April 28th 2024.
In a small town called Grand-Fort-Philippe, nestled between Dunkirk and Calais on the north coast of France, a disturbing trend has been taking place. Smuggling gangs have been using former Nazi bunkers, relics of World War II, to hide migrants before sending them on the dangerous journey across the English Channel to the UK. These bunkers, once built by Hitler's forces to keep the Allies at bay, are now being used as a "final staging post" for the migrants to rest and prepare for their final journey.
According to a resident who spoke to the Mirror, large numbers of migrants, mainly Kurds, have been arriving at these derelict forts every day. They huddle together inside, out of sight, before leaving early in the morning to board dinghies and attempt the perilous sea crossing. The police are aware of this activity, but they do not have the resources to put a stop to it. The bunkers, hidden among the dunes less than a mile from the coast, have become a crucial part of the smuggling operation.
A team from the Mirror witnessed this disturbing reality firsthand. They saw more than 70 men, mostly from the Kurdistan region, being led towards the bunkers on a Thursday evening. It is believed that they were taken to dinghies the following morning to make the dangerous journey to the UK. This year alone, almost 7,000 migrants have attempted to cross the English Channel in small boats, a 20% increase from the same period last year. Sadly, not everyone makes it across. 14 people have already lost their lives at sea, including a seven-year-old girl from Kuwait and four adults just this past Tuesday.
The French government has been taking steps to address this issue, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak agreeing to give France half a billion pounds for a new detention center near Dunkirk, increased police presence, and more drones to prevent people from making the crossing. However, on Tuesday, his "Safety of Rwanda Bill" was approved, despite facing criticism from human rights organizations. The controversial legislation claims that Rwanda is a safe place for asylum seekers, despite the Supreme Court ruling otherwise in September. Organizations like Freedom from Torture, Amnesty International, and Liberty have condemned the bill, calling it "a significant threat to the rule of law" and putting vulnerable refugees at risk.
In the midst of all this, the human toll continues to rise. The girl who tragically lost her life at sea was known to a local migrant charity, Osmose, who had seen her smiling in photos, hopeful for a better life. Now, her father is left devastated, having witnessed his daughter's death before his own eyes. The bunkers on the north coast of France have become a symbol of the desperation and danger that many migrants face in their pursuit of a better life in the UK.
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