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Calais: France rebukes Britain over abandoned refugee children Calais: France rebukes Britain over abandoned refugee children
(about 1 hour later)
France has blamed Britain for failing to take responsibility for a group of more than 100 minors who remain sleeping in makeshift conditions in the debris of the Calais camp.France has blamed Britain for failing to take responsibility for a group of more than 100 minors who remain sleeping in makeshift conditions in the debris of the Calais camp.
The French rebuke from the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, came as a diplomatic standoff between the two nations unfolded over who was responsible for the last unaccompanied refugee children, abandoned in Calais.The French rebuke from the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, came as a diplomatic standoff between the two nations unfolded over who was responsible for the last unaccompanied refugee children, abandoned in Calais.
Cazeneuve expressed “surprise” late on Thursday at the implicit criticism from his British counterpart, Amber Rudd, in a statement that appeared to reprimand the French for failing to safeguard and care for the remaining children. Cazeneuve expressed surprise late on Thursday at the implicit criticism from his British counterpart, Amber Rudd, in a statement that appeared to reprimand the French for failing to safeguard and care for the remaining children.
The French government said Cazeneuve and his ministerial colleagues had “learned with surprise the declarations of Ms Amber Rudd”.The French government said Cazeneuve and his ministerial colleagues had “learned with surprise the declarations of Ms Amber Rudd”.
The official statement added: “The French ministers hope … the United Kingdom will quickly execute its responsibilities to take in these minors who hope to come to the United Kingdom. This is the best way to give them the protection they are due,” the official statement said. The official statement added: “The French ministers hope … the United Kingdom will quickly execute its responsibilities to take in these minors who hope to come to the United Kingdom. This is the best way to give them the protection they are due,.”
The ongoing dispute between the two governments follows months of reluctance on both sides to take responsibility for the thousands of vulnerable asylum seekers who had gathered in Calais. Now that the camp has been almost entirely cleared, the bickering over the last children continues. French has rehoused nearly 6,000 people, including more than 1,000 minors who have been given shelter in shipping containers in the Calais camp. The ongoing dispute between the two governments follows months of reluctance on both sides to take responsibility for the thousands of vulnerable asylum seekers who had gathered in Calais. Now that the camp has been almost entirely cleared, the bickering over the last children continues. France has rehoused nearly 6,000 people, including more than 1,000 minors who have been given shelter in shipping containers in the Calais camp.
The UK has taken between 240 and 300 children, and is expected to take a few hundred more.The UK has taken between 240 and 300 children, and is expected to take a few hundred more.
Meanwhile more than 100 children, one of whom was understood to be as young as 11, are still stranded in the smouldering camp waiting for French police and French authorities to decide their fate before bulldozing begins. Meanwhile, more than 100 children, one of whom was understood to be as young as 11, are still stranded in the smouldering camp waiting for French police and authorities to decide their fate before bulldozing begins.
Dejected and in despair, they are huddling in the makeshift shelters in a school area on the perimeter of the camp with 15 British volunteers who who spent the night guarding them from potential fire or people traffickers. The abandoned school is an unheated structure, made from chipboard and tarpaulin by volunteers. Dejected and in despair, they are huddling in the makeshift shelters in a school area on the perimeter of the camp with 15 British volunteers who spent the night guarding them from potential fire or people traffickers. The abandoned school is an unheated structure, made from chipboard and tarpaulin by volunteers.
Alice Sturrock, 22, from Edinburgh said: “It was a grim night. It was cold. Some of the minors had to sleep outside on the ground.Alice Sturrock, 22, from Edinburgh said: “It was a grim night. It was cold. Some of the minors had to sleep outside on the ground.
“The CRS [French riot police] came in the middle of the night and were mildly threatening. They shone their torches around the children and then left. Then this morning the police chief showed up and asked us for a count of people and a count of minors,” she said.“The CRS [French riot police] came in the middle of the night and were mildly threatening. They shone their torches around the children and then left. Then this morning the police chief showed up and asked us for a count of people and a count of minors,” she said.
There were no French officials on hand to support the teenagers or the volunteers.There were no French officials on hand to support the teenagers or the volunteers.
Asked by the Guardian what was happening, the chief police commisssioner Patrick Visser-Bourdon said: “I don’t know. I am just here to have the numbers of young persons here. I have no answer.” Asked by the Guardian what was happening, the chief police commisssioner, Patrick Visser-Bourdon, said: “I don’t know. I am just here to have the numbers of young persons here. I have no answer.”
It is the second night that children were forced to sleep rough after French authorities lured them out of the camp with the promise of transport to a reception centre where they would be assessed for potential refuge in the UK, either through the Dublin agreement or the Dubs amendment to immigration laws. It is the second night that children were forced to sleep rough after French authorities lured them out of the camp with the promise of transport to a reception centre where they were to be assessed for potential refuge in the UK, either through the Dublin agreement or the Dubs amendment to immigration laws.
However, in an extraordinary day they were instead kettled by heavily armed police and left to stand in the cold for six hours before they were abandoned and told they could go back into the camp, where fires were still burning.However, in an extraordinary day they were instead kettled by heavily armed police and left to stand in the cold for six hours before they were abandoned and told they could go back into the camp, where fires were still burning.
The Lib Dem peer Shas Sheehan, who was there to witness the operation, said the British and French authorities were flouting children’s human rights: “Children have rights – family, shelter and protection – under the convention on the rights of the child”, a UN treaty declaring that all children are “entitled to special care and assistance”. The Liberal Democrat peer Shas Sheehan, who was there to witness the operation, said the British and French authorities were flouting children’s human rights: “Children have rights – family, shelter and protection – under the convention on the rights of the child, a UN treaty declaring that all children are “entitled to special care and assistance”.
Volunteers counted 113 young people who self-declared as 17 or under in the school on Friday morning: 46 aged 17, 33 aged 16, 12 aged 15 and five aged 13.Volunteers counted 113 young people who self-declared as 17 or under in the school on Friday morning: 46 aged 17, 33 aged 16, 12 aged 15 and five aged 13.
Elsewhere in Calais, police were manning the train station, where they picked up three or four migrants just after dawn.Elsewhere in Calais, police were manning the train station, where they picked up three or four migrants just after dawn.
On Thursday night they were also stopping others who had left the camp. Charities have criticised the French for closing down their migrant registration programme after three days despite evidence that they had not given enough time to process hundreds of adults and minors in the camp.On Thursday night they were also stopping others who had left the camp. Charities have criticised the French for closing down their migrant registration programme after three days despite evidence that they had not given enough time to process hundreds of adults and minors in the camp.
Another volunteer with Care4Calais, who has been a prominent figure in the shepherding of children to various locations at the request of the French, said: “I don’t think they ever intended to do anything yesterday for the children. It is just disgusting what they did.”Another volunteer with Care4Calais, who has been a prominent figure in the shepherding of children to various locations at the request of the French, said: “I don’t think they ever intended to do anything yesterday for the children. It is just disgusting what they did.”