Refugees offered five-day reprieve in church sit-in

FRENCH government officials yesterday offered a five-day “reprieve” to a group of refugees staging a sit-in at a French church over the closure of the Sangatte holding centre to new arrivals.

Michel Heuze, sub-prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, told reporters outside the church of St Pierre-St Paul in Calais that the refugees would be allowed to stay in the northern port city until the weekend.

During that time, they would not be arrested on immigration offences but would then have to apply for refugee status in France or risk deportation.

Mr Heuze said: “They have five days to think about their future and at the same time, we will try to find a solution.

“We don’t have a solution but we need to find one,” he said.

Asked if the group of mainly Iraqi Kurds and Afghans would be allowed into the nearby French Red Cross-run camp, he said: “No, Sangatte is closed.”

The 98 refugees have been given a further 24 hours to leave the building.

It was not yet clear whether they had accepted the proposal.

A line of CRS French riot police remained in position outside the church to prevent any other would-be asylum seekers joining the protest.

The development comes after a meeting between French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and regional officials attempting to settle the stand-off.

Mr Sarkozy is refusing to bow to pressure and has insisted the centre will shut permanently in April as planned.

The minister believes the closure is necessary because the camp is too small and to combat the growing problem of illegal immigration to France and the UK by organised gangs of people smugglers.

The 24-hour extension followed an earlier deadline of mid-afternoon on Monday.

Conditions are said to be poor inside: electricity has been cut off, there are no washing or toilet facilities, and the refugees, some of whom are said to have gone on hunger strike, are sleeping on benches.

Local social services have been bringing them food and supplies.

But Michael Dauvergne, acting as a translator for the refugees, said the group was sticking to its demands of being allowed to stay in France for at least one month.