French authorities evacuate children from Calais camps
French authorities have started evacuating some 1,500 unaccompanied children living near the notorious Calais refugee camp in northern France, known as “The Jungle.”
French officials said about 30 buses are expected to leave from Calais to processing centers in undisclosed locations on Wednesday, and that the evacuation might continue into Thursday.
The “Calais Jungle kids” are expected to be sent to juvenile centers across France, where their applications for asylum in the UK and France will be processed.
French authorities completely demolished the infamous facility on October 24 after a few earlier attempts to partially dismantle the camp.
The authorities in Paris say over 6,000 people were evacuated last week from the Jungle camp to lodgings in towns and villages across France where their eligibility for asylum will be assessed.
However, refugees at Calais, who lived in appalling conditions in tents and temporary shelters, were unwilling to leave the camp, saying they wanted to stay until they can find a way to continue their journey to Britain.
Many of them are reluctant to register as refugees in France as their preferred destination is the UK.
The fate of the children there had remained unclear till now due to a reported diplomatic dispute between France and Britain over the underage refugees.
French President Francois Hollande said this week that the children would be transferred to processing centers, where British officials can decide whether they have the right to UK asylum.
Hollande said those not accepted by Britain could seek asylum in France and be put under the care of French child welfare services.
Representatives from the UK Home Office are believed to be on each bus leaving Calais on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, lack of information about the destination of the buses has been a source of anxiety among the vulnerable children at the camp.
“Are people going to the UK?” asked 12-year-old Afsar Khan from Afghanistan.
“My uncle lives in Halifax. He has a pizza shop. He said he will support me, but they don’t let me go,” said Wali Tajek, 16, also from Afghanistan.
He said he left Afghanistan because his parents were both dead, and because he feared the violence caused by the Taliban militancy.
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