meanwhile in france ...

08.Nov.02 - Around the Sangatte refugee camp, the situation has developed into a near catastrophe in the last 48 hours: since the closure of the camp Nov 5, 2002 the refugees who are still arriving in hundreds are now out in the open cold, not only without shelter but also without access to an asylum procedure. Even worse, French police have begun a veritable fox hunt on refugees in the region. According to local sources, it appears that all refugees who are caught and arrested are forced to sign an expulsion order, photographed and their personal data is entered on the Schengen Information System (SIS). After this, they only have two days for an appeal at the police in Arras, if not they lose all possibility for an asylum request later in France or in the rest of the European Union!
In this way, France is not only violating the Geneva Refugee Convention which guarantees the right to asylum but also despectably prepares for mass-expulsions of hundreds of refugees by illegal means.
Please immediately begin actions of support and spread this info as widely as possible! Protest the actions of the French authorities! Demand that France guarantees the right to asylum for all refugees! Come to Sangatte! Support the refugees!

more information: BBC news: Calais mayor wants Sangatte to reopen | BBC news: Sangatte closes door to new entrants | BBC news: Calais migrants threaten action | BBC news: Refugees in stand-off in Calais church