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Act today to end the destitution of people refused asylum

The Independent Asylum Commission published on 30 June 2008 the eagerly awaited second set of recommendations from its comprehensive review of the whole asylum system. Find out how you can help the plight of destitute asylum seekers

• Posted on Jun 30, 2008

The Independent Asylum Commission published on 30 June 2008 the eagerly awaited second set of recommendations from its comprehensive review of the whole asylum system. Read the report at http://www.independentasylumcommission.org.uk/

Never before has such a thorough and rigorous review been undertaken, involving public hearings across the country, masses of evidence and talking to many experts. The clear recommendations are based on formidable evidence-base. This creates a unique opportunity for us all to credibly argue, throughout Britain, that the government should not be using destitution as a policy towards people refused asylum. 
  
Get the message into your local newspaper 

Many, many people read the letters page of their local newspaper. Here's how you can quickly and easily get something in print.

1. If you don't already know which newspapers there are in your area you can find a list under "Newspapers" in the Yellow Pages or there is a comprehensive list of local papers on the mediauk website http://www.mediauk.com/newspapers/ try using the initial letter of your local town, city or area.

2. Read the 6 simple tips at http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/resources/action/letterspage for writing a letter that will get published.

3. Pick out some of the 8 selected points below and weave them into a short letter.

4. Email or post it in.

Points you could include in your letter:

1. The Independent Asylum Commission has conducted an extensive, thorough, and independent review into the whole asylum system. Political parties should listen to them.

2. Destitution is used by the government as a lever to compel people refused asylum to accept removal and return to their country of origin. For many people this is impossible because they have an enduring fear of persecution in their homeland and they "will not be starved into compliance".

3. In specially commissioned large opinion poll 61% of the public asserted, "no-one in the UK should be destitute, regardless of race or immigration status".

4. The government's UK Borders Agency has never come up with any evidence to back up its claim that basic, humane treatment of people refused asylum acts as a "pull factor". That's because there are other reasons for refugees to flee to the UK.

5. Destitution pushes people refused asylum towards sexual exploitation, illegal working and a shadowy, underground existence. They become like "living ghosts". By doing this the government are further stigmatising asylum seekers and fueling negative public perceptions.

6. It is a tragic waste of human skills for the government to stop people stuck here from working. There are lots of people who have been refused asylum but cannot be deported to their homeland because it is unsafe or there are problems with documentation. They could be helping themselves and taxpayers by working, but they are banned from doing that.

7. Independent research found 48% of people agreed (and 38% disagreed) that if someone can't return to their homeland through no fault of their own then they should be allowed paid employment on a temporary basis.

8. Ask the MP for your area (find out their name here http://www.upmystreet.com/commons/l/) to respond to this letter.

Please don't wait for somebody else to write to the newspaper in your area - they can always print more than one.

Go on, do it now. It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes. And when it gets published please email livingghosts@church-poverty.org.uk if you can.

Living Ghosts is the campaign of Church Action on Poverty to change the Government policy of making people refused asylum destitute. They support the Still Human Still Here campaign