Forcing accommodation for homeless: outcry associations

The Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Christine Boutin wondered Wednesday 26 November "if we could not make the accommodation for homeless people when the temperature gets too cold in France", to the chagrin of associations of assistance to homeless who accuse the government not to the extent of the problem. According to Emmaus, 265 homeless people died in the street this year in France. " For Medecins du Monde (MDM), forcing the homeless "can only cause the dispersal of these people in more remote places and hidden where they happen much less to come into contact with them." The association claims hosting solutions "to restore confidence, which can develop in the future." "Accountability of Government" While Nicolas Sarkozy has "stressed" by the council of ministers on the duty of the government "not to let people die," Christine Boutin announced to the press that it would "launch a debate to see if we could not make mandatory shelter for the homeless when the temperature gets too cold in France. " The day before, a homeless was found dead in the Bois de Vincennes in Paris, the third in a few weeks. During his presidential campaign, Nicolas Sarkozy had promised in December 2006 in Charleville-Mezieres, that "nobody would be forced to sleep on the sidewalk" by the end of 2008. Wednesday, the head of state "had to say it was the duty, the responsibility of the government, public authorities, not to let people die of cold," said spokesman Luc Chatel government . For Luc Chatel, it is necessary "to ensure that they can go in these shelters, get a meal, be accommodated." "Then they can take the liberty to leave the shelter." "It is Christine Boutin to see how associations can work with us on this issue," he added, acknowledging that it is "an awfully difficult". "We will lock?" Already, in January 2003, the prefecture of Paris and the Bouches du Rhone had ordered the homeless to shelter, if necessary by force, "in case of emergency and extreme risks for the lives of concerned. " "How (the Minister) account retention? We will lock?", Reacted Graciela Robert, in charge of the mission to help homeless in the Médecins du Monde, questioned Wednesday by the Associated Press. The remarks by the minister "reflect a failure of controversy because the government now have nothing else to offer," said Graciela Robert, deploring the absence of "relay hotels, guesthouses, and Social hotels in greater numbers. " For the association, "we must stop this vicious circle is to propose solutions only when cold. It continues to offer solutions to very short term, and only the winter in an emotional, for people with needs throughout the year. " Graciela Robert warns that MDM will "continue its distribution of tents to the homeless", which began in December 2005 in Paris to question the government and give visibility to the homeless. But "the tent is not a solution. It's just a small shelter, lack of a better," she said. "A profound ignorance of SDF" For the managing director of the Fondation Abbé Pierre, Patrick Doutreligne, joined Wednesday by the AP, the proposal by Christine Boutin shows "a deep lack of SDF because if they were picking up strength, they will hide more and we don ' will even further contact with them. " "Why they go into the woods? Because they are offered only structures anxiety when they bite their pumps, although of course that a dorm is still better than the street," he lamented, adding that "Governments have not taken the measure of the problem." Patrick Doutreligne, urgency would be a program to extend housing because "we must first build clean before proposing this measure, which exists only in one country in Europe, Germany, except that there towns then the obligation of the host. " "The minister works in reverse, it ignores the problems of addiction and rejection of society. In fact, it does so to protect the state appealed to the media and the courts," he concluded.