More than 1600 migrants were bused to new shelters across France today as authorities prepared to dismantle the notorious "Jungle" camp in Calais, a last stop for those desperate to cross the English Channel and enter Britain.
France maintains it is closing the camp for humanitarian reasons and to end the stateless limbo for thousands of migrants, many of whom have made unsuccessful attempts to cross the channel.
But the camp also has become a glaring symbol of Europe's struggle to cope with a massive influx of migrants and refugees since last year, many from war-torn places such as Syria and Afghanistan.
There were worries that some migrants in Calais would not leave the camp without a fight. In a demolition attempt earlier this year, police used tear gas on migrants, some of whom threw rocks at police while others stitched their lips shut in protest.
According to the Interior Ministry, 7500 beds will be made available in temporary asylum centres for evicted Calais migrants.The Interior Ministry has said that France "does not want to use force" but will not hesitate to intervene to quell unrest. Yesterday French media broadcast images of skirmishes between migrants and police as authorities distributed leaflets about the camp's closure.
The camp was eerily quiet today. Its once-noisy streets - lined with restaurants, general stores and even libraries - were suddenly transformed into a ghost town. Tents were abandoned, fire pits were cleared out, and trash was littered throughout.
There were no signs of major clashes with police. At least 1200 officers were on standby. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve praised the "calm and orderly manner" of the operation.
On a misty, cold morning, rows of buses waited to take the migrants to new camps farther inland. As mostly young men nervously clutched suitcases in a line that extended for blocks, few could say where they were headed.
"No one has told me anything. I'm scared," said 17-year-old Aron Tesfaye from Ethiopia, who has lived in the camp for three months. "I'm afraid of what's going to happen because I don't want to stay here in France."
Like many of the migrants here, Tesfaye's dream is to go to Britain. He said he has tried almost daily to jump onto the trucks making their way through the tunnel to Britain.
The migrants in Calais, mostly from Afghanistan and Sudan, believe there are more job opportunities in Britain than in France. Many speak some English - as opposed to French - and think they will fare better across the channel. Many also say they have family or friends in Britain already.
For some Afghan migrants, the recent attacks in France by Isis-affiliated militants suggest that the country is under siege by the same forces that have targeted their homeland.
Wahid Sahil, 20, a refugee from Kabul who arrived in the Jungle on foot eight months ago, said his father was killed in a July bombing linked to Isis (Islamic State) in the Afghan capital. Like Tesfaye, he is determined to get out of France.
"For refugees, it's way better," he said, referring to Britain. "You can go to school, work. Everything's better."
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