Blocking Aid Convoys to Calais' Jungle Won't Make it Disappear Anytime Soon

You may or may not have read that in March, evictions took place in the south side of Calais' "Jungle" camp. Shelters were bulldozed, teargas was fired and tents were flattened. But unlike what our governments would have us believe, the "Jungle" is still here and it is growing. While France and the UK play the blame game, new refugees arrive every day. More come than go. Donations are needed more than ever but awareness isn't being raised enough so these have dropped. 

On Saturday 18th June, a convoy of 250 cars and two lorries were due to arrive in Calais to help relieve the 6000 refugees who have made Europe's biggest shanty town their temporary home, with donations. For the past two weeks, I have been volunteering for Care4Calais and we have been planning for their arrival since I set foot in the warehouse. We prepared an art exhibition with the refugees, we had bands ready to play, we had speakers ready to share their reality of life in the camp, we had hope and we had butterflies in our stomachs at the idea of how much we would be able to help the refugee community with the tonnes of donations that were expected. But on Saturday, that convoy didn't reach us. That convoy was blocked in Dover's ferry port by border control: a request made by French authorities. That convoy was invaluable.

If anything, the blockade got the "Jungle" some much needed media attention. 

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, they say, but we don't see it here. France has dropped it's two century old motto and moral responsibility for Calais and its 6000 refugees. Its 6000 mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers. Its 6000 teachers, translators, farmers, engineers and students. Its 6000 humans, persecuted people, fleeing their war torn homes, which by the end of the month will amount to 7000.

France choosing to ignore the humanitarian crisis on its own grounds is one thing, but preventing those who are taking action to reduce the desperate needs of the "Jungle" from doing so is a violation of civil liberties. It is heartless, immoral and shameful. It is undemocratic; but then again, the term is loose. Why block such a immense show of solidarity and source of humanitarian aid? Politics. 

The prefecture of Pas-de-Calais stated that the ban had been issued over security concerns, one of the reasons being that the large amount of vehicles would "facilitate the intrusion of migrants". 

France has been the victim of terrorism more than any of its neighbours in the past months and its citizens the victims of paranoia. The nation has been in a state of emergency - for the eighth time since 1955 - since the November 13th attacks in Paris which took the lives of 130 people; it is hosting the UEFA European Football Championship, which requires heightened security precautions; and last week, two members of the police force outside Paris were brutally murdered in what has been described as a "terrorist attack". So yes, national security is undeniably the priority, but boxes of digestive biscuits, canned tomatoes, hoodies and blankets are not a threat to it. 

It isn't about the risk of canned tomatoes and hoodies, though. It's about acknowledging the existence of the "Jungle", drawing attention to it and raising awareness about it. The authorities don't want it there, however, ignoring it, making sure the media doesn't mention it and preventing events like #ConvoyToCalais from happening won't camouflage it. So keep the donations coming because since being a hot topic in the headlines ten months back, the camp has tripled in sized and it isn't going to disappear any time soon. 

In the words of a 24 year old Syrian refugee who spoke at the event which still took place for the only coach-load of people who made it across the channel, "We want you to see that people in the 'Jungle' had their own lives before. They are not the type of guys you get told about in the media. You need to meet people and see peoples' ambitions about their lives. Everyone had his own ambitions before their country got destroyed. I think that what refugees most wish for is to regain the life they had before; life with dignity and integrity."

#RefugeesWelcome #WeAreAllHuman

To donate or volunteer with Care4Calais, please click here.