INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The Court of Appeal in London has given the green light for the British government to start the first flight for asylum seekers to be sent
to Rwanda in a controversial immigration policy that has drawn the wrath of the United Nations, rights organizations and the Church of
Judge Rabinder Singh said the Court of Appeal could not interfere with the original "clear and detailed" judgment and refused permission for
dismissed a second separate challenge from Asylum Aid, a refugee charity, which hoped to stop the new government policy, which Downing
argued asylum seekers were not given enough time to challenge their deportation, noting there was a high risk of unlawful and unsafe
say that as the Court of Appeal verdict was made the number of asylum seekers scheduled to leave the plane was less than a dozen with one
exactly how many people will be on the flight
wanted to end dangerous journeys by refugees, but reiterated the UNHCR's position that exporting asylum seekers was not the way to address
we do this to save people from dangerous journeys
Let me doubt that a little bit," he said."Saving people from dangerous journeys is great, is absolutely great
But is that the right way to do it?" he asked
"I don't think so."The UN agency has expressed concerns about the legal process in Rwanda and potential discrimination against
said.He said Rwanda had been "quite good to refugees", having taken in and dealt efficiently with tens of thousands from the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Burundi.But he stressed that its structures and resources were vastly different from those that existed in Britain,
and that Rwanda was not equipped to adopt the UK system for refugee status determination
other countries might follow, with disastrous effect.He highlighted that there are many countries in Africa and elsewhere that are far
poorer than Britain hosting hundreds of thousands and even millions of refugees."What am I going to tell them if they say a rich country
like the UK, they are sending them abroad, I will do the same
dealing with issues of other nations.The most senior cleric in the Church of England, Archbishop Justin Welby, was also among the
from either Stansted airport or the Royal Air Force base of Lyneham
A foreign airline has reportedly agreed to undertake the first deportation flight on behalf of the British Home Office.Measuring just 26,338
April 14, the two countries made headlines when they announced the controversial and rather bizarre policy that asylum seekers arriving in
the UK would be sent some 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles) away to Rwanda
There, Rwandan authorities would be in charge of processing their asylum claims, and, if successful, they would be allowed to live in Rwanda
English Channel in small boats from Europe to reach the British border.But some 160 charities and Human rights groups say the policy is
inhumane and will put refugees at risk
Johnson have not submitted to the pressure and criticism, insisting the policy is needed
Earlier Johnson said the government was determined to press ahead with the policy regardless of the legal challenges and strong
opposition.Despite the government claiming the deportation plan would deter the refugees crossing the English Channel that separates
Britains southern border from Europe, according to government figures, more than 3,500 people have reached Britain in small boats since the
refugees from seeking asylum in the UK; while the court hearings were taking place about 35 refugees arrived in the British port city of
Dover off the English Channel, some carrying their possessions in bags, where they were taken away by British border officials.
