According to nu.nl, last night around 25 Somalis began a new protest camp in Ter Apel in the east of the Netherlands. The previous protest camp there was evicted by the authorities in May.
Apparently if the Somalis do not erect tents their camp cannot be evicted. The local authority Vlagtwedde are monitoring the situation.
On 21/08/12 Amnesty released a statement condemning the threat of eviction hanging over around 40 African sans-papiers living in a squat in Calais. According to the statement, if the migrants “are forcibly evicted, they would be left homeless and at risk of facing other human rights violations, and of being placed in detention, if they are found not to have regular immigration status, or being forcibly returned to their home country.” You can read the full statement in English here.
Around 16 sans-papiers are currently camping outside the town hall in Brest, following their eviction yesterday from the town hall’s foyer which they had occupied since 10th August.
A spokeman for local collective Casss-papiers told Le Telegramme newspaper that they have had had no contact with the municipality about emergency accommodation. The protestors include families from Serbian, Kosovo and Albania.
Local supporters are concerned for the safety of the protestors and yesterday evening helped them to camp inside nearby disused school.
Yesterday evening (20/08/12) a group around 70 “failed” asylum seekers from Iraq began a protest outside the offices of the IND (Immigration and Nataionality Directorate) in Zwolle in the Netherlands. The protesters are refusing to go back to Iraq.
A body of a woman of Asian origin, approximately 35 years of, was found on Sunday evening on the beach at Wimereux (Pas-de-Calais) near Boulogne-sur-Me, dressed in a swimsuit.
The cause of death is unknown, but is suspected to be either drowning or a fall from the cliffs, report Liberation. An investigation is underway.
Less than two months ago a migrant died in Calais after allegedly drowning in a canal. Friends and activists doubt the official version and have demanded that his death been investigated.
In the last week Roma camps in Paris, Hellemmes (Nord), Villeurbanne and Vaulx-en-Velin (Rhône) have all been evicted by the authorities. Remaining Roma camps are on high alert. The European Commission yesterday told France that it is monitoring these evictions “to ensure that European rules are respected”. According to Medicins du Monde, there are currently around 15,000 Roma in France. This figure has stayed the same for the last 15 years, despite waves of evictions and deportations.
Activists demanding that the French authorities open an enquiry into the suspicious death of a migrant in Calais occupied the scaffolding of the French Embassy in Brussels this morning (01/08/12). They held banners proclaiming ‘Justice for Noureddin’ and ‘Calais everywhere, justice nowhere’. There were 8 arrests but all were later released without charge. Watch a short video of the action here.