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'Kids Cafe' in Calais Jungle saved from demolition


The Lille Administrative Court announced today that it has rejected the application of the Pas-de-Calais prefecture to begin shutting down small businesses and cafes in the "jungle" refugee camp at Calais.

In his Order, the judge considered that "the concerns expressed by the Prefect of Pas-de-Calais are quite understandable" but that "the conditions of urgency and utility required" by law "are not fulfilled to justify" the request "for expulsion of the operators of 72 illegal sales structures identified"on the site.

The judge, Jean-François Molla, does not dispute that the businesses "have received no administrative authorization" and that "certain structures (....) do not meet the most basic health rules." But he also stressed that "these grocery stores, cafes, restaurants perform other functions" than supplying migrants who "live in conditions of extreme hardship and total lack of anything to do." They are "places for calm meetings between migrants and with volunteers."

An on-line petition to save the 'Kids Cafe' had accumulated over 172,000 signatures.

In other news, a census carried out by Auberge des Migants and 'Help Refugees' found 9,106 people in the "jungle" and neighbouring official accommodation - 45% of them from the Sudan and 30% from Afghanistan. This includes 865 minors, of whom 676 are unaccompanied and indicates an increase of 29% over the previous month, averaging 70 new arrivals daily.

A comment from Prefecture says that it "took note" of the decision, but announced, however, that it will continue its fight against "those places selling on the fly" who obey "no sanitary rules", present "significant risks in fire safety", and generate "public order disturbances by maintaining an underground economy."

Ben Bano and Phil Kerton, from the charity Seeking Sanctuary, said: "This is good news and we trust that officials allow the hairdressers and outlets selling packed products to reopen at once and rapidly move to agree ways in which restaurants can comply with regulations. Without their contribution there is not enough food to go around and no space for socialisation.

"Ideally, of course, we would prefer to see everyone provided with decent accommodation and adequate meals. We call upon politicians to have the vision to find solutions other than erecting fences and deploying ever more police: solutions that would provide each of these distressed people with some measure of dignity. The failure to move even a single lone child to the UK since the new Immigration Act came into force on 12 May amazes many people and the government has shown more vigour in pursuing its own reshuffle than in acting upon its obligations. The challenge of refugees in Europe is severe enough to merit a dedicated Minister."

For further information on how you or your organisation can help, contact Ben Bano on 07887 651117 or Phil Kerton on 01474 873802. To check the latest news, visit the Seeking Sanctuary website on www.seekingsanctuary.weebly.com.

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