After the prime minister described plans to give the Rwandan government αρχ 120m in advance in the hope that it would accept “tens of thousands” of people, politicians and refugee groups condemned the move as inhumane, inapplicable and wasteful. public money. Rwanda’s proposal was one of a series of measures announced by the prime minister and Interior Minister Priti Patel as they seek to address a feverish political dispute over the Channel. The number of people who have crossed has already exceeded 5,000 this year, more than double the total of 2021 at the same point. Amid calls from the government to reveal the total cost of the unpublished projects, it emerged that: Men and women could fly 4,500 miles to Rwanda, where they will be encouraged to apply for refugee status. However, children and their parents will not be sent. The Royal Navy has been authorized to control the English Channel after another day of hundreds of people arriving in small boats to seek refuge in the UK. Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Conservatives’ select committee on defense, accused Johnson of revealing the plans as part of a “mass distraction” from becoming the first prime minister to be convicted of a criminal offense while in power. A Border Force official warned that the announcement would lead to a short-term increase in refugees trying to cross the English Channel, with an increased risk of traveling in poor conditions, putting lives at risk. An early YouGov poll of nearly 3,000 voters on Thursday found that only 35% of citizens support the measures, while 43% oppose it. Speaking at a news conference in Kent, Johnson said the plan was necessary to “save countless lives” from human trafficking, breaking the business model of smugglers. “The agreement we made [with Rwanda] has no ceiling and Rwanda will be able to resettle tens of thousands of people in the coming years. “And let’s be clear, Rwanda is one of the safest countries in the world, globally recognized for its history of receiving and integrating migrants,” he said. Asked about the deteriorating human rights situation in Rwanda, where some groups have documented torture of detainees, he said: “Rwanda is completely transformed. “In recent decades it has changed completely from what it was.” Refusing to address questions about breach of lockdown rules, Johnson said the Royal Navy would take over “operational command” in the English Channel from the Border on Thursday to ensure “no vessels reach the UK”. unnoticed “. Measures will be taken to intercept more small vessels and the navy will be given the “lead” to monitor and intercept them – with new 50 50m funding for Wildcat helicopters, search and rescue aircraft and drones. According to the plans, those sent to Rwanda will be offered asylum there, with applications processed within three months. Those who are successful will be able to stay for at least five years with a training and support package. As Johnson addressed reporters, the new arrivals reached the shore in Dover, which officials acknowledged was a tiring day for the crossings. During a visit to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, Patel showed off pristine accommodation that will be used to accommodate people flying from the UK. The guest house has 50 rooms on four floors that can accommodate up to 100 people. Two more squares will be constructed that will provide a maximum capacity of 300. In a press conference with Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta, Patel said on Thursday: “Our leading partnership on migration and economic development is a global first and will change the way we collectively tackle illegal immigration through young people. innovative and top solutions worldwide. . » Patel: “Anyone entering the UK illegally” will be considered for relocation to Rwanda – video However, the UN refugee agency opposed the plans, saying they could be challenged under the Refugee Convention. “[The UN High Commissioner for Refugees] remains strongly opposed to arrangements for the transfer of refugees and asylum seekers to third countries in the absence of adequate safeguards and standards. “Such arrangements simply shift responsibilities for asylum, evade international obligations and are contrary to the letter and spirit of the Refugee Convention,” said Gillian Triggs, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “People fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy. “They should not be traded as commodities and transported abroad for processing.” Tory’s peer Sayeeda Warsi called the plan inhuman and cynical. “This proposal to transfer asylum seekers to Rwanda is ineffective and costly,” he said. “It’s also inhumane and shameful of our proud history as advocates of human rights and the refugee convention. He said the plan was inconsistent with the UK’s “generous response” to the Ukraine crisis and described its timetable as cynical and political. The executive director of the British Red Cross, Zoe Abrams, said the humanitarian network was “deeply concerned” about plans to “send injured people to the middle of the world in Rwanda”. “We are not convinced that this drastic measure will deter desperate people from attempting to cross the English Channel. People come here for reasons we can all understand, such as wanting to meet loved ones again or because they speak the language. “Making it harder can prevent them from risking their lives,” he said. Lucy Moreton, a professional immigration officer at the ISU, warned that the announcement could lead to further casualties in the English Channel, as people are desperate to reach the UK before any plans to send them to Rwanda are implemented. He said: “What was announced today is likely to increase the immediate numbers. And that will mean that people will go through less than ideal conditions, putting their lives in danger. “We are worried that they will just panic and hurt themselves, or hurt us unintentionally or intentionally hurt us to stay in the UK for persecution instead of being sent to Rwanda. “This is not going to happen quickly, probably for months, and until then you are scaring everyone.” The president of the England-Wales Bar Association, Stephanie Boyce, said there were serious questions about whether the plans complied with international law. “The government is announcing this plan before parliament approves the necessary powers,” he said. “There are serious questions as to whether these plans would comply or could comply with the United Kingdom’s promises under the international treaty.”
