November 20 is the International Day for Children’s Rights. In Nice, associations and unions gather to denounce the unfair treatment of unaccompanied minors in the Alpes-Maritimes.
“On the boat there are 108; upon arrival, only 4 survivors remain,” recounts Martine Gros, member of the Roya Citoyenne association.
On the occasion of the International Children’s Rights Day, the Réseau Éducation Sans Frontières (Resf) organization issued a call for mobilization. About twenty organizations responded.
“I refuse to endure this shame and do nothing in the face of the unacceptable,” could be read on the protesters’ signs at Place de Libération.
The testimonies are revealing. Torture, rape, detention in Libya: the refugees have no choice but to flee their homeland in hope of finally being free. But once they reach the French-Italian border, the asylum rights of minors are often ignored.
“No law is respected at this border, neither the Geneva Convention nor the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is unacceptable,” protests Martine Landry, activist with Amnesty International France.
Rejection of Asylum Rights
“A foreign minor under eighteen cannot be subject to an expulsion order.” This is what French law stipulates: they should be placed in shelters. They should have access to healthcare and education to finally obtain a residence permit.
But this is not the case. The associations observe a very different reality in the Alpes-Maritimes. “There are laws in France, but they are not applied,” criticizes Martine Gros.
Despite all challenges, minors are declared “adults” by the authorities, making their expulsion possible.
“An absolute suspicion” is how Mireille Damiano, an attorney at the Nice Bar, describes it. “Young men are asked to put their hands on the table to check if, by chance, they don’t have big hands or even wrinkles on their faces,” she explains.
To determine an individual’s age, physical criteria must be approached with great caution. Likewise, an account deemed imprecise is sometimes a reason for denying asylum rights.
Solidarity Always Present
“We may not have the right codes, but we are the only ones here!” emphasizes David Nakache, President of the “Tous citoyens!” association. A sentiment shared by Sabine Doumas, activist for the League of Human Rights and family planning member.
She laments, albeit subtly, the lack of government support and an unfavorable political situation. “We are in a system that crushes humanity,” protests Zohra Briand of the Shelter Right 06 association.
However, on the forecourt of the old Gare du Sud, the volunteers are also pleased to see the young people they have supported succeed.
“There are some results that are worth fighting for,” confides Sabine Doumans. She concludes by saying, “If it weren’t for this, it would be much worse.”
A Tribute to Hubbert Jourdan
The event was an opportunity to pay tribute to Hubbert Jourdan, who passed away on Monday, November 15, 2021. As coordinator of the Habitat et citoyenneté association, he fought for the welcoming of asylum seekers.
