The living conditions at the emergency shelter for asylum seekers and refugees at Meerwijk Castle in Den Bosch are far below par. The sanitary and kitchens show the necessary defects. The site is polluted, which attracts vermin. “There are rats under the living units,” says a 25-year-old resident who wishes to remain anonymous.
The resident says he lived in the emergency shelter for three months. Next week he will go to another shelter. He describes what it is like to live there.
“The living units are small and there are only places to sleep. The showers and toilets are dirty and are far from the living units. Due to the poor lighting, it is not pleasant to walk there. There are only two kitchens, so it takes a long time may take your turn,” he described the situation.
There is also a lot of waste on the site. “There are rats during the day and evening.” The emergency shelter site is only accessible to residents on Wednesday.
Shocked
The story of the appalling conditions and vermin also reached the COA (Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers) last week. The organization rents the emergency shelter at Kasteel Meerwijk in Den Bosch. “We also heard these signals last week and immediately went to look. We were also shocked. We immediately approached the manager of the site about this,” says spokesman Timo Waarsenburg.
The site is privately owned by two people, one of whom is Wendy van der Valk. The Van der Valk hotel in Nuland is responsible for facilities and the other amenities on site. “The manager and the owner have promised to take measures. An emergency shelter must meet minimum requirements for hygiene and safety. We will conduct an inspection next week,” says Waarsenburg. He also says that a group of new residents has sounded the alarm about the conditions on the site.
Filthy and polluted
Over the past few days, Omroep Brabant has received some reactions from people, who prefer to remain anonymous, about the situation on the ground. According to these sources, the sanitary facilities are filthy and primitive. There are not enough showers for the number of residents. The quality of the showers would also leave much to be desired due to destruction. In addition, there is little privacy.
Due to the little light on the site, residents feel unsafe. Women are also said to have been approached to perform certain actions for a fee.
More lighting
Owner Van der Valk and the manager of the site have announced through a spokesperson that the first measures to make the site safer have already been taken. “There is now more light and that should also keep the rats out. The vermin comes out in the dark. We will also ensure that things are tidy and cleaned, although the residents must also pay attention to this.”
They say there is little they can do about the distance between living units and kitchens and sanitary facilities. “At the time, separate units were chosen, we cannot change that. It is not a hotel, but an emergency shelter. But things must of course be in order in terms of hygiene and safety,” said the spokesperson.