Church support for report condemning Government policy on asylum

-08/11/06

New researc


Church support for report condemning Government policy on asylum

-08/11/06

New research by Amnesty International and Refugee Action published yesterday (7 Nov), has been welcomed by Christian campaigners.

The report backs, which backs the ongoing ‘Living Ghosts’ campaign by Church Action on Poverty, condemns the UK Government’s policy on asylum, which, campaigners say, is making thousands of people destitute who are seeking asylum.

Amnesty International UK and Refugee Action looked at the situation of refused asylum seekers in 10 cities in England. Many of these people are unable to return home to places such as Somali, Afghanistan and Iraq, because of fears for their safety.

The policy is one of ëcarrot and stickí, say campaigners; a grant if you ìvolunteerî to return to your country of origin; no benefits if you donít.

As part of its Living Ghosts initiative, Church Action on Poverty has urged Christians and others to take on the life-experience of a ‘Living Ghost’- someone who has been refused asylum – during the season of Lent.

Alan Thornton, the Coordinator of Church Action on Povertyís Living Ghosts campaign said: ìAs winter starts to bite this research from Amnesty International and Refugee Action is a timely reminder that as a result of Government policy thousands of people are eating out of bins and sleeping in parks, public toilets and phone-boxes. The Government is undermining its own policy by not allowing people refused asylum, who are unable to return, to work. It is in nobodies interest ñ neither Governmentís, societyís or asylum seekersí ñ to force thousands of people to disappear underground.

Last Christmas over 60 Church leaders spoke out that against the policy which was labelled ‘inhuman’ and ‘unacceptable’. This year 67 MPís have signed a motion in support of the campaign.

Some people who spoke to Amnesty International and Refugee Action have been destitute for over five years. Many of those interviewed spoke of the ìabsolute hopelessnessî of their situation that is forcing them to make desperate choices.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said: ìThe governmentís policy on refused asylum-seekers is a failure on both a practical level and a humanitarian level – forcing people into complete destitution as an attempt to drive them out of the country is backfiring badly and vulnerable people are suffering. Refused asylum-seekers in our towns and cities are being reduced to penniless poverty – forced to sleep in parks, public toilets and phone-boxes, to go without vital medicines even after suffering torture, and to relying on the charity of friends or drop-in shelters to survive.î

Refugee Actionís Chief Executive Sandy Buchan said: ìThere exists in Britain a new and growing excluded class of people who have no contact with the authorities, no access to work or mainstream support services, and little prospect of their situation being resolved. As a policy for dealing with refused asylum-seekers, destitution simply is not working. Driving people onto the streets makes return even less likely. This policy is causing enormous suffering to vulnerable people and does nothing to enhance public confidence in the system. We are not opposed to the return of fairly refused asylum-seekers to safe countries by safe routes. But if a person cannot be removed, a humane solution must be found that can allow people to live with some sense of dignity and purpose.î


Church support for report condemning Government policy on asylum

-08/11/06

New research by Amnesty International and Refugee Action published yesterday (7 Nov), has been welcomed by Christian campaigners.

The report backs, which backs the ongoing ‘Living Ghosts’ campaign by Church Action on Poverty, condemns the UK Government’s policy on asylum, which, campaigners say, is making thousands of people destitute who are seeking asylum.

Amnesty International UK and Refugee Action looked at the situation of refused asylum seekers in 10 cities in England. Many of these people are unable to return home to places such as Somali, Afghanistan and Iraq, because of fears for their safety.

The policy is one of ëcarrot and stickí, say campaigners; a grant if you ìvolunteerî to return to your country of origin; no benefits if you donít.

As part of its Living Ghosts initiative, Church Action on Poverty has urged Christians and others to take on the life-experience of a ‘Living Ghost’- someone who has been refused asylum – during the season of Lent.

Alan Thornton, the Coordinator of Church Action on Povertyís Living Ghosts campaign said: ìAs winter starts to bite this research from Amnesty International and Refugee Action is a timely reminder that as a result of Government policy thousands of people are eating out of bins and sleeping in parks, public toilets and phone-boxes. The Government is undermining its own policy by not allowing people refused asylum, who are unable to return, to work. It is in nobodies interest ñ neither Governmentís, societyís or asylum seekersí ñ to force thousands of people to disappear underground.

Last Christmas over 60 Church leaders spoke out that against the policy which was labelled ‘inhuman’ and ‘unacceptable’. This year 67 MPís have signed a motion in support of the campaign.

Some people who spoke to Amnesty International and Refugee Action have been destitute for over five years. Many of those interviewed spoke of the ìabsolute hopelessnessî of their situation that is forcing them to make desperate choices.

Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said: ìThe governmentís policy on refused asylum-seekers is a failure on both a practical level and a humanitarian level – forcing people into complete destitution as an attempt to drive them out of the country is backfiring badly and vulnerable people are suffering. Refused asylum-seekers in our towns and cities are being reduced to penniless poverty – forced to sleep in parks, public toilets and phone-boxes, to go without vital medicines even after suffering torture, and to relying on the charity of friends or drop-in shelters to survive.î

Refugee Actionís Chief Executive Sandy Buchan said: ìThere exists in Britain a new and growing excluded class of people who have no contact with the authorities, no access to work or mainstream support services, and little prospect of their situation being resolved. As a policy for dealing with refused asylum-seekers, destitution simply is not working. Driving people onto the streets makes return even less likely. This policy is causing enormous suffering to vulnerable people and does nothing to enhance public confidence in the system. We are not opposed to the return of fairly refused asylum-seekers to safe countries by safe routes. But if a person cannot be removed, a humane solution must be found that can allow people to live with some sense of dignity and purpose.î