News 28/05/2018
Solidarity March / Press release on the death of Mawda / Call on St. Malo to welcome exiles / Shelter operation in Grande Synthe / L’Auberge participates in The General State of Migration / A book on the refugees of Calais by psycho-traumatology specialist / 2 youths defend themselves after helping refugees to cross the border / 5 Migrants rescued off the coast of Boulogne / 1500 migrants rescued in two days off Libya / Undocumented Malian climbs four floors to rescue child /
Press Release from L’Auberge ( 21 may 2018):
The border kills. Once again, the border kills.
On the 17th of May a little girl, Mawda, was killed.She lost her life while travelling with her parents in search of a better life. She lost her life while they exercised their inalienable human right to leave their country. She lost her life for that freedom.
What policy can justify the death of a 2 year old girl? What policy can justify men, women, and children having to take such risks? What politics can justify forcing people into the clutches of smugglers, the profiteers of misery?
The border has killed once again. It kills to often and it will do so again if nothing is done about it.
It may be be border that kills, but there are people responsible, too. Most likely, these will be found to be the smugglers and Belgian security forces. It would be too easy to blame it all on them. But that would be to forget that when the border kills, it is because it is a place of violence for which our governments are responsible.
Closure and no-go policies only have the effect of forcing people to live in deplorable conditions whether that be in undergrowth that is routinely evicted or, for the lucky ones, an overcrowded gym and to force them into the hands of unscrupulous people. These policies, too often branded as “border security,” do not serve to keep us secure. It is these very policies that push people to risk everything, even their lives.
This cannot be tolerated.
A new way of addressing migration is possible, and must be discussed. A policy that places humans at the fore, that restores solidarity and the dignity of those who come to us.
We continue to fight so that we might see that come to pass, and in the memory of Mawda, killed on the 17th of May on the border between France, England, and the United Kingdom.
The call of Saint Malo: Mobilization for the reception of migrants
At the festival Etonnants Voyageurs in Saint Malo, artists, writers and directors shared a text written by Michel Le Bris, Patrick Chamoiseau and Mireille Delmas-Marty in favor of welcoming migrants.
Here is the introduction: “Faced with the humanitarian disaster that follows migrations of unprecedented magnitude, repressive bidding that takes the place of migration policy is nothing more than a denial of reality. The writers, artists and directors gathered in Saint-Malo call on the international community establish global mechanisms of government, founded on centuries-old traditions as well as our imaginations. “
La Vie has also provided coverage on this issue. Director Hind Meddeb, quoted in the article, asks: “How can France, the sixth power in the world, treat human beings in this way? How can it consider itself incapable of hosting 200,000 migrants a year? “
Lawyer Mireille Delmas-Marty notes that “In December 2018, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is an opportunity to recognize the principle of hospitality, which could become opposed to the will of the State. At the same time, it will be a question of pushing for a reorganization of global governance that would include citizens and scientists (demographers, anthropologists who can become whistleblowers and watchmen), but would also interest the big cities and nations of the world, similar to what happened with COP 21 to fight against global warming “
Senator Benbassa comments on accusations of “Asylum Shopping”
In an article for Libération entitled “Senator, the indifference towards migrants is disturbing”, the Europe Ecology — The Greens representative and Senator Esther Benbassa criticizes the Minister of European Affairs, who has referred to “asylum shopping, ” as well as government migration policy which she describes as “cruel.”
Here is an excerpt: “The migrants do not vote, but the French, yes. Migrant hunting is another facet of the vote hunt. […] I can not accept, as a member of this Republic, that an overwhelming majority of parliamentarians are trying hard to toughen laws on asylum and immigration. […] More than anything, it is the indifference that disturbs me. It is the hands that rise to vote without anyone thinking for an instant about these women, these men, these children who will continue to wander, to flee and to die. “
Operation ‘Shelter,’ Grande-Synthe
On May 24th, a “sheltering” operation was organized by the State services, to bring the migrants in Grande-Synthe to the reception and orientation centers (CAOs) and the Reception and Review of Situations Centres (CAES)
Below is a press release from the Cimade co-signed by l’Auberge des Migrants made before the operation and entitled “Between a humanitarian shelter and an eviction, the margin is narrow”. In particular, it demands the establishment of a long-term solution to humanitarian reception on the coast. Furthermore, it notes that “The Dublin Regulation is both complex and inefficient, and such criteria must be abandoned in order for the asylum seeker to be able to choose the country in which he or she wants to apply. We ask the Préfecture du Nord to apply Article 17 of this regulation, which provides for the possibility for a State to examine the asylum application even if the responsibility lies with another country. Only the use of this clause will allow displaced people to decide to stay in France and settle there permanently. “
We will publish in the coming days a more precise explanation of what really happened at Grande Synthe.
L’Auberge des Migrants participates in the General States of Migrations
Marilyne Baumard of Le Monde returns to the Etats Généraux des Migrations. This series of consultations is the consequence, according to her, of the dissuasive policy of the government which federated in response the supporters of the reception: Thousand six hundred and fifty organizations and groups, representing 20,000 members and sympathizers. On May 26th and 27th, the first national session was held in Seine Saint Denis to vote on a common base of proposals, the latter coming from the more than 800 local events and 85 notebooks of grievances. L’Auberge des Migrantes was present in Montreuil to participate in the debates and vote on the common core of proposals.
Book on migrant crisis by psych-traumatologist
Marie Caroline Saglio, a regular in Calais for the past three years and a consultant on psycho-traumatology at Avicenna Hospital in Paris, has published her first book this year, titled ‘The Voice That Cries: Meetings With Asylum Seekers.’
The book includes both anecdotes and policy suggestions. It addresses what does and doesn’t work, what prevents effective care and in particular how much the “process of care” undertaken by the State contributes to the perpetuation of trauma.
For offline-only coverage of this publication, see Telerama.
Two activists defend themselves after being arrested for helping migrants cross the border
RTS has interviewed two young Swiss citizens who will sit before a judge along with one Italian in a weeks time. The trio have been dubbed “The Briançon Three” for having helped a score of migrants to cross the Franco-Italian border. They criticize an arrest as “arbitrary” and describe their gesture as simply “human”. They currently risk up to 10 years in prison for this offense. “For the young activists who demand the dismissal of the charges against them, this trial represents a demonization of solidarity itself. “
Five Iranian Migrants rescued off the coast of Boulogne
According La Voix du Nord, the National Society of Sea Rescue has rescued 5 Iranian migrants in an advanced state of hypothermia 15km from the Boulogne coast. Three migrants have already been saved in June along the coast of Wissant
1500 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya
According to France Info, operations by the ships of the Italian Navy, the NGOs and Frontex rescued 1500 people along the Libyan coast on the 24th and 25th of May last year.
According to this article, the count of new arrivals in Italy since the beginning of the year stands at 11,100, 80% less than in the same period of 2017, due to new agreements between the outgoing government and the Libyan militias.
Malian migrant saves child after climbing 4 stories
On Saturday the 26th of May, Mamoudou Gassama saved a child from falling from a balcony in Paris. This action was acknowledged on monday the 28th of May by Emmanuel Macron, who announced that Gassama will be regularised and invited to undergo the process of naturalization. He should also join the fire and rescue service, notes l’AFP.
Christian Salomé, l’Auberge des Migrants
Pierre Jothy, l’Auberge des Migrants
Oscar Léonard, Help Refugees
