“Protecting migrants is a moral imperative,” declares Pope Francis on the occasion of Migrant and Refugee Day.
While it is necessary to criticize the ostrich policy of the French government, which shirks its international commitments by relying on administrative legislation (distinguishing between asylum seekers and economic refugees*) and a border police control that is porous, what can be said about certain associations that have taken on a celebrity culture in the name of humanitarian aid?
The Gandhi of the Roya is an example: he is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to appear in newspapers (even better on TV). His real objective is to end up in prison to play the victim and thus complete his path to “beatification.”
Meanwhile, what? To run for election?
Finally, is it so complicated to establish a reception policy worthy of the name and commensurate with this emergency, to prevent, in this void, tightrope walkers from taking the stage in the name of moral principles that serve as a pretext for their sole fame?
The human tragedy of migrants deserves better than this ping-pong between autistic authorities and self-centered protagonists!
Last week…
Cédric Herrou was taken into custody and then charged with “aiding the entry and movement of people in irregular situations” while he accompanied asylum seekers by train to Cannes station, to witness any illegal arrests and violations of their rights.
The CRS collective, of which Cédric is a part, planned to make a documentary film tracing the chaotic journey of an asylum seeker in the Alpes-Maritimes.
This project had to be rushed due to Cédric’s arrest. The film was shot with hidden cameras using mobile phones and professional cameras.
It demonstrates the violations of the rights of asylum seekers who were intercepted and returned to the border despite their status as asylum seekers, without having their requests examined, without access to interpreters or their lawyers.
Yesterday…
The prefect thwarted the access to rights for 11 asylum seekers, taking them to the PAF Menton to deport them to Italy from Breil-sur-Roya. They all appointed a lawyer.
Among them:
- Haroun, from Chad, had already had his appointment at the refugee forum and was due to go to the prefecture on Tuesday. Deprived of liberty for nearly 20 hours, he had a lawyer, yet the police prevented the lawyer from accessing his client.
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4 Ethiopians who went to the Breil-sur-Roya gendarmerie the day before yesterday to testify about a smuggling network in Ventimiglia. If they are sent back to Italy, their lives are in danger. In their capacity as witnesses, the French state owes them protection. They had filed their aid requests with the Breil-sur-Roya gendarmerie.
We await the next…
