It has been an incredibly difficult few weeks for displaced people living in the Dunkirk area. Our thoughts are also with the thousands of Ukrainians who, like the communities we support here, have been unjustly uprooted from their homes and forced to endure unimaginable hardship.
Storm Eunice wreaked havoc in both of the main camps, destroying tents and shelters, ripping down trees, and making living conditions truly unbearable. During this period our team continued to operate as normal, supporting those forced to remain outside and face the elements.
After a hiatus of several weeks from police evictions and harassment, the french authorities conducted a huge operation once again last week. During this eviction hundreds of tents and hand built shelters were destroyed, leaving hundreds of people with nothing for the night ahead. This was a particularly brutal operation with many reports of violence and aggression from the police, as well as many reports of personal belongings being destroyed or taken.
Our team were on-site the same day as always in response to this eviction alongside Help 4 Dunkerque, replacing lost items and equipping people with the essential items they needed. We are proud to say that by the time our team departed the camp that evening every person who had been affected that morning was equipped with both shelter and bedding.
After just a few days to recover from the devastation of this operation, associations were met one morning by concrete barriers restricting access to the main living site. These barriers put people’s lives directly in danger by restricting the access of emergency vehicles to the camp. In addition to the this, by restricting access to essential organisations such as MRS, people have been forced to access service and distributions outside the perimeter on a busy road utilised by large HGVs.
These careless and inhumane actions put lives of both refugees and aid workers unnecessarily at risk. While Ukrainian refugees continue to be rightfully welcomed and housed, communities that have struggled and existed here for years continue to be persecuted and put in danger without a second thought.
With the population on the rise and with men, women and children arriving daily we need your help now as much as ever. To donate to our current fundraiser please follow the link below or alternatively you can donate via the button at the top of our page.
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Thank you as always for your continued support.
In Solidarity. In Defiance.
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