Commandan

A young man from Afghanistan, known as Commandan, was tragically killed in a reprisal attack by another Afghan at the rue Caillette squat in the morning. Commandan was well known and loved by many in Calais.

Commandan looked older than he was, like many of the refugees and migrants in Calais. He was a very respectful guy. He was eager for knowledge. He was a fighter. In Afghanistan he fought for independence. But you would never see him in rage, he was always calm and smiling. He knew about his miserable situation but tried to make the best out of it.

He always had a calm and shyly smiling face. He stayed some time in Calais. He was imprisoned for a couple of months, the judge called him mafia, but he insisted that he is just helping his fellow countrymen. After he was released he travelled through some countries as he did not know where to go.

Having recently returned to Calais he was attacked and stabbed in the leg by a man who claimed he was indebted to him, and wanted to scare not kill him. But after bleeding heavily Commandan died. The ambulance came late and did not take him to the Calaisian hospital but to Lille.

Around 50+ people from northern Africa and the Middle East had been living in this three bedroom house in severely overcrowded and inhumane conditions, often with 15-20 people to one room.

Although no-one, if given a choice, would live in these conditions the squat had become a shelter and home to many. See an open letter from the occupants here.

Neither of the people involved had been living in the squat, nonetheless after this man was killed police evicted all the occupants. Also locking some peoples personal belongings, including their asylum papers, inside.

Doors and windows at the squat are now bricked up.

In the violent life people are forced to live in at the border no person goes unpunished.