IndyMedia - Vrij Media Centrum Nederland

The refugee camp on the Koekamp was discussed today in the commission meeting at the Hague City Hall. Since September 19, we, a group of deported refugees have been staying on the Koekamp taking action aganist their lack of rights and the inhumane Dutch refugee policy.

After two spokesmen from the refugee camp spoke, the council began discussing about our situation and the protest rights which we use to make our demonstration. The mayor also spoke, saying that he wants to evict the camp as soon as possible. The mayor said that the reason for this was because we have not held to the judge’s ruling, that there always must be someone from the organization present. We are all part of the organization, together with those who help us. There is always someone to talk to, Dutch or otherwise.

Another reason that the mayor gave for the eviction was that he was worried about the health situation at the camp, even though he admitted that health services regularly controls the camp and was very positive. There is a volunteer medical team at the camp that keeps track of who is sick and what kind of care they need. There are also several doctors who help us and come every week. If we get evicted, we will end up on the street again without any healthcare in a much worse situation.

The Mayor indicated that he wanted to evict the camp with the same approach used to evict the refugee camp in Amsterdam. He will send us a letter with a date on which we will have to leave the camp, and then we can begin a lawsuit, which we will most certainly do.

The same approach…the camp will be evicted with the same show of force and then we will be put out on the street, in the freezing cold, in the same position in which we began, without housing, healthcare and without the prospect of making a decent life for ourselves.
You can watch a video (in Dutch) of the commission meeting here: http://www.uitzendingenraaddenhaag.nl/public-access/messenger?question=v...

We want a humane solution for all refugees! We are deported refugees who can’t go back to the land that we come from. We can’t be sent away, but also receive no residence permit. Because of this, we live without basic human rights, which everyone is entitled to.

We are not only fighting for the people in our situation, but for all of the refugees who instead of being cared for are put away in asylum seekers’ centers, detention centers or are left to fend for themselves on the street without healthcare, shelter, and the prospect of a decent existence. A country such as the Netherlands should care for people who leave their homeland in order to make a normal life for themselves. This is everyone’s right! People do not flee without reason!

Check our website for updates and upcoming actions!
We want shelter and the right to stay here!