Plans to clear a tent camp outside the Klein Kasteeltje reception centre for asylum seekers in Brussels failed to go ahead yesterday evening. Following the sealing of the Paleizenstraat squat in Schaarbeek where many asylum seekers had taken up residence numbers at the tent camp outside Klein Kasteeltje operated by Fedasil, the government agency that provides accommodation to registered asylum seekers, swelled.
Ahead of the sealing of the squat some 30 asylum seekers were camping out outside Klein Kasteeltje waiting to get accommodation that is the right of registered asylum seekers. When the squat was cleared numbers swelled to 150.
The tent camp is on the territory of the Brussels borough of Sint-Jans-Molenbeek. The local mayor, Catherine Moureaux (Francophone socialist), liaised with Belgian asylum secretary De Moor (Flemish Christian democrat) at the weekend. The mayor wants the issue sorted and a “peaceful clearance of the tent camp in the interests of security”.
People from the tent camp were to be bussed out to hotels at 3PM on Monday, but the operation faltered: “There were problems finding hotel accommodation” said Moureaux “but the asylum secretary has given a commitment to provide accommodation in a Fedasil centre this week”.
Fedasil is the Belgian agency that provides accommodation to asylum seekers.
It’s understood that around 3PM the hotel sector indicated it wasn’t ready to provide the accommodation. Hotel sources speak of a lack of a protocol setting out the medical screening process and providing a round the clock phone number that could be contacted in case of issues. The hotel federation insists the government earlier made these commitments.
The Brussels region and the Molenbeek authorities are holding talks. If a solution is found, it will be immediately implemented.