Friday, 9 October 2015

Another group working for refugees in Toulouse and the Tarn need our help

 Hi everyone! 
 Lavada Nicholls and I delivered a packed car of donations for Syrian refugees to a drop point in a village called Rouffiac Tolosan yesterday. We transferred goods donated by Joan Scott, Julie Ide, Lavada and me directly into the car of another volunteer named Jean Philippe Thomas who drove it directly to Jennie Taylor--a Brit who receives the donations, sorts them,
and ensure the rights things are delivered directly to the refugees.
 Lavada, Julie and Joan had all bought brand new items--ranging from 50 euros worth of cleaning supplies to brand new soccer and rugby balls for the children. Lavada and I discussed the precarious system of taking all this stuff to someone we didn't know for delivery--but it worked so smoothly that some of the cleaning supplies were in the hands of the Syrians that night!
 However today we learned today that the Director of Habitat Toulouse turned off the water in one of the buildings where the Syrians are sheltering. There are 70 people in this building, including 25 children of all ages, including infants! No water!
 In another building sheltering Syrians, EDF has turned off electricity. No light!
 We are urgently asked to send an email to the Director of Habitat Toulouse--following up on a lawyer's letter--asking for the water to be turned back on.
 The idea is to show that the wider community is watching--and that we oppose such callous treatment of refugees.
 Below is the message from Jennie Taylor asking other to help. (You will find it on the Facebook page, Soutien aux Réfugiés Syrians " Les Trois Cocus" TOULOUSE.)
 In my email, I changed the wording slightly--as when they are all the same, it's easier to disregard.
 If you have the time and energy, please SEND an email asking that the water be restored to the building in question.
 Thanks!
Please feel free to pass on this message to your circle of caring friends.
 We will continue to collect donations for the refugees and deliver them to Toulouse--so anyone interested in helping
is very much welcome.
 Meredith

 A lawyer's letter has been sent to Habitat Toulouse demanding that the water supply to Bourbaki be reinstated by Monday morning.
 
This is the time to put pressure on them! Please could you copy the message below (if you speak French then feel free to adapt it a little without changing the basic content) and email it ASAP to these two people:

To: jy.brengues@habitatoulouse.fr (Directeur d’Habitat Toulouse)
CC: franck.biasotto@mairie-toulouse.fr (Franck Biasotto à la Mairie de Toulouse)

The idea is to inundate them with emails and make them realise that a lot of people are following this affair, so please SHARE. Thank you!!

Monsieur le Directeur,

J’ai appris qu’en tant que Directeur d’Habitat Toulouse, vous avez demandé que l’eau soit coupée à votre immeuble situé 24 rue Général Hoche 31200 Toulouse. Depuis maintenant des semaines, les habitants de cet immeuble n’ont plus d’eau.

Je ne comprends pas comment cette action est possible, dans un immeuble où habitent 70 personnes y inclus 25 enfants et bébés. De toute façon, je sais que la coupure de l’eau a déjà été jugée inconstitutionnelle ailleurs en France (voir http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/…/Interdiction-de-couper…)

Votre action pose un gros risque pour la santé de ces gens, et un risque général d’insalubrité pour tout le quartier.
Je vous demande, donc, le rétablissement immédiat de l’eau dans cet immeuble. Et je vous assure que je vais continuer à suivre cette affaire avec intérêt.

En attendant votre réponse, je vous prie d’accepter, Monsieur le Directeur, mes salutations distinguées.