Catholic charity wins court battle for Calais migrants

A French Catholic charity says it will take legal action to secure decent housing for 6,000 refugees stranded in the makeshift camp in Calais known as the “New Jungle”.

Secours Catholique was one of a number of NGOS that successfully appealed to a court in Lille to oblige the authorities to improve access to water and sanitation at the camp.

The court ordered that the department of Pas-de-Calais and the town of Calais must install 10 more water stations and 50 new latrines at the new jungle camp.

It also demanded that regular collections of rubbish must be carried out and for the camp to be cleaned up.

“We said it was essential for fundamental rights to be implemented in Calais. One of the next things we want to do is get better housing for the refugees,” said Lola Schulmann of Secours Catholique.

The charity is trying to improve living conditions for the refugees and is helping them with asylum applications. It is also providing lessons for children, many of whom are unaccompanied minors.

Most of the refugees want to seek asylum in the UK and Ms Schulmann was critical of the British Government for erecting fences to block access to the port and the Channel Tunnel.

“Many of the refugees have relatives in the UK and they want to join them. Even if there are fences they will look for other ways to make the crossing. There have been some terrible tragedies. Fences are not the solution,” she said.

Secours Catholique successfully appealed for better sanitation in The Jungle camp in Calais (PA)

Ms Schulmann was one of three French charity workers who attended a parliamentary reception organised by the Catholic Social Action Network (Csan) on Wednesday.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols spoke of the deplorable conditions in the camp and praised the work of Catholic charities, parishes and other groups that are working with the refugees.

He said: “These conditions dehumanize those living there and rob them of their dignity.  I am glad to hear, today, that efforts are being made to improve these conditions. But the underlying problem remains.”