EUROPE-MIGRANTS/BRUSSELS CAMP Volunteers run migrant camp in the heart of Brussels

Record ID: 139998

  • Title: EUROPE-MIGRANTS/BRUSSELS CAMP Volunteers run migrant camp in the heart of Brussels
  • Date: 11th September 2015
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (SEPTEMBER 10, 2015) (REUTERS) SKYSCRAPERS IN BRUSSELS / TENTS IN MAKESHIFT MIGRANT CAMP MIGRANTS SITTING AT TABLE EATING TENTS IN CAMP CLOTHES HANGING ON WASHING LINE TENTS IN CAMP TEDDY BEAR ON SIGN READING (French): "I want my papers" MAN POKING HEAD OUT OF TENT BANNER READING (English): "All refugees welcome" / VOLUNTEER SAWING VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEER BUILDING TENT MAN HOLDING YOUNG GIRL ON HIS SHOULDERS MAN SITTING IN CAMP IN FRONT OF BANNER SOMALIAN MIGRANT, ABDI SALAN, SITTING IN FRONT OF TENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOMALIAN MIGRANT, ABDI SALAN, SAYING: "The aim is I have peace, so if you have a peace, if you live a tent or good in houses, are better than there, than my country because here I have peace." VARIOUS OF AFGHAN MIGRANT, SANGAR, SHOWING FIRST ASYLUM REQUEST FROM 2011 WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY REJECTED BY BELGIAN AUTHORITIES (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) AFGHAN MIGRANT, SANGAR, SAYING: "I don't know why I don't have an answer from the immigration office, I don't know why I don't have any papers. I don't know. But the officer told me you can live in Afghanistan, but he thinks it's possible, but he doesn't know the situation, they don't know my situation. I can't live in Afghanistan." VARIOUS OF MAKESHIFT KINDERGARTEN AND SCHOOL IN CAMP RUN BY VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEER PAINTING CHILD'S FACE DONATED TOYS IN CAMP (SOUNDBITE) (French) SPOKESPERSON OF FACEBOOK PAGE "CITIZENS' PLATFORM OF SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES", ELODIE FRANCART, SAYING: "We see that from one week ago to today, the refugees are smiling, people are getting together. There are moments where they are able to relax, and alleviate the pressure. It's really this idea of coming from a long journey, from a post-traumatic process for many of them, and to have such a welcome it allows them to feel welcome and we say to them: "Welcome to Belgium." VOLUNTEER COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN IN MAKESHIFT SCHOOL YOUNG GIRL PLAYING WITH TOY VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS HANDING OUT FOOD WOMAN AND BOY EATING TENTS IN CAMP
  • Embargoed: 26th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Belgium
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA15VF3HJCOS0931R8U8PEBOAQO
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Beneath Brussels' skyscrapers, hundreds of migrants live in a makeshift camp run almost entirely by volunteers.
    Tents, food, catering facilities, toiletries, toys and even electricity have all been donated by Belgian residents.
    Facebook group "Citizens' platform of support for refugees", set up to co-ordinate volunteers' efforts, has attracted over 20,000 supporters.
    Most in the camp are asylum seekers, including Somalian migrant Abdi Salan. He told Reuters Television he would rather live in a tent in a camp than be unsafe.
    "The aim is I have peace, so if you have a peace, if you live a tent or good in houses, are better than there, than my country because here I have peace," he said on Thursday (September 10).
    Afghan migrant Sangar first applied for asylum in 2011 but his request was rejected. He has now applied for a second time and is awaiting a response. He used to work for an American security company, and said his life was in danger from the Taliban.
    "I don't know why I don't have a good answer from the immigration office, I don't know why I don't have any papers. I don't know. But the officer told me you can live in Afghanistan, but he thinks it's possible, but he doesn't know the situation, they don't know my situation. I can't live in Afghanistan," Sangar, who had to leave his wife and children back in Afghanistan, said.
    The Brussels camp, which has a school, kindergarten and football pitch, is supported by 150 volunteers during the week and between 300 and 400 volunteers on weekends.
    Spokesperson of the Citizens' Platform Facebook group Elodie Francart said they hoped to show migrants a warm welcome in Belgium.
    "We see that from one week ago to today, the refugees are smiling, people are getting together. There are moments where they are able to relax, and alleviate the pressure. It's really this idea of coming from a long journey, from a post-traumatic process for many of them, and to have such a welcome it allows them to feel welcome and we say to them: "Welcome to Belgium," she said.
    The well-functioning camp however has no further space, Francart warned, calling on government authorities to do more to support refugees.
    European ministers will meet on Monday to discuss how to cope with the current surge of migrants into the bloc. The European Commission proposed in May a quota system for relocating 40,000 asylum-seekers across Europe, but EU member states blocked the plan.
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