On the eve of the first planned departures, the British justice examines Monday June 13 last minute appeals against the government’s controversial plan to send migrants who arrived illegally in the United Kingdom to Rwanda.
Despite criticism from human rights defenders, the UN, the Anglican Church and even the British royal family, Boris Johnson’s Conservative government is determined with this project to discourage illegal Channel crossings, which do not stop rising despite its repeated promises since Brexit. While a first flight is scheduled for Tuesday, a first appeal filed urgently by associations for the defense of refugees was rejected by the courts on Friday. The plaintiffs, including the associations Care4Calais and Detention Action, have however appealed, which will be heard on Monday. The High Court must also examine during the day another appeal, brought by the association for aid to refugees Asylum Aid.
Read alsoIn court, the UN denounces the British plan to deport migrants to Rwanda
Whatever the outcome, the individual appeals have already led to a significant reduction in the scale of the measure. “Twenty people had their tickets to Rwanda canceled but 11 still have to leave tomorrowincluding Iranians, Iraqis, Albanians and a Syrian, Care4Calais tweeted, calling for justice to “stop this cruel and barbaric project“. By sending asylum seekers more than 6,000 kilometers from London, which recalls the policy pursued by Australia, the government intends to deter illegal arrivals in the country, which are ever more numerous.
Since the start of the year, more than 10,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel illegally to reach British shores in small boats, a considerable increase on previous years, which were already record highs. “The criminal groups putting people’s lives at risk in the English Channel must understand that their economic model will collapse under this government“Hammered Boris Johnson on LBC radio on Monday. Among those challenging the plan in court is the civil service union PCS, which has among its members customs officers who are supposed to implement the deportations. Stressing that the High Court plans to examine in detail the legality of the government plan in July, PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said on SkyNews on Sunday: “imagine being told to do something on Tuesday, which in July is deemed illegal. It would be a terrible situation“.
UN reviews
Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Johnston Busingye, said in the columns of the Daily Telegraph to be “disappointed“that critics of the project doubt Kigali’s ability to provide”a safe havento asylum seekers. Under this agreement, London will initially finance the device to the tune of 120 million pounds (144 million euros). The Rwandan government specified that it would offer migrants the possibilityto settle permanently in Rwanda if they wish“.
The UN strongly condemned this strategy, denouncing a risk of “serious and irreparable harmfor immigrants. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch has also expressed its opposition to the project. London “seeks to shift its asylum responsibilities entirely onto another country, running counter to the object and purpose of the 1951 Geneva Convention, running counter to its commitments and threatening the international regime of protection of refugees“, denounced HRW in an open letter on Saturday.
Read alsoPrince Charles ‘appalled’ by deportation of migrants to Rwanda
Fueling the controversy, Prince Charles, heir to the throne, judged in private “appallingthe government’s plan, The Times daily reported on Saturday, as he is due to attend a Commonwealth meeting from June 20 in Rwanda. In Kigali, Prince Charles and Boris Johnson are to meet President Paul Kagame, who has ruled Rwanda since the end of the 1994 genocide, which claimed 800,000 lives according to the UN. His government is regularly accused by NGOs of repressing freedom of expression, criticism and political opposition.