Asylum seekers get raw deal with new centre

Politicians expressed disappointment when they received a sneak peek at the new detention centre for asylum seekers.

The institution, built on the Route de Treves, close to Luxembourg's Findel airport, will house asylum seekers whose applications have failed and are due to be expatriated.

It was designed to provide an appropriate alternative to lodging asylum seekers in police cells. However, it attracted scorn from some Deputies who were given an early tour ahead of its opening.

Rooms which are too small, inadequate toilet facilities and “scary” furnishings were among the criticisms put to designers of the two-storey structure which will eventually house up to 88 people.

Green MEP Félix Braz said: "For anyone who wants to wash at the sink, they must bend over the toilet. For cells which are shared, there is no privacy for cell mates when they use the toilet facilities.”

Mr Braz called for a dividing wall between the toilet and the bed, describing the general design as “badly planned”. Meanwhile LSAP deputy Marc Angel describe the cell furnishings as “scary”.

Rooms are small at 7.6 metres squared meanwhile future centre director Fari Khabirpour admitted that he was disappointed by the size of the rooms and the shower facilities.

The secure facility is composed of three wings for eating, sleeping and day activities. Asylum seekers will be locked in their cells at night but will be free to move around the centre during the day.

They will not however, be allowed to leave the premises during the day and will be keep in by security staff and a five-metre high fence surrounding the facility.

It will be able to accommodate up to 88 people, including families for a maximum period of three days in emergency circumstances only. It will be fully operational from mid-July, 2011.

The sneak peak comes just days before International Refugee day on June 20, during which campaigners will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Geneva Convention, conferring rights to refugees.

As part of the festivities, Caritas Luxembourg will publish a leaflet in French designed to make employers more aware of the working rights of refugees.

The leaflet, entitled “To employ is to integrate”, forms part of the humanitarian charity's campaign to raise awareness about refugee rights and encourage their integration into the work market.

Caritas explained in a press release that refugees whose appeals for protection have been accepted by the Luxembourg authorities have a legal right to work in the country. Asylum seekers also have the same rights in certain circumstances.

For a copy of the leaflet, write to Caritas Luxembourg, 29 rue Michel Welter, L-2730 Luxembourg or download it from their website.