French authorities on Monday started a mass evacuation of a refugee camp they refer to as the "jungle" in the port city of Calais, reported the Associated Press. From Tuesday, authorities will dismantle the camp over the next three days.
Of the 7,000 people living in the camp, the first set of 50 Sudanese has been transported to Burgundy region, reported AFP. By 1.30 pm [local time], as many as 23 buses had left the camp with 900 people. According to officials, around 2,500 people left on Monday. They will be taken to different refugee centres across France where they will seek asylum. However, if they do not claim asylum, they could face deportation, reported BBC.
The refugees have a choice of only two places to settle down in France, while only unaccompanied minors and "vulnerable youth" can seek asylum in Britain. According to records from the NGO France Terre d'Asile, there are around 1,291 unaccompanied minors in the camp. Most of them are from Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea. According to Reuters, a majority of them had wanted to go to Britain. However, according to European Union rules, they will have to seek asylum in the European country they first set foot in.
As many 1,200 police officers have been deployed in the camp area to avoid any violence and to arrest those who refuse to leave the camp. An official of the French Interior Ministry told BBC, "[We] do not want to use force but if there are migrants who refuse to leave, or NGOs who cause trouble, the police might be forced to intervene".
According to an Oxfam report released in July, more than 65 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes because of war, conflict and poverty. This, Oxfam says, is the highest figure since refugee records came into existence.
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