Removing failed asylum-seekers
A cacophony of voices, one would say, has been raging this week over asylum seekers, migrants' contributions to the economy on one hand and their nuisance to the country in another breadth. Sounds funny. Isn't it?
Like a well rehearsed drama plot, the events have been unfolding in a pattern that gives the impression that they had been well scripted and acted to release maximum effect on the imperilled audience.
First to fire the salvo of seeming hope and cheer was the Independent Asylum Commission, which released a damning verdict on what it considers the inhuman treatment of asylum-seekers by immigration officers, accusing them of falling below the standard expected from a leading democracy like the UK. To bring the story home, the co-chairman of the commission, Sir John Waite and former Appeal Court judge, described the work of the immigration officials as a blemish' on the UK reputation.
The body made up of eminent Britons noted:
The commission was not yet done with its findings on the system, which appears to have been driven by a belligerent spirit over the years.
First to fire the salvo of seeming hope and cheer was the Independent Asylum Commission, which released a damning verdict on what it considers the inhuman treatment of asylum-seekers by immigration officers, accusing them of falling below the standard expected from a leading democracy like the UK. To bring the story home, the co-chairman of the commission, Sir John Waite and former Appeal Court judge, described the work of the immigration officials as a blemish' on the UK reputation.
The body made up of eminent Britons noted:
“Overall, the treatment of asylum-seekers fell below the standards expected of a
humane and civilised society."
The commission was not yet done with its findings on the system, which appears to have been driven by a belligerent spirit over the years.
It slammed further: "We are concerned at the level of the treatment of children, the treatment of women, the treatment of those with health needs, particularly mental health needs, torture survivors.”
But like a judge in its own case, the Head of the Border and Immigrations Agency, Lin Homer, fired back at the IAC, saying, "I totally refute any suggestion that we treat asylum applicants without care and compassion. We have a proud tradition in Britain of offering sanctuary to those who truly need our protection. "We operate a firm but humane system, supporting those who are vulnerable with accommodation and assistance.
But like a judge in its own case, the Head of the Border and Immigrations Agency, Lin Homer, fired back at the IAC, saying, "I totally refute any suggestion that we treat asylum applicants without care and compassion. We have a proud tradition in Britain of offering sanctuary to those who truly need our protection. "We operate a firm but humane system, supporting those who are vulnerable with accommodation and assistance.
Perhaps in a bid to damage-control the 'damage' done to the immigration system by the IAC, the House of Lords Committee on Immigration released its own report on the impact of migrants on the UK workforce, saying that they offered little or no impact on the economy.
However, Gordon Brown, who had held fort at the Treasury for a long time, came out to defuse the tension generated by two sides, pointing out today that migrants had contributed substantially to the UK economy. According to him, migrants make a minimum of £6 billion annually into the economy. I believe him because he was speaking from a vantage position.
Brown's open-minded submission on the issue may at least restrain those charged with the responsibility of taking care of asylum seekers from manhandling them like condemned criminals or those seeking independence for Tibet.
As one human rights activist, Paul Collins, observed in London following the release of the report by the IAC, the streets of London are neither paved with gold nor are they close to heaven to warrant attacking migrants with sledgehammer and chainsaw.
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1 comment:
One little discussed aspect of immigration is the effect of remittances on alleviating poverty in the countries many migrants come from. Money sent home from migrants is many times the combined foreign aid of the west. All those people who wore white wristbands to "make poverty history" should be aware that their hardworking immigrant down the street is doing far more to achieve that than coins in a tin ever will. KH
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