The Rwanda refugee deal: an offense against our shared humanity

In a compassionate society, everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. And the outpouring of support and sympathy for refugees fleeing Afghanistan and Ukraine has been a reminder of just how compassionate our society is.

Yet the Government, once again out of step with what the public want, is planning to transport people who have travelled thousands of miles in search of safety on our shores to Rwanda, a tiny developing country in East Africa to which they have no connection.

This plan to trade human beings for cash will cause untold harm to thousands people. It is an offense against our shared humanity, and must not be allowed to go ahead. Here’s why:

  1. It won’t work. There is plenty of evidence that this abhorrent plan simply won’t be effective. There is evidence from Australia that self-styled ‘tough’ asylum policies don’t deter people from seeking safety wherever they think they have the best chance of finding it. A similar deal signed between the governments of Israel and Rwanda proved to be not only unworkable, also pushed thousands of vulnerable people to embark on further dangerous journeys.

  2. It will destroy the international system that protects refugees. The idea that the UK – one of the richest countries in the world – can outsource its international legal obligations to protect refugees is morally abhorrent and will fatally weaken the international refugee protection system as we know it. If the UK stops doing its fair share, why would other countries continue protecting refugees, let alone the developing countries that host 86% of the world’s refugees?

  3. It will push people underground, with all the harmful consequences that go with this.  The Government’s ruthless pursuit of headlines will drive people already in the UK out of the system. As the Home Office prepares to try to ship the first refugees to Rwanda tomorrow, there is evidence of people disappearing because they are afraid that they will be next. These people – who will, by default, be cut off from all forms of public support – are extremely likely to end up destitute and on the streets, where they are more vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.

Instead of unspeakably cruel, unworkable plans like this, we need meaningful action to build a fair and compassionate asylum system that makes decisions without delay, and helps people to rebuild their lives here.

With the first transportations due to take place on Tuesday 14th June, it’s not too late to act. Here are just a few things you can do to tell the Government that you won’t stand for their barbaric plan:

StatementsChristopher Brown