TV show triggers Facebook action to "save" residents of Dutch camp site

After watching a SBS6 television program about life in camp grounds Fort Oranje on Wednesday, Breda resident Gerrie Vermeulen was so shocked that he decided to spring into action. He set up a Facebook group "Save the people of Fort Oranje" in the hopes that some publicity will get the attention of politicians, Omroep Brabant reports.

Fort Oranje is located in Rijsbergen, near Breda. The SBS show "Fort Oranje: camping of krottenwijk" (camp grounds or slum in English) paints the picture of people living in squalor and kids growing up among drug farms and illegal prostitution.

"I did not think it was so bad. The situation is really shameful and degrading", Vermeulen said to the Omroep Brabant. "A lot of innocent people live there against their will. It's simply a prison camp. If you have a disease and live there, you can change nothing about your situation. Those people are completely desparate."

Vermeulen hopes his Facebook page will help raise attention for the plight of the people living in Fort Oranje. "Politicians only act on negative publicity. I hope my page finally brings our politicians in motion."