included a couple who were spending their honeymoon volunteering in the camps. But we also met volunteers who come for short periods, of a week or two. Those volunteers who would find it difficult to work in the camps, can work very usefully in the warehouses away from the camps, sorting donations and fixing up tents and bicycles and preparing the thousands of meals sent out every day by Calais Kitchens. Volunteers told the delegation how donations have dropped significantly because of the negative media stories put out about the Calais camp including the misinformation early on in the year of its destruction but more importantly the use of the migration issue in the Brexit referendum. On reaching the camp the delegation met with staff from the Refugee Youth Service who work with the young people, including the hundreds of unaccompanied minors. The delegation heard of the story of a 14-yearold Afghan boy Rahim who was killed the night before in a hit and run, including the trauma his young friends had to endure that morning as they identified his body. Rahim an unaccompanied minor was in Calais trying to get to his uncle and brother in London. There will be no investigation by the French Police into the incident neither do they investigate incidents of missing children reported by the NGOs working within the camp. After this the delegation broke up to undertake a number of smaller visits including to Jungle Books -which teaches English and French, the Darfur School which caters for Children from the Sudanese community and our film crew spent time talking with refugees. Another few of our delegates spent time having tea at the shelter of an Afghani refugee and listened to his story of why and how he had come to be in Calais. In the afternoon the delegation spent time at the Refugee Info Bus where they spoke with volunteers who were doing a live link up to the Refugee 4

5 Welcome demonstration in London. Prior to this the delegation visited a structure acting as a church (Christian Orthodox) for the Eritrean community residing in the camp, which also acts as a safe haven for the Eritrean women in the camp. The delegation also spoke with volunteers working with families. Frederica from Italy told us how she would be accompanying a father and his disabled child to Manchester in the coming days to be united with their family. While in England she intends to follow-up on stories of mis-treatment by French police and their unwillingness to take accusations of hit-and-run injuries and death seriously. Following this the delegation spoke with two volunteers on the threat of destruction of the refugee camp, which the French authorities have stated will take place in 3-4 weeks time with no perceived real alternative for those residing there. The delegation also heard of the ongoing police brutality from groups of police usually 20 at a time entering the camp and beating up residents to the constant teargassing of the camp at night. Following dinner in the camp, the delegation attended a live musical performance in a restaurant by two Welsh musicians. They were joined on "stage" by a rapper from Sudan, a beatbox performer from Libya, a rapper from London and the delegation s own Yvonne O Callaghan on percussion and Gary Daly for a song. It was a truly unforgettable evening with migrants from countries in Africa and the Middle East dancing and singing. It was such a beautiful evening of community and togetherness. For a couple of hours, we all just shared the moment and forgot about all the obstacles that face those in the camp. As the delegation left the camp and walked through the night air with the last song of the night still ringing in our ears - "your love is lifting me higher", the Love and solidarity that had bonded us all together in those few hours disappeared as we saw the French Police begin to take their positions ready themselves to tear gas the camp if they so wished that evening. 5

6 On the third and final day the delegation discussed the stories they had heard of families torn apart, of people losing everything over and over again, the dangers facing women and unaccompanied minors, police brutality, and structural/systemic discrimination. Unimaginable suffering, death, despair and uncertainty that looms large over the camp. The camp residents tend to fall into two categories. The young able-bodied men continuously try to make the dangerous crossing to the UK, frequently attempting to jump on moving lorries at night. But there are many older men, people with disabilities and women who feel stuck here, who seem to have run out of the energy and mental capacity to get away and have to accept that they will be in the camp for an unforeseeable future. But in the face of this the delegation also witnessed some of the greatest examples of humanity and community solidarity. The resilience, resourcefulness and collectivism of residents and volunteers alike is incredible. They have taken a negative experience and transformed it into something positive, in many instances making a home out of nothing. Above all, the delegation was humbled by the hospitality and warmth they received throughout the visit. On the road back to Brussels to catch their flight the delegation spent an hour at the Refugee Camp in Dunkirk. This camp has approximately 800 residents, mainly from the Kurdish Community. The camp used to exist on swamp ground in Dunkirk but on an initiative from the local mayor people were moved to an area of land which could give greater shelter. Damien Careme the local Green Party Mayor fought for the right to build the new camp against the wishes of the French government, which has refused to pay a centime towards it. It is the first internationally recognised refugee camp in France. Here the delegation once again had to go through a security check by the French police. In the camp itself we saw a marked difference in the facilities available to those residing within it. A community kitchen was available for families to cook their own meals, an area for charging your phones was available and proper 6

7 sanitation facilities have been installed and are regularly cleaned. NGOs and Volunteers once again are the backbone of the camp ensuring support for the residents. The delegation spoke with volunteers from the women s centre and an NGO providing meals. To highlight the situation in the camp the following is an extract from the delegation s conversation with a volunteer Fintan Sheerin (IFUT Member and Lecturer of Nursing in TCD) who works regularly in the camp : Much has changed since I was last in the Calais Camp. Yet again, though, much has not changed. There are more people than I had seen last May (perhaps 3000 more) with around 9000 'living' there now but, whereas large numbers of people were in the camp when I first visited 12 months ago, they were spread through the north and south of the area. Now, these huge numbers of people are compressed within a small region. So, the numbers have changed but the dehumanisation and degrading effect of this on the human spirit has not; we saw downtrodden men literally 'trodden down upon' brutally by the boots of the everpresent police. I treated three such men for their injuries: bruises and lacerations but, more significant, emotional scarring. In this, not much has changed. Many of the people who attended the first aid caravans looked thin and ill; I think more-so than I remember from my previous visits. We seemed to run so quickly through vitamins and supplements. I had thought that, with the onset of summer weather, some of the respiratory and other ailments would have abated. But, with less possibilities for accessing food within the camp due to the recent police clampdown on food outlets, food preparation and cooking gas, there are limited supplies available to meet the nutritional needs of these people; illnesses persist and broken bodies fail to heal. Some things have changed, yet, in reality, little has. Many of the people whom I had become accustomed to seeing and to being greeted by were absent; some had made it to the UK, not though, 7

8 with safe passage; their journey fraught with danger. Others, many others, have turned back and retraced their steps; some spoke to me of their utter disillusionment with Europe and their consideration that returning to their homeland was becoming more attractive, even with the likelihood of them being executed. For every person who was missing, though, others had arrived: men, women and children. I wrote before about the gentleman who had managed to bring his 13 year old son (a boy with intellectual disability and epilepsy) from war-torn Damascus to Calais in the hope of reaching his brother in the UK, and the possibility of a new, safe, life for his family. Well, while I was there I learned that they were granted asylum in the UK and will travel there imminently. Good news, at last! I then met, however, a four-year-old boy with Down Syndrome, accompanied by his parents, and thought 'oh no, not again!' Change is outweighed immediately by sameness. As I start to reflect, I am, as always, struck by the resilience of these people, but resilience can only be present where hope persists. If there is anything that I have noticed this time, which is different from before, it is that this hope is diminishing and I fear the effects of this on the ability of many of these people to hold on to their resilience. Without resilience and without hope, I am unsure what the result can be for these people; all I know is that it will continue to be bad for them. Finally, the delegation would like to express their appreciation to Gary Daly who assisted in organising the trip given his volunteer experience in Calais. Also to Paddy Cole and Graham Seely who throughout the 3 days interviewed volunteers and refugees alike with dignity, respect and compassion. Graham Seely s photos of the delegation trip has truly captured the essence of the Calais camp with consideration and 8

9 compassion for all the people who live there and contribute to its vibrant community. SIPTU Health and IMPACT have sponsored the making of the short documentary from the trip to assist in raising awareness of the plight of refugees and to aid in discussions on migration. This is now in the editing process and we will keep unions informed of its completion. It has been recommended to the ICTU Global Solidarity Committee to establish a working group on the issue of refugees and migration with the aim of co-ordinating the work of the unions on these issues including developing common solidarity action here and abroad. This will include follow-up to the ICTU BDC motion on Direct Provision. If unions have any further queries, please contact Yvonne O Callaghan (yocallaghan@siptu.ie) on (This report was submitted by Yvonne O Callaghan, Member of the ICTU Global Solidarity Committee and Secretary of the SIPTU Global Solidarity Committee) 9