Basroch refugee camp

Basroch refugee camp was situated in Grande-Synthe, Dunkirk, France. It began as an informal refugee camp in a muddy field in about 2006.[1] As late as summer 2015 it still only contained about 60 residents, but by January 2016 the camp had expanded to more than 2000 people.[2]

The very rapid expansion created a humanitarian crisis, as the site was not at all suitable for the large numbers of people who were living there. The rats, refuse and disease led to the camp being referred to as "Europe's worst refugee camp."[3] It was described as "appalling,"[4] "gut wrenching"[5] and "deplorable."[6]

The international NGO Médecins Sans Frontières stated:

Hygiene was dire in Basroch camp, and several areas became a muddy quagmire every time it rained. The mayor called it “the camp of shame” and MSF workers described it in interviews as a “gigantic refuse dump”[7]

Aid organisations working at Basroch camp included Emmaüs, Terre d’Errance, le Secours Catholique et Populaire,[8] Aid Box Convey[9] and Edlumino, which provided education to the children of the camp.[10]

See also

References
  1. "France: Update on relocation of migrant camp in Dunkirk". MSF. Medecins Sans Frontiers. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  2. "Grande-Synthe". MSF. Medecins sans Frontiers. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. Alzayani, Razan (18 January 2017). "The Chill sets in at La Liniere, France's First Official Refugee Camp". Refugees Deeply. New Deeply. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. Chrisafis, Angelique (28 February 2016). "MSF to open camp for refugees sleeping rough near Dunkirk". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  5. Sire, Adeline (28 January 2016). "This French refugee camp has rats, mud and toilets that are overflowing". PRI. PRI. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  6. Mohammed, Pierre. "Basroch to La Liniere". Pierremohamad.com. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  7. "France: Update on relocation of migrant camp in Dunkirk". MSF. Medecins Sans Frontiers. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  8. "France: Update on relocation of migrant camp in Dunkirk". MSF. Medecins Sans Frontiers. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  9. "MSF in Grande-Synthe: lessons from an unlikely coalition of actors". Humanitarian Alternatives. Humanitarian Alternatives. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  10. Scott, Natalie (27 April 2016). "Teaching in France's refugee camps". SecEd. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
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