The Bridge Radio: STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN!
(from December 2017)
Some children and their families who have arrived in Denmark have been placed at Sjælsmark prison camp. At this time (December 2017) there is around 38–52 children staying in the prison camp, whereby some have been living there up to 10 months with no idea of how long time they will have to stay there – in principal this could be infinite.
The conditions of Sjælsmark and the fact that many children and their families have been moved around between many different asylum camps – creates intense anxiety, stress and worry among the children. All conditions that acutely affect the well-being of these children.
The Sjælsmark camp is being run by Kriminal Forsorgenet and the primary staff there are people trained as prison guards. In the center you are not allowed to cook and have to eat in the cafeteria 3 times a day. Families do not receive any financial support and are not allowed to take on any work, which pratically makes it impossible for many to move out of the center; cutting off the children’s ability to have any form of social life outside the camp.
Sjælsmark camp was established in 2015 and was first earmarked for single men, however later it was decided to move families into the camp. During the time when single men were staying in Sjælsmark, several demonstrations were carried out by the people staying there against the camp and it’s conditions, under the name of, Cast Away Souls of Sjælsmark.
In the program we talk about the movement of refugee families and their children for a future beyond the Camp and the coming demonstration on the 16th of December by Folkebevægelsen for Asylbørns Fremtid.