French Authorities Destroy Refugees’ Church, Mosque
Life in Christ, an evangelical church led by the Rev Teferi Shuremo, served as a place of worship for some of the Ethiopian and Eritrean Christians living in the camp. It was demolished along with a mosque.
Help Refugees, a charity that raises funds for refugees and supports volunteer organizations on the ground in Calais, said the Calais sub-prefect had met with representatives from the camp on 11 January and promised that the church, mosque and a school would not be included in the area marked for demolition. The school is still standing, AP reported.
The French authorities have faced increased criticism for failing to provide adequate facilities in the camp, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. It has been left to people to build their own.
In recent weeks French police have been clearing sections of the migrant camp to create a 100-meter-wide buffer zone between the camp and the motorway that runs alongside it.
According to Help Refugees, Monday’s demolition wasn’t directly part of this action; the area was cleared for "safety” reasons.
