Magny-les Hameaux, Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Yvelines or Fontenay-sous-Bois in Val-de-Marne. Mayors of Ile-de-France municipalities are calling for action to welcome Afghan refugees. The president of the region, Valérie Pécresse said she was opposed to an “unconditional welcome”.
“Human above all. If there is a danger of death vis-à-vis populations, wherever they are and whoever they are, we must welcome and protect them..”
As soon as Kabul fell in Afghanistan on August 15, the socialist mayor of Magny-les-Hameaux in the Yvelines, Bertrand Houillon stepped up to the plate. On social networks, he calls for the solidarity of his citizens and challenges the State.
Welcome all the people who have to flee #afghanistan – human rights are above all other considerations and cannot be negotiated. In my small town of Magny-les-Hameaux, we will be volunteers! #freedom #egalite #fraternite #magny78 https://t.co/eiE8PZqyld
– Bertrand Houillon (@BHouillon) August 15, 2021
“After the capture of Kabul, I sent a letter to the préfet indicating that we were making ourselves available to help as much as possible. Magny-les Hameaux is a small town of 9,500 inhabitants, we do not necessarily have large accommodation centers, on the other hand, we have a strong network of solidarity and associations“, explains the socialist mayor today.
In this small town of Yvelines, no accommodation centers but active associations and families are ready to open their doors. In 2015, the city welcomed Syrian families via the Welcome network of Secours Catholique. For the mayor, “historically France was at the head of humanist and welcoming values, it must now return to the head of these values.”
A few kilometers from Magny-les-Hameaux, it is a much more affluent town, Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The mayor, Arnaud Péricard (SE) also spoke on social networks following a tweet from Emmanuel Macron on August 16.
And here we are ready to @StGermainLaye to welcome those who have accompanied the French armed forces and who must not be abandoned. It is our responsibility as French people. https://t.co/MbkcArSNef
– Arnaud Pericard (@Arnaud_Pericard) August 16, 2021
“The risks for the Afghans who have helped Western regimes are high. They are directly threatened with death. I think that we would all have a little blood on our consciences, if there were ever atrocities committed against those who helped the French forces.es “, he testifies.
For those who worked for the French forces in Afghanistan, we have a responsibility in terms of reception.
“There is a historical dimension which refers to unfortunate events with populations who have helped our armed forces and who may have had the feeling of having been abandoned by our country. I think we can partially redress this injustice. For those who worked for the French forces in Afghanistan, we have a responsibility in terms of hospitality“.
Homes ready to welcome
He recalls that Saint-Germain-en-Laye has two reception centers and that they can be mobilized quickly. “We obviously cannot welcome everyone, but we have a tradition of solidarity. Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a rich, well-off, bourgeois city, we can welcome within the limits that are ours“, he continues.
On the other side of the political spectrum and of the region, Fontenay-sous-Bois in the Val-de-Marne intends to mobilize. “The City of Fontenay-sous-Bois, faithful to its values of solidarity, is available to welcome Afghans who seek refuge in France and who will arrive on our soil.“, can we read in a press release from the town hall.
For the mayor Front de Gauche, Jean-Philippe Gautrais, the government “must assume its responsibilities to repatriate and welcome Afghan refugees with dignity. Especially since France and Western countries have played a role by intervening in Afghanistan“, he assures.
It is the tradition and the responsibility of France to welcome, to shelter.
And to continue: “It is the tradition and the responsibility of France to welcome, to shelter “, recalling that France, the sixth world power, has the financial means to welcome refugees if it wishes.
“In Fontenay, we have public services, health, schools. We will make them available to refugees”, he assures. In 2015, the citizens and the associative fabric of Fontenay helped and hosted Iraqi and Syrian refugees.
“No unconditional welcome”
At the microphone of RTL this morning, Valérie Pécresse, the president of the region while saying to herself “very attached to the right of asylum” asserted “that there cannot be an unconditional reception of all Afghans in France, it is absolutely impossible. France couldn’t take it“, privileging”reception of displaced people in the area“. “
Since 2018, Afghanistan has been the first country of origin for asylum seekers in France. Ofpra, the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons, granted refugee status to 7,494 applicants out of 10,364 applications in 2020.
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