France: Refugee
Campaigners Welcomes Closure of Immigrants Camp
Refugee
campaigners have welcomed the closure of the camp by
the French government, but warned that the problem
will shift elsewhere.
French riot police had bulldozed and cleared out a
makeshift refugee camp known as the "Jungle" near
the port of Calais.
Casualties
Many of the people living in the
camp are migrants from Afghanistan and Iraq who were
hoping to cross the English Channel into the United
Kingdom.
Officials said 278 people - almost half of whom were
minors - were detained and taken to temporary
shelters. French immigration minister, Eric Besson
said the camp had become a base for human
traffickers.
Passing The Buck
Meanwhile, British Home Secretary
Alan Johnson said the UK will not take immigrants
from the "Jungle" camp. He said refugees should seek
asylum in the first European Union country they
reach.
Panos/Qasim/Ahaziah