Humanity Prevails but Aluta Continua
We all have the right to be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Our human rights are designed to protect us from situations that threaten our safety and put us at risk of serious harm.
We have seen the government trying to take those rights away from all of us.
The deportation flight to Rwanda was cancelled yesterday which was a victory for human rights.
The government will attempt to deport members of our community again. Refugees arriving in the UK are part of our community.
Background information:
On 14 May 2022, Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said in a Daily Mail interview that 50 migrants had been informed that they would be deported to Rwanda over the following two weeks and that his government was ready for legal opposition.
Due to the “inhumane” and “cruel” nature, demonstrations were held outside the Home Office the day the policy was announced. The Solidarity Knows No Borders Network set forth a Week of Action to #EndTheHostileEnvironment on 13th-19th June, with events such as protests around the country. Charities warned of Rwanda's human rights violations and The Refugee Council had to intervene to stop young people from being removed after they were falsely assessed as adults.
The Refugee Council stated, “the Government is completely refusing to see the face behind the case” as these refugees, in need of safety, are viewed as disposable.
The first deportation flight from the UK to Rwanda was cancelled after a European Court of Human Rights ruling. The number of asylum seekers that were expected to fly to Rwanda fell from 130 to 31 on Friday, to just seven on Tuesday.
However, the government will remain determined to accomplish their plan with further deportations. Johnson suggested that the UK could leave the ECHR in order to remove illegal migrants from the UK.
He states, “will it be necessary to change some laws to help us as we go along? It may very well be.”
Once in Rwanda, migrants will not be allowed to return to the United Kingdom to seek asylum. Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said, "we don't consider living in Rwanda a punishment" however the fear of deportation has negatively impacted refugees’ mental health, with some experiencing suicidal thoughts.
One of the men who was scheduled to be on the plane on June 14 said “I always thought there was justice here but I have found no justice in this country.”
What does the future hold?
Already today we are seeing the Government lashing out, blaming everyone but itself for this cruel farce. In particular, it will see this as an opportunity to pursue its anti-courts, anti-rights, anti-protest agenda – continuing to attack those who hold it accountable.
In July, there will be a hearing to determine whether the Rwanda policy is lawful or not. It remains to be seen whether the Government will attempt another flight before then, as it had planned.
It’s all the more important we continue to build and amplify resistance to the Rwanda deal from all sides.
From the Hostile Environment to the Rwanda cash-for-humans scheme, the anti-migrant agenda might be designed to get headlines, but it has devastating impacts on the people affected.
We at Tulia stand with all the other organisations which are working to secure and protect the rights of the most vulnerable people in our society, we believe that people who have migrated to the UK should not be marginalised or mistreated. It is our vision that each person, no matter where they come from can find rest, safety, and resolution in every area of their life.
We will continue to fight every day against this cruelty and to make Britain a place where our communities are strong and open, and newcomers are safe and welcome. Solidarity is a beautiful and powerful thing.
