Syrians and Iraq refugees arrive at Skala Sykamias Lesvos Greece October 2015 (Credit Wikipedia)
By Atwine Allen – DIPLOMATIC TIMES CORRESPONDENT
KIGALI, RWANDA – A dramatic last-minute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights late Tuesday forced the United Kingdom to cancel its first scheduled deportation flight to East African nation Rwanda. Human Rights groups call the UK-Rwanda migrant plan “cruel, racist, and inhumane”. There was international outrage over the UK’s attempt to ‘offshore’ those seeking asylum in Britain to Rwanda. Last Friday, judges at UK’s Court of Appeal rejected a series of last-gasp attempts by campaigners to stop the government from sending its first flight of asylum seekers to Rwanda. The UK court action allowed the flight to proceed Tuesday evening. Lawyers for the asylum-seekers immediately filed multiple case-by-case appeals seeking to block the deportation of everyone on the government’s list. By Tuesday morning, there were only 7 migrants set to be deported on the flight. Then the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) stepped in late Tuesday and successfully grounded the flight by last-minute court injunctions. All of the migrants were removed from the plane. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed the refugee deal would stop criminal gangs from human trafficking migrants in dangerous, and often, deadly conditions, in Britain. Amnesty International and the United Nations criticized the plan as being “inhumane”. There were reports that “torture and trafficking victims” were among those the government planned to put on the plane for deportation.
UK Paid RWANDA $156 MILLION USD For The Migrant Deal
Per the UK migrant deal, Rwanda would receive £120 million (156.85 million USD) in up-front costs, with asylum-seekers being flown into the country where there cases would be processed.
RWANDA Said It Would Provide Safety and Protection to Migrants
Rwanda government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo (Twitter)
The Rwanda government staunchly defends the controversial scheme to send asylum seekers from the United Kingdom to its East African nation some 6,589 km (4,094 miles) away. Rwanda government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said Rwanda has pledged to provide safety, protection and a legal pathway to residence, as well as development opportunities for both migrants and Rwandans. Many critics said Rwanda has a sordid history on human rights.
However, Makolo maintains that “Rwanda has a good track record of human rights”, and says the nation wants to offer migrants an opportunity to build a “dignified” life.
(Photo by Antwine Allen / © Diplomatic Times ) The six-story, 72-room Rouge by Desir Hotel located in Kigali is one of the places in the capital city where Rwanda plans to accommodate asylum seekers sent by the United Kingdom.
The Rouge by Desir Hotel located in Kigali is among the facilities in the Rwandan capital Kigali where migrants would be accommodated. The operations manager of the Hotel declined comment on the last-minute halting of the migrants flight from the UK.
The renovated 50-room Hope Hostel facility is also a home designated for migrants deported from the UK. It currently houses refugees with some reportedly from Libya. It used to host student survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide for nearly three decades. An employee of the Hope Hostel told Diplomatic Times that Rwanda has been through a lot in its history. The employee, whose name will not be revealed, said Rwanda has been “fair” with refugees by offering them a deserved accommodation and meals in addition to adequate security. Indeed, the Hope Hostel had several security guards around the facility and there is “airport” like security inside. Of the decision to halt the flight of refugees to Rwanda, the Hostel employee said “life goes on”.
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel says Britain Still Committed to Asylum Plan After Setback
Priti Sushil Patel is a British Conservative politician who serves as UK Home Secretary (Credit: parliament.uk)
Home Secretary Priti Patel, who was instrumental in helping negotiate the $156 million controversial migrant asylum scheme with Rwanda said the UK remains committed to the plan despite Tuesday’s cancelation of the first flight. She told fellow MP’s on Wednesday that plans are still underway for future flights despite the massive public protests by human rights activists in London and the European Court’s successful intervention. The government plans to challenge the ruling from the ECHR that grounded the Home Office’s first flight to Rwanda.
“This government will not be deterred from doing the right thing. We will not be put off by the inevitable legal last-minute challenges. Nor will we allow mobs to block removals.”
-UK Home Secretary Priti Patel
