We must change the policies that victimize asylum seekers


Letters to the Editor Times Online December 03, 2005
 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,59-1901530,00.html

Sir, We believe that it is inhuman and unacceptable that some people seeking asylum are left homeless and destitute by government policies. Every city has people destitute or living on food parcels because they have no means of support. We support Church Action on Poverty's call to change the policies that make refused asylum seekers destitute.

As a society we have international moral and legal responsibilities to welcome those fleeing adversity from other parts of the world and provide social security. But the threat of destitution is being used as a way of pressuring refused asylum seekers to leave the country.

There are many people seeking asylum who have their cases refused but have no safe route to return or whose travel documents cause logistical problems for removal. There are also many cases where people are unjustly refused asylum.

All those within our borders - including people seeking asylum - should have the opportunity to help themselves and society through paid employment. Where this is not possible people seeking asylum, whatever their status, should be given the necessary rights to "food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services" (UN Declaration of Human Rights).

Refused asylum seekers are still human, and deserve to be treated the same, as we would expect if we had to flee to another country. We should offer the respect to our neighbours that we expect ourselves. This is at the heart of the Christian faith, and of many other religions.

We therefore call on the Government to allow people seeking asylum to sustain themselves and contribute to wider society through paid work, and where this is not possible, to re-instate 'refused' asylum seekers' entitlement to benefits until such time as they may be removed.

Yours sincerely,

Church of England
Rt Rev Dr John Sentamu
Archbishop of York

Rt Rev Peter Selby
Bishop of Worcester

Rt Rev Dr Peter Forster
Bishop of Chester

Rt Rev John Packer
Bishop of Ripon & Leeds

Rt Rev Jack Nicholls
Bishop of Sheffield

Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali
Bishop of Rochester

Rt Rev John Saxbee
Bishop of Lincoln

Rt Rev David Hawtin
Bishop of Repton

Rt Rev Dr John Inge
Bishop of Huntingdon

Rt Rev George Cassidy
Bishop of Southwell

Rt Rev John Pritchard
Bishop of Jarrow

Rt Rev David Rossdale
Bishop of Grimsby

Rt Rev Stephen Venner
Bishop of Dover in Canterbury

Rt Rev Michael Bourke
Bishop of Wolverhampton

Rt Rev Lindsay Urwin
Bishop of Horsham

Rt Rev Laurie Green
Bishop of Bradwell

Rt Rev Nigel Stock
Bishop of Stockport

Rt Rev Paul Butler
Bishop of Southampton

Rt Rev Stephen Oliver
Bishop of Stepney

Rt Rev Dr Alan Smith
Bishop of Shrewsbury

Rev Canon Adrian B Slade
Bishop of Gloucester's advisor

Roman Catholic Bishops

Rt Rev Patrick O'Donoghue
Bishop of Lancaster

Most Rev Mario Conti
Archdiocese of Glasgow


Most Rev Patrick Kelly
Archbishop of Liverpool

Rt Rev Christopher Budd
Bishop of Plymouth

Rt Rev John Crowley
Bishop of Middlesbrough

Rt Rev Edwin Regan
Bishop of Wrexham

Rt Rev Arthur Roche
Bishop of Leeds

Baptist Union

Dr Patricia Margaret Took
Team Leader London Baptist Association

Ernie Whalley & Graham Brownlee
Regional Ministers, Yorkshire Baptist Association

Church in Ireland

Most Rev Dr Robin Eames
Archbishop of Armagh

Church in Wales

Most Rev Barry Morgan
Archbishop of Wales

Rt Revd C Cooper
Bishop of St David's

Rt Rev Anthony Crockett
Bishop of Bangor

Methodist Church

Rev Alison Tomlin
Chair, Oxford & Leicester District

Rev David Emison
Chair, Cumbria District


Rev Peter F Curry
Chair, Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury District

Rev Leo Osborn
Chair, Newcastle District

United Reformed Church

Revd Elizabeth Welch
Moderator West Midlands Synod

Rev Terry Oakley
Moderator East Midlands Synod

Rev Roberta Rominger
Moderator Thames North Synod

Wendy Cooper
Church & Society United Reformed Church

Scottish Episcopal Church

Most Rev Bruce Cameron
Bishop Of Aberdeen & Orkney

Racial justice/ Refugee agencies

Revd Myra Blyth
Moderator, Churches Commission on Racial Justice

Rev Robert Wiggs
Brentwood Diocese Refugee Proj

Churches Together in Britain & Ireland, co-presidents

Sister Eluned Williams (Methodist Church)

Rev Nezlin Sterling (National & International Secretary, New Testament Assembly).