The Red Cross says it is “dehumanising” and “incomprehensible” that not all asylum seekers have access to permanent accommodation. The registration centre in Ter Apel is full, and since last week, people have had to stay in temporary locations to prevent them from sleeping outside. The Red Cross is providing emergency support.
On the night from Sunday to Monday, 126 people stayed at the Hanzeplaza conference centre in Groningen. They returned to Ter Apel on Monday morning. The emergency shelter at Hanzeplaza, located in the Hoendiep business park, will remain open for one more night. It is still unclear where asylum seekers will stay on Tuesday night.
“People are tired and in need of rest,” the Red Cross said. “This uncertainty, and the constant moving between locations, is mentally and physically exhausting. The only real solution is for the government to provide accommodation for weeks or even months, where people can also stay during the day.”
Penalty payment
Last week, people who could not be housed in Ter Apel were moved to nearby municipalities, including Stadskanaal in Groningen and Aa en Hunze in Drenthe. Amsterdam has announced plans to temporarily house an additional 230 refugees in existing reception centres.
The Ter Apel reception centre has a capacity of 2,000 people. This limit has been exceeded for months. Last week, the number rose to more than 2,300, the highest level in two years. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) says it cannot guarantee safety and livability at such levels.
Due to ongoing congestion in the asylum system, the COA has paid around 12 million euros in penalty payments in recent years. Of this, 6.5 million euros went to the municipality of Westerwolde, where Ter Apel is located. Hardenberg received more than 3 million euros, and Epe about 2 million euros.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
