“Hypocritical” UK rejects asylum seekers
Published 12 November, 2008, 10:24
Edited 01 October, 2009, 15:02
The British Government stands accused of “double standards” on the emotive issue of asylum. While the Foreign Office in London has warned that 21 countries face humanitarian disasters, UK immigration officials have refused refuge to 77,000 fleeing persecution. Freelance writer Gabrielle Pickard reports for RT.
During the past five years some 77,000 people have been refused asylum from countries that the UK Foreign Office has described as “dangerous and unstable”. What amounts to an astonishing 40 refugees a day are facing a closed door when they arrive in the country which until recently provided refuge to those escaping terror and persecution.
At the same time that these shocking figures were exposed, the Foreign Office, following a human rights report, listed 21 “major countries of concern”. Fifteen of the 21 still have the death penalty and terrified citizens are trying to flee the turbulent and troubled nations.
The report warned of “widespread sectarian violence, lawlessness and violent insurgency” in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq. Yet at the same time destitute citizens fleeing the pandemonium are being denied safety and sanctuary, with as many as 13,131 Iraqi nationals having their applications for asylum turned down.
Paul Holmes, the Liberal Democrats justice spokesman said it was “staggering” that so many asylum applications had been refused.
He said many of the applications were “from countries the government admits it is concerned about.” He said it was “vital that Britain remains a beacon of freedom in a world of too many tyrants”.
The British Home Office has defended its policy saying that refugees that arrive in Britain are individually judged on a case by case basis. A spokesperson for the UK Border Agency said that “Britain has a proud tradition of offering refugee status to those in genuine fear of persecution. However, when an independent judge decides a person does not need asylum, we expect them to return home.”
Although Britain is a notorious “soft touch” for those seeking asylum, UK ministers stand accused of behaving hypocritically in hastily labeling 21 countries as “urgent”, while refusing to offer safety and protection to people fleeing those very nations.
Perhaps Britain needs to take a more relaxed approach to destitute individuals by offering them stability until their own countries are a safer place to return to.
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