Basroch "Jungle" (2005-2016)
Since the early 2000s migrants have been trying to move to England via Dunkirk. They are sheltered in makeshift camps, notably in the community of Grande-Synthe.
In 2005, an informal encampment was established in the Basroch district of Grande-Synthe, near the highway via which attempts were made to cross [to] Britain. The camp comprised mainly Kurdish people from Iraq, as well as other nationalities (Iranians, Syrians ...). In the context of worsening conflicts in the Middle East and a significant increase in the number of refugees in Europe, the population of this camp grew from 80 in the spring of 2015 to almost 3,000 in the winter of 2015. The camp had many families, including young children and pregnant women. Located on a floodplain, the camp was particularly muddy and unhealthy. The aid was provided exclusively by the voluntary sector. The CNCDH [French National Commission for Human Rights] released the following statement on 7 June 2016:
"In January 2016, nearly 3,000 people lived in utterly vile conditions on the grounds of Basroch, under appalling conditions, under dangerous and unhealthy makeshift shelters (tarps, tents and precarious huts), in a state of distress and total destitutionl. Assistance to migrants was exclusively provided by the voluntary sector (Secours Catholique, Médecins sans Frontières, Salam, Land of Wandering, Emmaus, etc.) and by many British volunteers, known as "gérer la pénurie" ["shortages administrators"] who worked under extremely harsh physical conditions."
The Basroch camp was demolished following the transfer of the inhabitants to the La Linière humanitarian camp in March 2016. An eco-neighborhood will be built on the site.
Humanitarian Camp of Linière (March 2016)
With the arrival of winter, the mayor of the municipality, Damien Carême, ordered the creation of a humanitarian camp to shelter these people. He asked the NGO, Médecins Sans Frontières, which agreed to build a humanitarian camp on land belonging to the community, known as "La Linière".
This camp is located 1.5 km [approximately a mile] (50 ° 59 '46 "N, 2 ° 17' 11" E) from the former jungle; It consists of wooden huts of 8 to 10 m
2, each intended to house 4 people.
The camp was built at a cost of 3.5 million euros, the majority of which was financed by the NGO Médecins sans Frontières (2.6 million euros), the remainder being contributed by the city of Grande-Synthe and the community of Dunkirk (900,000 euros).The daily management was initially provided by these associations, coordinated by Utopia567, an association composed solely of volunteers.
It is equipped with sanitary facilities, collective kitchens, and social spaces. Medical care is provided by Médecins du Monde, Médecins Sans Frontières, Gynécologues sans Frontières and the Red Cross. The children are educated in the community of Grande-Synthe.
Since June 2016, operating costs have been borne by the State, through the AFEJI, an anti-discrimination service.
In the autumn of 2016, the camp at La Linière housed approximately 1300 people. The Mayor and the State have expressed their wish for a gradual closure, which has provoked the indignation of associations and NGOs.
During the night of April 10, 2017 to April 11, 2017, an ethnic brawl broke out in the camp and caused a gigantic fire that devastated half of the camps wooden chalets