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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/29/hollande-britain-must-take-fair-share-of-calais-refugee-children
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| Hollande: Britain must take 'fair share' of Calais refugee children | Hollande: Britain must take 'fair share' of Calais refugee children |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The French president, François Hollande, has urged British authorities to “do their part” and take in the UK’s “fair share” of 1,500 teenagers and children from the Calais refugee camp. | The French president, François Hollande, has urged British authorities to “do their part” and take in the UK’s “fair share” of 1,500 teenagers and children from the Calais refugee camp. |
| Hollande said he had spoken to the UK prime minister, Theresa May, to ensure that British officials would “accompany these minors to these centres and would play their part in subsequently welcoming them to the United Kingdom”. | Hollande said he had spoken to the UK prime minister, Theresa May, to ensure that British officials would “accompany these minors to these centres and would play their part in subsequently welcoming them to the United Kingdom”. |
| Britain has so far accepted 274 children from the camp. | Britain has so far accepted 274 children from the camp. |
| The president vowed that France would not tolerate any more makeshift camps and that young people left at a container camp near the Calais site would be “very quickly dispatched” to reception centres, with the hope they would eventually be taken in by the UK. | The president vowed that France would not tolerate any more makeshift camps and that young people left at a container camp near the Calais site would be “very quickly dispatched” to reception centres, with the hope they would eventually be taken in by the UK. |
| “We had to rise to the challenge of the refugee issue. We could not tolerate the camp and we will not tolerate any others,” Hollande said while visiting a reception centre in Doué-la-Fontaine in western France. | “We had to rise to the challenge of the refugee issue. We could not tolerate the camp and we will not tolerate any others,” Hollande said while visiting a reception centre in Doué-la-Fontaine in western France. |
| Meanwhile on the ground, three diggers moved in to clear the debris of makeshift dwellings in the northern section of the camp, which until Tuesday had been home to between 6,000 and 8,000 migrants. | Meanwhile on the ground, three diggers moved in to clear the debris of makeshift dwellings in the northern section of the camp, which until Tuesday had been home to between 6,000 and 8,000 migrants. |
| Many tents and shacks had been ravaged as huge fires ripped through the camp on Wednesday. About a dozen riot police trucks were posted at the camp’s entrance, where skips were in place to take away piles of debris. | Many tents and shacks had been ravaged as huge fires ripped through the camp on Wednesday. About a dozen riot police trucks were posted at the camp’s entrance, where skips were in place to take away piles of debris. |
| Officials hope to complete the clearance by Monday night and on Saturday there was little sign of life except for workmen and police. | |
| In Paris, more than 100 leftwing MPs sent a letter to the British home secretary, Amber Rudd, calling on her government to “immediately” take in unaccompanied minors from the Calais camp who want to rejoin relatives in the UK. | In Paris, more than 100 leftwing MPs sent a letter to the British home secretary, Amber Rudd, calling on her government to “immediately” take in unaccompanied minors from the Calais camp who want to rejoin relatives in the UK. |
| The letter, a copy of which was sent to AFP by the deputy president of the national assembly, Sandrine Mazetier, said 1,500 unaccompanied minors had been placed in safety in the provisional reception centre – a container camp – in Calais. | The letter, a copy of which was sent to AFP by the deputy president of the national assembly, Sandrine Mazetier, said 1,500 unaccompanied minors had been placed in safety in the provisional reception centre – a container camp – in Calais. |
| “[They] are not seeking any favours: they have the right, in line with current international regulations and British law, to go to Britain. | “[They] are not seeking any favours: they have the right, in line with current international regulations and British law, to go to Britain. |
| “Their transfer to Britain is urgent. We ask you to take your responsibilities and assume your moral duty by immediately organising their arrival.” | “Their transfer to Britain is urgent. We ask you to take your responsibilities and assume your moral duty by immediately organising their arrival.” |
| Britain’s Help Refugees charity estimated that, as of late Friday, there remained more than 1,000 unaccompanied children living in the container camp. | Britain’s Help Refugees charity estimated that, as of late Friday, there remained more than 1,000 unaccompanied children living in the container camp. |
| Since mid-October, Britain has taken in 274 children from the camp, mostly youngsters with relatives already living in the country. | Since mid-October, Britain has taken in 274 children from the camp, mostly youngsters with relatives already living in the country. |
| Children who had been told they were headed for Britain to join family there were getting ready on Saturday, hoping to be on their way later in the day. | Children who had been told they were headed for Britain to join family there were getting ready on Saturday, hoping to be on their way later in the day. |
| Refugees, mainly from Afghanistan, Sudan and Eritrea, had flocked to the camp near the northern port of Calais in the hope of making it across the Channel to Britain. | Refugees, mainly from Afghanistan, Sudan and Eritrea, had flocked to the camp near the northern port of Calais in the hope of making it across the Channel to Britain. |
| Clare Moseley, founder of British charity Care4Calais, expressed concern for those who had been evacuated, saying: “We are worried about what happens next – there will be multitude of small camps where conditions are even worse than in ‘the Jungle’.” | Clare Moseley, founder of British charity Care4Calais, expressed concern for those who had been evacuated, saying: “We are worried about what happens next – there will be multitude of small camps where conditions are even worse than in ‘the Jungle’.” |
| Many Calais locals also fear a camp will spring up again once the current clearance operation ends. Meanwhile, officials said that more than 2,000 refugees and migrants were sleeping on the streets of northern Paris, with Hollande pledging that these new arrivals would also be evacuated. | Many Calais locals also fear a camp will spring up again once the current clearance operation ends. Meanwhile, officials said that more than 2,000 refugees and migrants were sleeping on the streets of northern Paris, with Hollande pledging that these new arrivals would also be evacuated. |