Photo credit: Aljazeera
There is no doubt about the fact that most asylum seekers die in the process of fleeing to safer climes.
The Guardian reports that increased coastline security and the restriction of viable routes are only encouraging asylum seekers to take risky journeys. The grimly familiar sight of body bags being unloaded from search and rescue boats was witnessed again by reporters on the shores of Northern France last Tuesday.
Once more, ministers from the UK and France went through the ritual of expressing their horror at another mass drowning of people trying to reach the UK.
The charities say the policies of both governments may be inadvertently increasing the number of deaths of people seeking safety in the UK. NGOs and Labour figures have said that the reason that so many people fleeing war and torture are going to the UK by small boats is because there are no viable alternatives.
Since the Labour government introduced immigration policies that progressive institutions have broadly supported, Keir Starmer has abandoned the plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced plans to reduce the backlog and process applications, which will reduce the number of asylum seekers stuck in hotels.
However, there are growing concerns that Starmer’s reluctance to announce “safe routes” into the UK while also pledging more police activity across Europe will force refugees into more dangerous crossings.
Increased UK spending on French security over the years has “militarized” the coastline. In 2023, a joint commitment of 476 million pounds over three years was signed. This means the amount of money the UK spends on security will increase each year. In 20235/26, the UK will hand over 184 million pounds.
Steven Smith, CEO of Care4Calais, says the only way to stop people using small boats is to introduce safe ways of applying for asylum in the UK.
“Every political leader, on both sides of our channel, needs to be asked how many lives will be lost before that end these avoidable tragedies?
“their continued obsession (with) and investment in security measures is not reducing crossings is simply pushing people to take ever increasing risks to do so.
“Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is political lunacy. It’s time politicians were held accountable for their choice to dehumanize people seeking sanctuary from horrors back home. It’s time they ended these tragedies and introduced safe routes.”
