in Calais, a priest and two activists on hunger strike to defend the refugees

Sitting near a bed installed in the old mortuary chapel of the church of Saint-Pierre in Calais (Pas-de-Calais), Father Philippe Demeestère has a tired face and hollow cheeks. But this 72-year-old Jesuit priest promises it: he is fine and says he is determined. “The hunger strike comes to repeat to all the intelligences which have stiffened, dozed, what is happening in France, he explains. In 2021, in a democracy, this is unacceptable. There is something that breaks human brotherhood. And as a French citizen, I am ashamed. ”

It has been years since the father Philippe is thinking about this hunger strike but the death of a Sudanese teenager at the end of September near Calais, in particular convinced him to take action.

“We are going with firmness and we must not count on anything to make us disappear.

Father Philippe Demeestère, on hunger strike

to franceinfo

Through his action, he claims the application of the winter truce to exiles, “that they can remain where they are without being chased away morning after morning.” The truce will start on November 1st. “During this same time, continues the priest, that we stop taking away their personal effects because at the time of these evictions, there are tents that are taken, bags with phones, their papers that are seized. “ Finally, he calls for regular meetings between associations not mandated by theEstate and representatives ofEtat in order to dialogue.

In his struggle, Father Philippe is not alone. Anaïs and Ludovic, a couple from Calais, are accompanying him in this hunger strike. “We no longer have a choice, regrets Ludovic. When we know that the letters that are sent regularly to the authorities do not get either an answer or answers that make no sense, that the petitions do not succeed, that the demonstrations in the street do not succeed, it is there is nothing more to do. “

“Fortunately, our body, we still have it, and it’s the only way we are still left to express ourselves.”

Ludovic, on hunger strike

to franceinfo

To try to calm the situation, the sub-prefect of Calais met them and a meeting with associations took place on October 22. But for now, it’s out of the question to end their hunger strike. Ludovic calls on citizens who wish to support them by doing a 24-hour fast and posting messages on social networks.