An express move. On October 30, around thirty migrants had to leave the former Buissonnets clinic in Lisieux. The fallback solution was found by the Solidarité exilés Lisieux collective a few kilometers away: Cambremer, a village of 1,300 inhabitants. And more precisely its old nursing home, which has been unoccupied since the beginning of the year. “I discovered this squat through the press and noticed the move in,” remembers Sylvie Feremans, the mayor. We focused on the children, who were sent to school from November 5. »
In the old retirement home, several of them are playing and being heard on this Wednesday, November 20. They represent a significant part of this group, made up of families from Central and West Africa, Albania and Bangladesh, in an irregular situation. “Our request for asylum was rejected at the beginning of the year despite the dangers weighing on us in our country, especially in the treatment of children,” said the daughter of this South Asian family, referring in particular to his disabled sister. “These are people who left their country essentially for political reasons, having expressed their opposition to the authorities in place. But the French state does not consider that they would be in danger by returning home,” laments Marie-Andrée, member of the collective.
“We have pros and cons”
In Cambremer, the 35 migrants have individual rooms, grouped by family. They rub shoulders in the vast collective rooms. In the heart of the valleys of the Pays d'Auge, they found “calm, in nature, with all these trees and this fresh air”, smiles a father. The latter, involved in parish life wherever he goes, has already become closer to that of the village. “The priest introduced us. We received a good welcome. My son attends mass. » And added, regarding his flock: “things are going well at school, it’s a relief”. “The children are well integrated,” confirms the village baker, who meets a few parents near the school. Between children, there is no judgment. They are more open than adults. »
The implication refers to the climate in Cambremer since the squat was established. “We have pros and cons. It’s the beginning so it’s going well but we’ll have to see how things progress if it lasts,” confides a local resident. Very quickly after moving in, Sylvie Feremans convened a municipal council, attended by several dozen residents. “We wanted to inform and allow people to ask their questions. They must sort things out, says the councilor. Yes, there is a violation of property but it is not up to the municipality to manage that. And during this time, these migrants must be welcomed with humanity and the village must live peacefully. » If locals are friendly or even come to their aid, like the bakery which will offer its unsold items, hostile, even racist, words are reported.
In the old nursing home, the occupants seem to be protected from this division and are mainly focused on preparing the legal battle alongside the collective. Because the co-owners of the site have launched an appeal for an eviction. “We gather all the documents, we put together the file. There are a lot of children, that can work in their favor,” say the associations who hope that the squat could last at least all winter. No hearing date has been communicated at this stage. “It’s a bit of a stressful situation but we have help. We are used to procedures, we have to live with them,” slips the African father. Some will reformulate asylum requests. Until then, “every day, every week here is worth taking”, they all proclaim, aware of a situation on the edge, where alternatives are practically non-existent. The town hall is planning a public meeting, to appease and try to “establish an exchange between two worlds that do not know each other”.
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