Please note that the next Refugee Council News Review will be produced in the week beginning 18 May.
Children’s Commissioner report attacks detention of children
The Children’s Commissioner for England, Sir Al Aynsley-Green, has called for an end to detention of children in a report based on evidence gathered at Yarl’s Wood detention centre. In his foreword to the report, he states:
“The UK should not be detaining any child who has had an unsuccessful asylum claim. Not only is there is no reason to continue the administrative detention of children, we present evidence in this report to demonstrate that it may be harmful to their health and wellbeing.” The report also calls for better conditions and improved healthcare.
Donna Covey, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said: “The Children’s Commissioner has exposed one of the UK’s most shameful practices – imprisoning children for administrative reasons. The evidence contained in this report is shocking, and demonstrates once again how harmful detaining children is.”
Refugee Council press release: Refugee Council response to Children's Commissioner for England's report into the detention of children
Download the full report(PDF)
The Times: Aynsley-Green says Britain should stop locking up child asylum seekers
Reuters:Failed asylum seekers’ kids "should not be detained”
The Independent: Inside Yarl’s Wood: Britain’s shame over child detainees
BBC News: Detention of children ‘must stop’
BBC News: Mark Easton’s UK: Children in detention at Yarl’s Wood
Report issues severe verdict on treatment of those held in detention at airport
An Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) report into conditions experienced by those held in detention at Heathrow Airport describes a “deep seated negative attitude” amongst staff towards those being detained.
The report states the Government has “failed repeatedly to supervise its staff in key areas, all impacting on detainees’ welfare.”
Specifically, it cites the “disgraceful” treatment of a disabled woman and her son, where the woman was not given assistance by staff to make her more comfortable as a typical experience of many detainees at Heathrow.
The Independent: Appalling treatment of Heathrow detainees laid bare in damning report
Explosion on boat carrying refugees off coast of Australia
An explosion on board a boat carrying Afghan refugees has killed at least three people and injured many others.The boat was being escorted by the Australian navy to an offshore island to process the asylum claims at the time of the explosion.
The cause has not been established. Speaking afterwards, Kevin Rudd, the Australian prime minister spoke of his contempt for human traffickers:
“People smugglers are the vilest form of human life because they trade on the tragedy of others.”
BBC News: Explosion on asylum seekers’ boat
BBC News: Australia PM furious at smugglers
Arguments over Calais continue
The debate over those seeking refuge in Europe who are currently in Calais continued in the press.
French immigration minister Eric Besson said he would shut the area known as ‘the jungle’ where many are sleeping rough.
The Guardian: France to shut down migrant camp
BBC News: France to ‘shut down Calais camp’
Select committee calls for personal guardians for unaccompanied children
The children, schools and families Commons select committee has called for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children to be assigned personal guardians to help protect them from exploitation.
The Guardian: Asylum-seeking children need guardians, say MPs
Refugee crisis in Sri Lanka
The ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka has left thousands of people displaced from their homes.
BBC News: What now for the displaced?
The Guardian: Tamil refugees flee to India to escape fighting in Sri Lanka
The Times: British aid for war refugees may be used to fund 'concentration camps'
Race to grab film rights for refugee themed novel
The Sunday Times reported that actor Nicole Kidman is among those wanting to secure the rights to adapt British author Chris Cleave’s novel about a Nigerian refugee to the UK, The Other Hand.
The author based his novel on his own experiences working in a detention centre as well as interviews with refugees and those working in the sector.
The Sunday Times: Kidman in race to claim asylum novel
Chris Cleave’s website on The Other Hand
Lack of Home Office representation at immigration tribunals
The Telegraph reported that immigration appeal hearings are taking place without legal representatives from the Home Office. The journalists attended 25 appeals over the course of two weeks, of which 24 had no presenting officer present.
Daily Telegraph: Asylum seekers win right to stay because of ‘shambolic’ immigration hearings
Young asylum seekers photography exhibition opens in Yorkshire
A new exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Shared Horizon, displays photographs taken by young asylum seekers living in Wakefield, Barnsley and Kirklees.
Some of the young people are involved with the Refugee Council's SMILE project.
The Guardian: Gallery: Shared Horizon exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Visit the SMILE project website
Nine year old Congolese boy wins fight against removal
Nine year old Tony Lola and his political activist mother have been granted leave to remain after his primary school organised a petition of thousands of signatures asking the Home Office to let the family stay.
The Guardian: Congolese primary pupil Tony Lola wins deporation battle
Designer wins award for asylum inspired garden
Robert Hughes won a silver award at the Cardiff Horticultural Society show for his design ‘Sanctuary’ which aimed to reflect the experiences of people seeking asylum in the UK.
A bare tree at the centre of the display represents the wasted talent of refugees who are refused asylum and the isolation from the rest of British society.
Western Mail: Welsh designer wins silver award for his ‘asylum seekers’ garden
