© AP Photo/ Michel Spingler
On Saturday, according to a local official, around 200 migrants managed to break into the port of Calais in northern France after a demonstration of support for migrants living in a slum nearby ended.
“A demonstration in Calais has drawn around 2,000 people and in the end around 200 people entered the port, with approximately 50 of them boarding a ferry, the ‘Spirit of Britain’ (operated by P&O Ferries), on an external deck,” deputy Calais prefect Denis Gaudin told media.
Gaudin said that some of the refugees decided to leave the boat voluntarily and that the rest would be removed by police, if needed forcibly.
P&O Ferries denied the claim that migrants managed to get inside the ship.
Chronic wars and poverty in Africa and the Middle East unleashed the refugee crisis. A number of refugees have gathered over the past year in a vast slum near Calais, dubbed “the jungle”, using it as a smuggling point to reach Britain in the hope of a better life.
It was reported earlier in media that according to Europol 90% of asylum-seekers and refugees had come to Europe by paying handsome amount to smugglers and criminal gangs. When the Europe is under severe economic recession and unemployment rate is high enough, the illegal human trafficking has become a swift money making sources for the enlarging criminal gangs.
According to Europol report, each migrant had to pay 3000 USD to 6000 USD to the criminal gangs to make a journey to relatively safe Europe. And the total turnover from the human trafficking has a range of 3 billion to 6 billion USD. To the opportunists, the refugee crisis appears to be a money making business of 4-6 billion dollars per year.
The trainee dole bludgers are not that bright. The captain won’t sail with any of them on board.
Mostly they’re desperate. They used up all their family’s wealth (and possibly more), just to end up in another slum. $3000 is a huge amount in Africa. If there’s any chance of making their life and their family’s hope right, they’ll take it – no matter how small it is.
It’s delusional though, I think, that reaching the UK will suddenly make their life that much better… I just hope that, with increased internet access in third world countries, they may see it’s not as easy and surefire as the traffickers claim.
France has offered them assylum, but they are bound and determined to reach Britain, full well knowing that the Brits don’t want them. They’ve refused France’s helping hand, so in my humble opinion, they should be returned home. The ‘jungle’ of Calais should come to a speedy conclusion. The French have been more than patient. As for the Brits?…..well, ‘Brexit’ stage left.