What was likely to happen, did happen. The warning from Senator Mayor about the dangers was not just a controversial gimmick. Waves that were a bit too persistent dislodged the Children of Don Quixote. Negotiations continue. The meeting on Monday, January 15, confirmed the establishment of a monitoring committee by the sub-prefect. This committee is composed of the Children of Don Quixote, the F.N.A.R.S. (National Federation of Associations for Social Reinsertion), the D.D.A.S.S. (Departmental Directorate for Health and Social Affairs), as well as local social actors such as Emmaüs and Catholic Relief Services.
A meeting between the Children of Don Quixote and F.N.A.R.S. will take place this Friday to establish the conditions to be adopted at the upcoming meeting with the Prefecture, scheduled for January 30. Until then, everything remains at a standstill. No pun intended, everyone is sticking to their positions. Moreover, for one of the spokespersons, “the City Hall is out of the loop; this does not prevent social services from continuing to work, but generally, our situation does not interest the City Hall.”
Representatives of the social movement are still negotiating with the prefecture, “demanding a viable and suitable relocation solution for each person present at the camp, and at the same time, a concrete application of the articles of the Don Quixote Charter adopted by Minister Borloo.”
The struggle continues under the shadow of Abbé Pierre. Despite the weather conditions, on one hand, and lesser media coverage, on the other, the camps are still present throughout France, and the demands for dignified and sustainable housing for everyone remain strong, carried by convincing words and not yet ready to be silenced.
