The Refugee Council will tomorrow accuse the government of “utter hypocrisy” as its Chief Executive, Donna Covey, addresses a rally outside Parliament calling on the government to give Zimbabwean asylum seekers leave to stay in the UK and allow them to work.
Thousands of Zimbabweans have been refused asylum in the UK, yet the government admits it is not safe to send them back. They are left homeless and destitute, with no entitlement to any support or the ability to work and support themselves.
Donna Covey will join the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, MPs from all parties and leading refugee organisations in asking for temporary leave to remain for Zimbabweans resident in the UK, including being allowed to work.
Other speakers include Kate Hoey MP, chair of the All-Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe, the trade unionist Jack Dromey, and Zimbabwean community leaders.
Donna Covey said:
“The government’s failure to act is totally inexcusable.
“You have to question the moral legitimacy of these repeated condemnations of the Mugabe regime, when at the same time the Home Office is treating Zimbabwean opponents of the regime who have fled to the UK with such contempt.
“It is utter hypocrisy for the Prime Minister to be talking about his “revulsion” at Mugabe’s treatment of his people, when brave men and women who’ve had to escape to the UK after standing up for human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe are being left homeless and hungry as a direct result of his government’s shameful policies.
“It comes close to a charade for the Foreign Secretary to applaud the courage of refugees from Zimbabwe in South Africa, while in this country Zimbabwean refugees are being left to rot.
“The current situation amounts to a policy of saying to Zimbabweans, we won’t return you but our protection will amount to you being allowed to stay and beg on our streets.
“If the government had a shred of decency it would act now, to give Zimbabweans some temporary status in this country, allowing them to work and indeed to reskill so that they are better placed to help rebuild their country when the Mugabe regime falls.”
Ends
1. The rally begins at 1pm in Parliament Square, following a midday service at St Margaret’s church (Westminster Abbey) led by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.
2. The rally is organised by LONDON CITIZENS, the capital’s largest alliance of civic organisations.
2. For further information please contact Hannah Ward on 020 7346 1213 OR hannah.ward@refugeecouncil.org.uk. For out of hours or urgent enquiries please call the pager on 0870 055 55 00 and ask for pager no. 865 169.
