After multiple postponements in the calendar, the British Government finally began on Monday to send the first immigrants to the “Bibby Stockholm” as part of its controversial new immigration policy. The large, three-story, 222-cabin ship in the port of Portland, England, has been dubbed the “ship of shame” by many.
NGOs and even members of the Conservative Party, such as the Tory Richard Drax, claim that it is “a floating prison”. But the Executive describes it as “basic and functional accommodation”, ensures that it will be cheaper than the hotels that are now used to house the around 51,000 asylum seekers at a cost to the taxpayer of around 6 million pounds per day and Above all, he hopes that it will serve as a deterrent for those planning to cross the English Channel.
So far this year, around 15,000 people have used this route to reach the British coast. It represents 15% less than last year, but they are still figures loaded with political symbolism, especially when there is one year left for the general elections, since the Executive promised that Brexit would allow “border control” to be regained.
The arrival of the first immigrants yesterday to the “Bibby Stockholm” was a dropper, since many of them managed to avoid the transfer after the legal intervention of some NGOs, such as Care4Calais. In the port, there were demonstrators who accused the Government of promoting “inhumane” treatment. And there were also protests by locals concerned about the impact that the arrival of immigrants will have on the local social services.
All persons on board will be single adult male asylum seekers between the ages of 18 and 65 who will have undergone physical and mental health assessments. The NGOs insist, however, that holding “people who have gone through traumatic experiences at sea, especially on a floating boat, is cruel.”
“Bibby Stockholm” the floating prison for immigrants that the United Kingdom is preparing Red
It is unknown how long they will be on board while their asylum application is processed. In 2021, the average wait in the UK was 15.5 months, compared to 8.5 months in France, 6.5 months in Germany or just over three months in Austria. The delay in the UK has created a bottleneck of more than 172,000 people. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to resolve, by the end of 2023, 92,601 asylum cases registered by June 2022.
Despite the fact that Sunak has been much more pragmatic than his predecessors in Downing Street on immigration, he is adopting an even more radical line, aware of the importance of this issue among the electorate. Last month, he approved a controversial law that, from now on, all those arriving through irregular routes will be detained and deported, something that he acknowledges may be “incompatible” with the European Convention on Human Rights.
The plan is to send the immigrants to Rwanda, a country to which London has paid 140 million pounds. But the measure was declared illegal last June by the British justice system. Specifically, the Court of Appeal stressed that “the deficiencies in Rwanda’s asylum system are such as to admit that there are solid grounds for believing that there is a real risk that persons sent to that country will be returned to their countries of origin.” and end up suffering persecution or inhumane treatment, when in fact they would have arguments to receive asylum.”
AMP.- The United Kingdom begins to house asylum seekers on the ship ‘Bibby Stockholm’, in PortlandEUROPAPRESS
At the end of last year, the High Court gave the green light to the measure, but those affected -backed by different NGOs such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)- appealed and the Court of Appeals agreed with them. However, the Government has appealed to the Supreme Court. The hearing is expected in October.
Meanwhile, ministers are considering alternative options such as Ascension Island, a British Overseas Territory in the middle of the Atlantic. It is also in negotiations with other countries to send immigrants, including Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, Morocco and Niger, which is currently in the midst of a military coup.
2023-08-07 18:41:20
#immigrants #arrive #ship #shame
