Destitution survey reveals system is failing
A report by the Asylum Support Partnership, a coalition of the leading refugee charities in the UK, shows that destitution is widespread and long-lasting amongst those who have been refused refugee status but are unable to return home.
Almost half (48%) of visits to refugee charities are from people who are destitute, and the majority of those are people whose claims have been refused. Many have been destitute for longer than six months. Half of all those recorded as destitute came from a small number of countries which are places of conflict or have poor human rights records, including Iraq, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Iran. 250 families with children were recorded as destitute.
Donna Covey, Chair of the Asylum Support Partnership and Chief Executive of the Refugee Council said:
“The government insists that no-one needs to be destitute, but this survey shows us this is categorically not the case. Most of the people our organisations see are from countries where there are serious human rights abuses or internal conflict and it is clear that return is not an option for them.”
Full Refugee Council press release
BBC News: Asylum seeker rules ‘not working’
BBC News: Asylum seekers ‘living off hand-outs’
The Guardian: Comment: Sandy Buchan: Britain’s asylum policy is failing
The Guardian: Comment: Where the MPs' expenses money would have been better spent
Refugee crisis in Pakistan
Over 2 million people have left their homes in the Swat Valley region of Pakistan following military action there. Many are living in camps in neighbouring regions.
The Times: Exodus of Pakistani civilians as battle against Taleban rages
The Guardian: Swat valley could be worst refugee crisis since Rwanda, UN warns
First quarterly asylum statistics for 2009 published
In response to the first asylum statistics for 2009, Donna Covey, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council said:
“Contrary to what people think, Britain does not receive the most asylum applications in Europe. France and Italy both took higher numbers last year. Offering safety from war and persecution is utterly crucial in these troubled times. We need to make sure we continue to do our bit, for it really is a matter of life and death.”
Full Refugee Council press release
The Guardian: Number of east European migrants falls as recession bites
Strangers into Citizens rally calls for earned amnesty
Thousands of people gathered in London to call for an amnesty for undocumented workers in the UK.
In services before the rally, Anglican and Catholic leaders gave their support to the campaign. The Rt Rev Patrick Lynch, auxillary bishop of Southwark said: “You have worked here, your children have been born here and attend school here, you are part of parishes and our society herem and a way should be found so that you can remain here.”
The Guardian: Amnesty for illegal immigrants
Daily Express: Storm over migrant amnesty
Over seventy trafficked children missing from children’s home
A UK Border Agency intelligence report obtained by the Guardian newspaper showed 77 Chinese children have disappeared from a children’s home in Hillingdon, West London since March 2006.
Four have been found. Two were girls who had been working in brothels in the Midlands. Others are thought to be coerced into selling counterfeit goods or working in cannabis farms. Hillingdon council believes the disapperances are “planned and coordinated” by criminal gangs.
The Guardian: Revealed: 77 trafficked children lost by home
The Guardian: People trafficking: A phone call, a car door opens – and another child vanishes
Launch of refugee run coffee company
Owned and run by Ethiopian refugees living in the North West, the Oromo Coffee Company sells Fair Trade coffee sourced directly from coffee producers in Ethiopia. The company was launched at an event in Westminster hosted by welfare secretary James Purnell.
Abiyot Kebede Shiferani, OCC company secretary, said: “We wanted to improve our life. We were not satisfied with depending on benefits.”
Financial Times: Ethiopian refugees discover benefits of coffee
Pilot scheme to house refused asylum seeker families begins in Glasgow
A scheme to offer ex-council flats to families who have had their asylum claims refused as the first step to returning them to their home countries has launched in Glasgow as an alternative to detention. Currently the project will be able to provide housing for up to twenty families a year and will offer dedicated social workers to help the families prepare for return.
Detention will still remain as a final option for those families who do not return home voluntarily.
The Herald: Failed asylum families offered flats
Times Online: Voluntary return plan for Scotland’s asylum seekers
Success of English lessons highlighted by Right to a Voice award
Afghan refugee and undergraduate student Najib Rasooli has been awarded the Right to a Voice award by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) as an example of how effective English lessons can enable refugees to integrate and participate in society.
Free Esol (English for speakers of other languages) lessons are currently only available to asylum seekers and refugees once they have been in the UK for six months.
Sheffield Telegraph: A new language leads to new life for refugee Najib
The Guardian: Knowledge seeker (not published online)
The Right to A Voice campaign
