Churches Condemn Britain's 'Draconian' Plans for Refugees
Episcopal News Service. January 17, 1996 [96-1353S]
(ENI) The Anglican bishop of Southwark, Roy Williamson, and other leading church officials recently spearheaded a rally in central London to protest British government plans for tougher policies on refugees and immigrants. Williamson said the "draconian" measures had caused "fear and anger" among black and refugee communities. The Asylum and Immigration Bill, which is before the British Parliament, will mean tougher checks for illegal immigrants among welfare recipients, and will remove housing and social security benefits for many asylum-seekers. The bill also introduces a controversial "white list" of supposedly safe countries from which asylum applications will not be considered. Many churches and welfare charities fear that the bill will leave some asylum-seekers destitute, and force them to live on the streets where they will have to rely on soup kitchens and emergency hostels. Both the Churches' Commission for Racial Justice (CCRJ) and the Church Urban Fund are preparing to offer limited financial support for refugees when some provisions of the bill come into force, but doubt that they will be able to do enough. The Refugee Council, Red Cross and Salvation Army are all gearing up to relieve suffering that "seems unavoidable," one speaker told the gathering. "We simply but firmly ask of the government that they put in place a system which treats everyone fairly and with humanity and which allows people to live with dignity whilst any asylum application or appeal is being heard," Williamson said.