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exiles in Calais - hunger strike has begun

calaishungerstrike | 11.06.2014 14:59 | Indymedia | Migration

Refugees have been occupying the food distribution centre in Calais, France, for the past two weeks since the evictions of the three camps where they had been living. They have tried to negotiate with the city to be able to live in decent conditions and free from police harassment. However for over a week they have heard nothing from the authorities. Today at 10am a group of people have begun a hunger strike and released a list of their demands and motivations. Please support and spread to networks and media contacts.

As agreed, the refugees occupying the food distribution center in Calais had breakfast together this morning. They formed two groups, those who will continue to eat and those who are fasting. Those fasting had slightly larger portions. They sat in the middle of the courtyard. Yesterday, they made a list of 53 people willing to get involved. By late morning, there were more than thirty of them waiting for those who had tried to cross over to England that night to join them – something they will no longer be able to do during the fast. This afternoon, we should know more precisely how many will participate in the hunger strike.

Their spokesperson can be reached at 07 53 93 21 53 (he speaks English). Please spread widely amongst networks and to media lists!

Here is the text of the call-out on which they agreed:

FROM THE MIGRANTS OF CALAIS
TO THE FRENCH AND BRITISH AUTHORITIES

After the destruction of our camps and our occupation of the food distribution center, French authorities came to meet with us two times. They told us that they would come again to speak with us on Thursday, June 3. Nobody came and we haven’t heard any news from them.

Today, Wednesday, June 11, some of us, with all of our support, will begin a hunger strike. We ask the French and British authorities to to resume the interrupted dialogue and meet with us without delay.

We remind them of our demands:

- Houses in Calais for all the migrants who wish to go to England and for asylum seekers who are forced to live in the street
- Houses with decent hygienic conditions: toilets, showers, garbage collection
- Houses where we can come and go whenever we like, in order to be able to continue trying to cross to England
- Houses protected from police controls, harassment and evictions
- Access to three meals a day
- Negotiations between France and the United Kingdom to allow people access to British territory.

originally published on  http://passeursdhospitalites.wordpress.com

calaishungerstrike
- Homepage: http://calaismigrantsolidarity.wordpress.com/

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Demands

12.06.2014 15:33

We remand you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

13.06.2014 11:31

We remand you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

16.06.2014 07:26

We remind you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

16.06.2014 11:44

We remind you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

16.06.2014 14:55

We remind you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Confused

17.06.2014 07:54

Why can't they claim asylum in France ?

Con

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

18.06.2014 11:24

We remand you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

19.06.2014 14:06

We remind you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Asylum seekers

19.06.2014 16:43

Your text describes the people in Calais as "asylum seekers". I assume they means they are running from a war zone, oppression of some form, or another type of persecution. If that is the case why are they not simply claiming asylum in France and entering the very good support network that France provides for genuine refugees ? If they were to do this their problems with housing, food, sanitation and clothing would be solved in around 48 hours.

Would you please explain why they are not taking this obvious step, thanks.

Ric

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

20.06.2014 08:46

We remand you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Asylum seekers

20.06.2014 09:04

Your text describes the people in Calais as "asylum seekers". I assume they means they are running from a war zone, oppression of some form, or another type of persecution. If that is the case why are they not simply claiming asylum in France and entering the very good support network that France provides for genuine refugees ? If they were to do this their problems with housing, food, sanitation and clothing would be solved in around 48 hours.

Would you please explain why they are not taking this obvious step, thanks.

Ric

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

23.06.2014 15:33

We remind you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

photos

25.06.2014 13:22

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/67141891@N04/sets/72157644853423949/

Chiara

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Demands

25.06.2014 14:01

We remand you of the demands of the British people

If you are a real refugee fleeing oppression claim asylum in France or whatever was the first EU country you arrived.

Once that claim is agreed seek legal migration to the UK through established channels.

If you are not prepared to do the above then we assume you are an illegal immigrant and we will stop you entering the country and/or deport you if you do arrive.

Rennie

Hidden Comment

This posting has been hidden because it breaches the Indymedia UK (IMC UK) Editorial Guidelines.

IMC UK is an interactive site offering inclusive participation. All postings to the open publishing newswire are the responsibility of the individual authors and not of IMC UK. Although IMC UK volunteers attempt to ensure accuracy of the newswire, they take no responsibility legal or otherwise for the contents of the open publishing site. Mention of external web sites or services is for information purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation.

Photos

26.06.2014 12:59

How come the above comment hasn't been deleted when numerous other were?

Tubzz

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