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A30 world news
Dialuna 29 november 2021

Camped in Calais, migrants renew resolve to try for England

(AP) — At the makeshift kick a soccer ball around a
camps in France near Cal- patch of bare ground and
ais and Dunkirk, migrants hang laundry on a fence in
are digging in, waiting hopes it will dry in the weak
for their chance to make sunshine.
a dash across the Eng-
lish Channel despite the Patrick yearns to reach Liv-
deaths of at least 27 peo- erpool and study political
ple this week when their science. He says he has tried
boat sank a few miles (ki- to smuggle himself onto a
lometers) from the French vehicle heading for Britain
coast. every day for the past six
months. Now he’s ready to
Police have stepped up pa- try the boats, if he can find
trols in recent days and the the money.
weather has worsened, mak-
ing this a bad time to attempt “I dream of England,″ he said
a crossing. But most migrants “I know that some people
say the tragedy won’t prevent died in the sea, but I will try
them from climbing into a by sea or by any other way.”
flimsy inflatable boat packed
with up to 50 people in hopes In Calais, aid groups have
of reaching Britain. taken over a warehouse
where they collect supplies
“I don’t afraid of anything,” like sleeping bags, food and
a 22-year-old from Iran who as the migrants use anything ing a subtle nod to the camp tion and Forced Displace- firewood that they distrib-
identified himself only as they can find as fuel. littered with rotting banana ment at the University of ute to migrants at designated
Kawa said in halting English. peels, soggy shoes and tents Birmingham. spots around the city.
“Water? If we die … sorry to The coast around Calais has abandoned by migrants who
say this but we already died. long been the jumping-off have already left for England. “So people in Calais are there Opie Cook, 27, is sorting
Nobody accepts us anywhere. point for migrants anxious because they want to come vegetables for a vat of salad
We’re useful. Useless, sorry,” to get to the U.K. But this Wednesday’s tragedy came here,” he said. after taking a leave of absence
he said, correcting himself. week’s disaster underscores amid a jump in the number from her job at HP to help
“Just look at these people.” the combination of dreams of migrants trying to cross Britain has criticized France the migrants.
and despair that drives peo- the channel in inflatables and for not doing enough to stop
Kawa and his father spent the ple to camp in drizzling rain other small craft after the the boats before they are “It’s sad that it has taken such
past six years in the Denmark, with temperatures hovering COVID-19 pandemic lim- launched, but migrants say a tragedy for this to be talked
where they say they never felt around 40 Fahrenheit (4 Cel- ited air and ship travel and police have become more ac- about again,” she said.
free because they constantly sius) for the chance to risk Britain’s departure from the tive since the deaths.
had to report to police and their lives at sea. European Union curtailed Back in the camps, men take
other authorities. Now they cooperation with neighbor- So they are simply waiting off their shoes and nudge
want to reach England, and But first they have to pay ing countries in processing for things to calm down and their feet as close to the
eventually Canada, because smugglers about 2,500 asylum-seekers and other the weather to improve. campfires as possible, try-
“they are good to Iranians.” pounds ($3,300) for a seat in migrants. ing to dry them off and stay
a boat. Amanj, 20, a Kurdish activ- warm.
They are among a group of More than 23,000 people ist from Iran, says he has no
about 150 young Kurdish Ari, who like other migrants have already entered the choice but to press on. His Amid the despair, there is
men and a smattering of fam- declined to give his last name U.K. on small boats this year, father was recently jailed and also determination.
ilies camped Saturday on a for fear of being deported up from 8,500 last year and the family doesn’t know what
disused railroad line in hopes if he is caught, is a physics just 300 in 2018, according to happened to him. Amanj Ari, the teacher from Iraq,
of escaping the damp ground teacher from Iraq who left data compiled by Parliament. fears he could be next. traveled first to Belarus be-
below. Alongside a collec- home because he couldn’t fore taking a train through
tion of incongruously bright find work. Despite this increase, the “Maybe I would die if I was Poland, then through Ger-
red, green and blue tents near number of people applying in Iran, you know. Maybe I many to reach the channel
Dunkirk, they pull hoods He says he is frightened for asylum in Britain is still was … killed by police with coast.
over their heads, hunch about the crossing — but relatively low compared with a gun, Nobody knows,” he
shoulders inside winter jack- the chance for a better life is other European countries. said. “If not today, maybe to- His destination is Bour-
ets and huddle next to small worth the risk. Migrants heading for Britain morrow you die anyway.” nemouth, where he has fam-
fires to stay warm as an early usually do so because of fam- ily. And he intends to make it.
winter chill grips northern “Everyone is scared But ev- ily, historical or geopolitical Fifteen miles (25 kilometers)
Europe. The smell of burn- eryone here — they die (a reasons, said Nando Sigona, to the west at a camp outside “We want to get free,” he says.
ing plastic hangs in the air little) every day,” he said, giv- chair of International Migra- Calais, migrants from Sudan “That’s why we’re here.’’