Their attitude is undoubtedly reprehensible but the reasons for the illegal squatting of about 500 houses of the National Housing Development Company (NHDC) can be understood. ?We won?t leave until the government gives us a house. Why should we be condemned to remain poor?? The 2,000 squatters at Cité La Cure, Tour Koenig, Camp Levieux, Terre-Rouge and Chebel look determined to keep their stand.

The government has warned them that they will be severely punished and the police have issued an ultimatum, which ends on Wednesday when they will use the necessary means to make them abide by the law. But it seems they?re never going to agree.

Most of the squatters are not entitled to these houses. Others say they have a Plan Epargne Logement (PEL) account but castigate the NHDC for taking so long to allocate them a house. However, with the squatting, the finishing work on these houses has stopped and people will have to wait longer for them.

Before appearing so severe ? threatening to use force to dislodge them ? the government has tried to explain to the squatters that other people have been making sacrifices for a whole life time in order to get a house and it would be unfair not to give them satisfaction. The NHDC general manager is of the same opinion and has tried to make the squatters ?come to their senses and follow the procedures like everybody else?. Despite all the threats and reasoning, the squatters do not seem eager to move out and do not trust anyone? They want promises from the government itself.