KABUL: There was a lot of angst and trepidation as many refugees feared they would face rejection and an uncertain future after they were left in the dark about where the French authorities would send them ahead of the planned demolition of Calais’ camp.
While more than 20% of the ‘Jungle’ refugee camp’s population left ahead of the eviction – because of fears of being displaced across 451 reception centres in France and the desire to reach the UK for others a little group of Afghans spent their first night sleeping in their new accommodation in Pays de la Loire.
Netty Miles, who worked in the Calais Women and Children’s Service Volunteer Coordination, met the group of six or seven in May 2016 – three months after they had arrived in the camp, home to 8,100. The little group, all of whom came from different regions of Afghanistan and met in Calais, formed what the volunteer described as an “extended family support group”.
In the camp – that is expected to be demolished from Tuesday – members of the group eat together, looked after each other’s shelters and kept an eye on each other’s welfare in the camp.
One of the refugees, Hasan, who worked with a catering unit serving American and Tibetan forces in Kabul after the United States invaded Afghanistan, was ordered by the Taliban to stop working with the US military and that he was a traitor to his country.
