The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, stated this Monday, April 22, that the first flight with asylum seekers, who were not accepted in their country, will leave British territory for Rwanda in “10 or 12 weeks.” His remarks came as he laid out plans for his disputed policy to tackle irregular immigration. “There are no ifs or buts,” said the premier, despite the strong opposition from human rights organizations, opposition parties and members of the Upper House against his plan.
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The United Kingdom will begin, within a period of between 10 and 12 weeks, a deportation campaign for asylum seekers who are in an irregular situation in the country. This was confirmed this Monday, April 22, by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, when presenting his plans at a press conference.
We are prepared. The plans are underway
Based on these specified deadlines, it is expected that the first flight will leave next July. Sunak assured that he will not reveal the exact operational details of the plan, but said that the Government has specific preparations ready.
“I can confirm that we have put an airfield on notice, we have booked commercial charter aircraft for specific time slots and we have 500 highly trained people ready to escort illegal migrants to Rwandawith 300 more people trained in the coming weeks,” said the British premier.
“We are prepared. The plans are underway. And these flights will leave no matter what happens,” he said.
Tens of thousands of migrants fleeing wars and poverty in Africa, the Middle East and Asia have arrived in Britain in recent years, crossing the English Channel in precarious boats. Trips that, according to those who oppose immigration, have been organized by human trafficking gangs.
And precisely, Stopping the flow of migrants is one of the main objectives of the Sunak Governmentbut critics say the plan to deport people to Rwanda is inhumane as the East African country is not a safe place.
However, the UK Prime Minister stated that the Rwandan Government remains “fully committed” to the policy, despite delays in its implementation.
Sunak noted that in Kigali there are accommodations prepared for asylum seekers and lawyers ready to provide them with legal assistance. But the local press points out that 70% of the homes in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, destined for the plan have been sold.
Lords and human rights organizations, on the warpath
The human rights sector, like Charities, jurists, and even the clerical wing of the Anglican church have criticized the legislation..
Previously, in February, a parliamentary rights watchdog said the plan for Rwanda is “fundamentally incompatible” with the UK's human rights obligations.
For her part, Lucy Gregg, from the organization Freedom From Torture, said in a statement that “we urgently need the British government to start treating refugees with decency and stop trying to send them to an insecure future in Rwanda.”
“Along with torture survivors & the support of 1000s of caring people up & down the country, we will unite to show airlines that we won't tolerate them flying in the face of human decency.”#StopTheFlightshttps://t.co/QEJ8ThMLlm
— Freedom from Torture🧡 (@FreefromTorture) April 22, 2024
But it is not the only rejection that Sunak has encountered in his path. When the Rwanda Security Bill was passed in January by the House of Commons, where Sunak's Conservatives have a majority, he was met with a strong opposition in the upper house of Parliament, the House of Lords. Its members, without completely rejecting the law, introduced amendments to soften it, for example, exempting Afghans who once worked with British forces from deportation. But the Commons rejected them all.
The main opposition parties also refute the legislation. Scottish National Party lawmaker Alison Thewlis urged Labor to repeal the law if he wins the election later this year, as the polls suggest.
For his part, a spokesman for the prime minister He said on Wednesday: “We are not considering making concessions”. Sunak was more blunt when promising that “there are no ifs or buts. These flights will go to Rwanda.”
The premier is in a hurry to execute his plans as soon as possible. Faced with an election that he is expected to lose this year, Sunak hopes to gain popularity by launching flights to Rwanda as soon as possible to fulfill his promise to “stop the boats” crossing into the United Kingdom.
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