Alderman Jan de Bruijn of the municipality of Heeze-Leende looks back with satisfaction at the meeting that was held on Monday evening about the arrival of a maximum of one hundred asylum seekers who will be received in a sports hall in Heeze. “There is a very small group that has a lot of trouble with it and will continue to do so. It is our job to involve everyone in the reception in the coming period.”
Part of Heeze was surprised last Thursday when it was unexpectedly announced that the municipality of Heeze-Leende will also accept refugees from the overcrowded shelter in Ter Apel in Groningen. “I tried to explain to the people who were there tonight that there really was no other way. I understand that not everyone is completely satisfied, but there is a crisis situation,” says De Bruijn, who chaired the evening as deputy mayor.
The meeting was in De Pompenmaker, the sports hall where the hundred refugees will stay for three weeks. The first group is expected on Wednesday 3 August. The municipality of Heeze-Leende uses beds and other materials in the design of the sports hall, which are still used in Waalre.
‘Hopefully more volunteers’
De Bruijn hopes that the municipality can count on many volunteers. “Ten people have already registered for this tonight. It would be nice if this attitude spread like an oil slick across the village.” During the meeting, information could be obtained from the municipality, the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers, Refugee Work and the Security Region. At least 150 people attended, much more than at comparable gatherings previously held in Southeast Brabant.
The alderman regrets that the opponents will be influenced by the behavior of some of the asylum seekers who are housed in neighboring Budel. “Other people come to Heeze, they are happy that they can and can stay in our country. These are not wheel turners. What I did think was a good thing was that one of the visitors to the meeting at a certain moment silenced a group that is not waiting for the reception. They were really corrected, a nice example of social control, which I think will apply to the majority of the inhabitants.”
One of the people who attended the meeting regretted that not all questions could be answered. She also finds it strange that volunteers are asked to be used in the day care of refugees. “There are other agencies for that, aren’t there? But other than that I believe it will be fine.”
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