Conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo forces thousands to flee homes and camps
Many Congolese people have left their homes and places in refugee camps, fearing attacks as violence continues in the east of the country.
BBC News: Congo exodus as terror spreads
Reuters: Aid convoy in east Congo finds empty refugee camps
Guardian: In pictures: The Congo victims displaced by fighting
Woolas faces a difficult start as immigration minister
After hinting at a limit on immigration in a Times interview, new immigration minister Phil Woolas said that he would work to clear the backlog of asylum cases:
“Our failure to resource the asylum processes has caused untold human misery and division within our communities. My attitude to this issue is (that) I am going to clear the backlog because it is the right thing to do morally for asylum seekers and the right thing to do for the country as a whole.”
The minister’s comments provoked anger from some campaign groups, with the pressure group No Borders throwing a pie in Mr Woolas’ face as he attended a debate at Manchester University.
The Times: Our asylum failure ‘has spread misery and division’
The Guardian: We have lost people's trust on immigration, minister admits
BBC News: Migrant row minister hit by pie
Letting asylum seekers work
The BBC’s Politics Show featured a story on the problems experienced by people seeking asylum who are not allowed to work and the Refugee Council’s Let Them Work campaign.
BBC News: Asylum anomaly
Find out about the Refugee Council’s Let Them Work campaign
Pilot alternative to end to detention of families to be launched in Scotland
A pilot scheme to end the detention of families who are currently kept in the Dungavel immigration detention centre has been announced by the UK government.
Up to four families at a time will be housed in ex-council accomodation prior to their deportation. They will be allowed to come and go from their housing and will be reguarly supervised by UKBA officials.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Refugee Council said: “The pilot must also be properly assessed and evaluated and, if done properly, could be a blueprint for detaining asylum seeking families and children at the end of the asylum process with dignity and humanity."
BBC News:Bid to stop detention of children
The Herald: Plan Aims To End The Detention of Young In Dungavel
The Scotsman: End in sight for Dungavel detentions
Shelter migration and housing report recommends allowing asylum seekers to work
The charity Shelter has raised concerns over government policies which leave many people seeking asylum in destitution, due to lack of work opportunities and provision of accomodation.
The report states: “By lifting the prohibitions on work, the Government could enable asylum seekers to support themselves and reduce their dependency on state provision. By neither providing fully for their needs, nor allowing them to work, government policy contributes to destitution among this group.”
Download the Shelter report
Community Care: Shelter issues report on migration and housing
Find out about the Refugee Council’s Let Them Work campaign
Photo project reveals lives of young asylum seekers and refugees through a lens
New Londoners: Reflections on Home was launched this fortnight at the Tate Modern.
The result of a project where 14 young asylum seekers and refugees were teamed with a photographic mentor and asked to visually document their new lives, the book is available to buy from the Photo Voice website.
See images from the book on the Photo Voice website
BBC News Online: Photo journal: New Londoners: reflections on home
Guardian: New Londoners capture the capital on camera
Financial Times: Different skies
Australia to look into deaths of rejected Afghan asylum seekers
The Australian government is investigating reports that up to twenty Afghans who were refused asylum in Australia were killed after they returned to their home country.
The Edmund Rice Centre humanitarian agency says it has evidence that at least nine of the returnees were killed by the Taliban and estimates that a further eleven people also died.
Times: Afghan asylum seekers sent home by Australia 'killed by Taleban'
Guardian: Taliban killed Afghan asylum seekers that Australia sent back, report claims
Plans for new immigration removal centre revealed
A new immigration detention and removal centre is planned to be built near Bicester, in Oxfordshire, local papers have reported.
Bicester Advertiser: Detention centre jobs boost
Buckinghamtoday.co.uk: Centre plan is unveiled
Church charities create support network for people seeking asylum
A New Statesman article highlighted the work many churches and religious charities are doing to support people who are living in destitution after having their asylum claim refused.
New Statesman: Give them shelter
Iraqis top nationality for seeking asylum
A UNHCR report shows that the highest number of asylum claims in industralised countries were made by Iraqis, despite there being an overall downward trend in the number of applications by people from Iraq.
The number of claims made in the first half of 2008 by Iraqis (19,500) was higher than the number made by those nationalities who were second and third in the table, Russian Federation (9,400) and China (8,700).
Reuters Alert Net: Iraqis still at the top of the asylum seeker table, despite drop
Associated Press: Iraqi asylum requests drop in first half of 2008
Film looks at fate of displaced people
Forced to Flee, a film looking at the lives of displaced people in the Phillippines and Democratic Republic of Congo is now available to watch on the IRIN website.
Watch the films
Resettlement after war
A BBC feature paid a visit to Ilford Park resettlement camp in Devon, where many exiled Poles settled following World War II and continue to live.
BBC News: Little Poland in the British countryside
