France will have nearly 9,000 immigration reception points

(Baonghean.vn) - French President Francois Hollande said on September 24 that thousands of migrants living in squalid tent camps called "Jungle" near the town of Calais will be distributed across the country.

Refugees walk in the refugee camp known as “The Jungle” on the outskirts of Calais, France. Photo: Reuters

It is the latest attempt by the French government to quell criticism of its handling of Europe's migrant crisis.

Some 9,000 sites are being prepared to become “reception and orientation” centres for migrants currently living in camps near the northern French port city, President Hollande told i-Tele television after visiting a site in Tours, 240 km (150 miles) southwest of Paris.

The migrants will be divided into groups of 40-50 people for a limited period of three to four months, Mr Hollande said.

Mr. Hollande also affirmed that those who meet the criteria for refugees will be allowed to stay in France, while those who do not meet the criteria will be deported.

“There should be no refugee camps in France,” the French President said, affirming that France's goal is to completely dismantle such camps.

The squalid camps, which President Hollande visited on Monday, have become a symbol of France's migrant crisis, at a time when immigration is set to be a key issue in next year's French presidential election.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy also visited Calais last week, as he campaigns for a return to the presidency next year.

Migrants in the camps regularly clash with police trying to get to Britain. Some French opposition politicians say this is a British problem and Britain should take action.

According to local authorities, around 7,000 migrants are still living in makeshift camps in the northern part of the camp, up from 4,500 in June. Humanitarian groups put the figure closer to 9,000.

The French government dismantled the southern half of the camp in February and March. The government also confirmed that the camp would be temporarily shut down but did not give a specific time frame.

Khang Duy

(According to Reuters)