Found heavily pregnant woman and children with hydrocephalus in cold shelters – Halden Arbeiderblad

An unprecedented report sheds new light on the conditions of asylum seekers have lived under the reception center in Kirkenes.

The Northern Lights can today bring the report, which shows that conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in Western camp in South Varanger been even worse than what has previously been made public.

Read the shocking report here!

A delegation from Bufetat and County Governor of Finnmark were directly affected by the appalling conditions in the camp during the inspection in November last year.

– I have long experience with international work with children, but there was a strong impression in the Western camp during the inspection. The situation was chaotic and disorganized, says regional director Pål Christian Bergstrøm in Bufetat Northern Region.

Incorrect

He wrote in November report to their bosses in Bufetat centrally, which Nordlys now have access to.

it turns out a lot of new details that have not previously been disclosed. The report is based on an inspection on 20 and 21 November last year. Representatives of the county and the county doctor was invited to participate in the inspection.

– As the situation appeared under inspection these two days, my conclusion is that the situation of asylum children in Western camp is unjustifiable, even from the standpoint of a “minimum standard” approach. Unjustifiable related to lack of basic security and childcare in a very vulnerable situation, summarizes regional director.

He describes in an unusual unbureaucratic way conditions, and enumerates the 17 different conditions observed during the inspection as the basis for the crushing conclusion. Reviews frames Hero who operates the camp.

An inventory showed that there were nearly twice as many children under age 15 as they first entered. Criticism also affects UDI and Sør-Varanger municipality.

Pål Christian Bergstrøm, regional director Bufetat Nord. (Photo: Ole Åsheim ole @ nordlys.no )

Here are some of the findings, with Bufetat director’s own words:

Disabled children

• We observe two families with disabled children, where the situation appears to be very demanding. in one family there are three disabled children (two severely disabled, CP, a lighter disabled in wheelchairs) and a sick father with diabetes. father says that the children are sick, two of the children have not taken nourishment in three days. in the other two children, hence one that is døvstumt. Both families stayed in separate rooms in over one week. There is no access to a toilet, sink or shower in the same plane in the building they live in. The fathers say they more than a week has had to carry their children up and down between floors for basic hygiene. It makes a strong impression to see severely disabled children in what I consider to be a very poor condition.

No in Boo management could comment on the matter Friday. But through press advisor Kristian Nicolai Stakset-Gundersen get Nordlys following response:

– This is no longer a proper situational. In the beginning it came almost exclusively single adult men over Storskog. Eventually came the surprising number of families with disabled children or family members, and it sets course other requirements to offer where

Did not know about a hundred children

The report states further:

• Hero state that there are 537 asylum seekers in the camp during the inspection. We can observe a surprisingly large number of children of all ages. Hero specifies that in all 115 children in the camp. It is reported to be 7 unaccompanied minors between 15-18. In manual counting along with healthcare in health barracks under Region Physician together called “emergency meeting” later in the evening, it registered 220 children under 15 years in the camp. In other words a deviation of about 100 children in the projection operator and healthcare.
• I get Sunday night phone call from Bufetat representatives who are located in the camp (see immediate measures ). They have the evening round found two families placed in a bomb shelter under one of the Civil Defence buildings. There are a total of 8 people in the room, just equipped with mattresses on the floor. No windows, and cold. The facilities are depicted. In one family there are three people; father, mother pregnant for 8 months. and a child of 14 months., with hydrocephalus and tumor in the brain. In the other family, there are 3 children and a pregnant mother.

The managers were away

• On arrival in camp emerges organization complex from a management perspective, managing director of Hero is sick and territorial UDI leader is gone home the day before. Representatives of Hero and Immigration which meets delegation, are not considered as having a formal leader mandate An employee of Hero assumes leadership role in receiving manager’s absence.
• There are many parents with many children, the biggest party of 11 children. They are placed in one room, and today has been there for 14 days. This no hot food, and in an unclear situation.

• 

  Bomb shelter (Photo: – )

  it is noticeable untidy and dirty throughout the camp under inspection, there is a lack of cleaning according to any standard. it’s overflowing garbage bags around, and floating garbage on the floors where families located.

some of the conditions have been previously known through reports and letters they have written. for example suspicions about children who were victims of forced marriages. A 14 year-old girl was pregnant for the second time. She already had a child between one and two years and lived with the child’s 23 years old father.

the full report can be downloaded and read here.

– Better now

center manager Kent Richard Witzøe will not comment on any of the findings made in the inspection in November. He points out that he was not employed by Hero at the time.

Udi say they are familiar with the report from Bufetat.

– The concern that emerged was followed immediately afterwards in cooperation including Finnmark county Governor by the county medical officer, the municipality and the operator Hero. Dels were sanitary and sanitation conditions corrected, and partly it was established a closer collaboration with the health services in the municipality and the county, to ensure access to those specifically for children and other vulnerable. Logistic procedures were reviewed to identify the need for follow-up among residents. We must remember that Bergstrøms inspection came only a week after the center opened. It was full from day 1. Many of the operating carrier’s staff was new and procedures for the operation was not set. I think these conditions are now safeguarded, says Stakset-Gundersen

Udi believes it is not correct that it was not professionals present with expertise on children.

– It’s not right. It has been a collaboration with child welfare in the municipality to ensure competence in this area. Initially the camp was arranged on throughput and logistics. Today takes into consideration any longer residence. It makes it recruited into employees with different skills, including environment and health.

I get Sunday night phone call from Bufetat representatives who are located in the camp (see relief). They have the evening round found two families placed in a bomb shelter under one of the Civil Defence buildings. There are a total of 8 people in the room, just equipped with mattresses on the floor. No windows, and cold.

From the

Asylum stream across the border at Storskog was on its very worst when this report was written. Western camp worked then as a temporary emergency. It was meant to stay in this camp would only be in 48 hours. After the site visits, and the revelations that came, the camp was emptied as emergency rooms.

Bergstrom says that the background for the inspection was a growing concern for asylum situation of children in a phase that was marked by sharply rising number of asylum seekers across the border every day and that the established arrival center Fjellhallen no longer dimensioned for the situation. Inspection was a review of the situation of children in order to give advice, recommendations and offer concrete assistance to the UDI to better safeguard the child’s perspective.

– You have recently been on a new inspection. What is your impression of the conditions today?

– After the inspection in November the camp was emptied of asylum seekers. In connection with the arrivals of Storskog stopped, the camp’s purpose changed. It should have two different audiences, one is sending clear refugees who have had their application for a residence, the other asylum seekers who moved from emergency to Western camp for asylum interviews. These will continue to ordinary reception. During the last inspection we observed that some of the recommendations from November are followed, among other things, a better differentiation of families from single men and manning the camp is finally complete and possessing expertise on children.

Corrective Action

He shares the concerns that the County, county medical and Red Cross have regarding refugees’ psychosocial situation. This applies in particular circumstances for the children in the so-called “PU group,” envoy clear refugees who find themselves in a very stressful and uncertain situation. Children need stable adults around them. The fact that children may find that reassurance from their parents changed dramatically, by mental instability, anxiety, depression, can be very damaging. It can inflict trauma with long-term effects, which make a further positive development difficult.

– Is the situation of children satisfying today?

– The conditions for children camp must be adapted stay length. After the inspection on 13 February is my assessment that the situation of children in “PU-group” is not satisfactory and should be closely monitored immediately.

downstairs: Picture time under the Civil Defence buildings where the asylum seekers were discovered. Photo: Bufetat (Photo: – )

Hans recommends that families with children are not moved from second reception to Western camp for conducting asylum interviews for so to be moved on to new reception centers. children need generally greatest possible degree of predictability and security in their lives, and stable adults around them. This need applies especially to children who are fleeing, many from war situations, and have already experienced traumatic conditions.

Operations for Western camp, Hero, say they are underway with a number of remedial measures in the camp to improve conditions for residents.

– We share many of the large dormitories to smaller rooms and we assemble shower and wc where there is opportunity. It becomes more common areas in each barrack, and the capacity is taken down from 600 to 350 residents, explains center manager Kent Richard Witzøe.

In general, he shows that there is Sør-Varanger municipality, which is responsible for ensuring residents a proper health care with regular visits from health professionals. He says the reception is also trying to get a better activities.

shelters: in this shelter stayed for seven asylum seekers. One of them was a woman eight months pregnant. Photo: Bufetat (Photo: Bufetat )

– Activities commenced

– What is begun and the Red Cross is also in place with a psychosocial team and activities, says Witzøe.

He emphasizes that also alot is improved with more hot food. It Work is also ongoing expansion of the dining area.

Witzøe dismisses criticism about inadequate cleaning, and points out that there is no hero who washes the premises.

– the other hand, we send clothes to cleanse, he says .