CALAIS, France (Reuters) — Many unaccompanied children remain stranded in the northern French town of Calais, as the British government scraps its resettlement program.
Even after the French authorities tore down the “Jungle” migrant camp last year, refugees continue heading to Calais hoping to cross over to the UK.
French officials, however, are determined not to bring back such migrant camps to Calais.
“It is not dignified for France. It is dangerous for the migrants and it is not good for the local population, for the public order and for the local economy. Calais has suffered a lot with this migration crisis. Position of the French government is very clear. It does not want new camps in Calais,” said Vincent Berton, deputy prefect of Pas-de-Calais.
This has not deterred the migrants, as they continue to pour in.
The makeshift shelters have been abandoned now, but there are clear signs that refugees are sleeping in the woods around Calais. There is no running water nor toilets; and the ground is soaking wet. If conditions in the “Jungle” were bad, it is even worse for refugees coming to Calais now.
There is one official camp in northern France, about 30 minutes’ drive along the coast from Calais, but they only have space for around 1,500 people and the camp is full already.
Officials say lately more and more unaccompanied minors have been arriving and that it is hard to keep track of them.
“We have a count of over 50 migrants. But minors are unpredictable, meaning it is difficult to follow them. This camp is partially financed by the state, but it is an open camp. So we don’t check people’s identities at the entrance. They stay for as long as they want, they leave when they want. So I say over 50, but maybe today the number is 25 and tomorrow there are 70,” said Herve Desvergne, director of the camp.
With the UK recently scrapping its scheme to take in 3,000 unaccompanied children, some are trying more dangerous ways to get there. Some even get killed while making attempts to cross over to the UK in trucks and by other means of transportation.