Asylum Seekers Deported From Great Britain

July 10, 2008

     An article released in the Independent on July 7, 2008 proclaimed blatantly through its title that ‘Asylum Seekers are Being Sent Back to Darfur’. In spite of all that is known about the horrific human rights violations taking place in Darfur, and the awareness of the fates that await Darfuri refugees should they return, the British government has somehow seen fit to resume the deportation of the Darfuri people who have sought refuge behind their borders.

Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy is shocked and appalled by this disgusting act of hypocrisy on the part of the British government. How can it be that the a government under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is reportedly boycotting the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games as a stand against human rights violations and who has been quoted calling Darfur one of the worlds “darkest corners”, allow the victims of a known genocide to be sent back to their country to be beaten and slaughtered? Britain is one of the leading countries in human rights as well as being a member of the Security Council. These things do not add up when combine with the recent decision to deport Darfur refugees. It seems that Britain is good and ready to tell others what they can do to stop the genocide, but they are not quite ready to step up to the plate and do something about it themselves. If they do not feel that it is their responsibility to protect these Darfuri refugees, why can’t Britain let move on to another country that will accept them with open arms? Why send them back to a fate that is surely death?