The military barracks in Harskamp will remain open for Afghan refugees for longer. This is apparent from a letter that mayor Verhulst van Ede sent to local residents. According to the mayor, the Ministry of Justice and Security wants to be able to receive new groups of refugees at the camp until November 1.
The intention was that the reception would end on 4 October. Most Afghan refugees in Harskamp have been transferred to Heumensoord near Nijmegen. In Harskamp there are still about 150 left and the ministry wants to keep the emergency shelter open to be able to receive any new refugees. The ministry submitted the request to keep the army camp in Harskamp open longer with the municipality yesterday, reports Broadcasting Gelderland.
According to the letter, the mayor and aldermen discussed this with the village council and a number of other people from the village last night. “It became clear that the concerns remain, that not always acted in accordance with agreements and that residents of Harskamp feel attacked again,” mayor Verhulst writes about that conversation.
‘750 people welcome, even after November 1’
Despite these concerns, the refugees are welcome, according to the mayor. The current residents of the camp, possibly supplemented by other Afghan evacuees up to a maximum of 750 people, are and will remain welcome in Harskamp, even after November 1, the letter states.
When the refugees arrived in Harskamp in August, this led to kind of protest. A group of people demonstrated at the entrance to the camp. “At the time, we were really surprised by the news that refugees would come here, the municipality and we were unable to prepare for that,” Linda Vellinga, chairman of the Harskamps Belang interest group, told Omroep Gelderland. “That caused the unrest, but after that it went well here.”
Even now villagers feel attacked, according to the letter from Mayor Verhulst. Today the municipal executive will discuss with the ministry what was discussed with the villagers last night. There is also talk “about the concerns that there are, both at the municipality and in Harskamp”, Verhulst writes. After that conversation, the mayor expects to be able to say more.
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