The number of refugees in the Netherlands has not increased. But austerity measures show devastating consequences in the asylum accommodation. Hundreds of people sleep outside, the refugee agency speaks of “inhumane circumstances”. That’s why it’s filing a lawsuit.
The Dutch state has to answer to the court for the dramatically poor accommodation of asylum seekers. The refugee agency filed a lawsuit in The Hague. As a result of government austerity measures, thousands of refugees have had to live under “inhumane circumstances” in tents or sports halls for almost a year, it said. With an injunction, the organization wants to enforce that the minimum legal requirements are met. This included privacy, health care, a bed, decent food, clean showers and toilets, and weather protection.
In the past few weeks, the situation at the national asylum center Ter Apel in the north-east on the German border has escalated. Because the camp is overcrowded, hundreds of people have to sleep outside or on chairs in waiting rooms. “The situation has fallen below the humanitarian lower limit,” said the refugee agency. The State Secretary for Asylum Issues, Eric van den Burg, previously spoke of an “unsustainable situation”. He wants to force municipalities to accept asylum seekers. The trial is scheduled to take place on September 15.
The cause of the crisis is not the increase in refugees, the number is stable at around 43,000 people per year. But after austerity measures at the immigration authorities and the closure of asylum centers, there are now no places and waiting times are increasing, said Frank Candel, chairman of the refugee agency. “This is not about force majeure, but about politics that has been failing for years.”
The approximately 60,000 refugees from Ukraine are not affected by the crisis. They have a special status and were housed by the municipalities or private individuals.
