International
First group of UK migrants to arrive next week
Rwanda
has put in place all necessary requirements to ensure that migrants who will
arrive next week from the UK, have safety, live in dignified designated
shelters and all their cases observed, The New Times has reliably established.
On
April 14, Rwanda and the United Kingdom announced a major partnership under
which the former will receive migrants and asylum seekers from the UK.
It
is scheduled that the first group will arrive next week. Upon arrival, they will be accommodated at Hope
Hostels. At the hostel, they will be registered and their asylum claims will be
received and recorded.
The
claims, according to sources, will be assessed based on Rwandan refugee laws
and international conventions. The assessment will determine whether they get
refugee status. Those granted refugees status will be given due papers. For
those who won't be willing to take the refugee status will also be offered an
opportunity to stay in Rwanda, and if they stay, they will be granted a
residence permit.
The
New Times also established that both, those who are granted the refugee status
and those who are granted the option to stay, will be given packages to
facilitate them to stay in the country, integrate and acquire some skills for
the long term plan so that in future they are able to sustain themselves.
Judge
gives UK-Rwanda migration deal a clean bill of health
Meanwhile,
when Rwanda and the United Kingdom inked a Migration and Economic Development
Partnership, back in April, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that there
are politically motivated lawyers that may attempt to challenge the deal of
transferring migrants and asylum seekers who are illegally in the UK to Rwanda.
Although
he expressed confidence that the policy was fully compliant with international
legal obligations, what he anticipated eventually happened. Some lawyers ran to
court trying to block the first flight to Kigali that is scheduled for next
week.
Kigali
had also announced that they had been working on the deal with the UK for nine
months to ensure it abides by all international obligations.
On
Friday this week, British judge Jonathan Swift rejected bid to block the
transfer of illegal entrants in the UK to Rwanda, saying that the deal with
Rwanda "is in public interest.”
In
fact, Swift noted that; “there is a material public interest in the Home
Secretary (Priti Patel) being able to implement immigration decisions.” He
added that some of the risks facing the transfer of asylum seekers outlined by
the charities were small and "in the realms of speculation."
He
said he did not consider there was any evidence that there would be
"ill-treatment, refoulement" or anything that violated their rights
under article three of the UK's Human Rights Act.
Article
three protects people from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, and deportation or extradition to a country where there is a real risk
they will face torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.
Reactions
Reacting
to the ruling, UK Home Office Secretary, Priti Patel tweeted that, "I
welcome the court’s decision in our favour and will now continue to deliver on
progressing our world-leading Migration Partnership. People will continue
to try and prevent their relocation through legal challenges and last-minute
claims but we will not be deterred in breaking the deadly people smuggling
trade and ultimately save lives.”
She
went on to note that, "Rwanda is a safe country and has previously been
recognised for providing a safe haven for refugees – we will continue
preparations for the first flight to Rwanda, alongside the range of other
measures intended to reduce small boat crossings."
The
UK Prime Minister also expressed his appreciation of the court ruling saying
that; “Welcome news from the High Court today. We cannot allow people
traffickers to put lives at risk and our world leading partnership will
help break the business model of these ruthless criminals.”
The
deal
The Rwanda-UK Migration and Economic Development Partnership intends
to disrupt the business model of organised crime gangs that make a fortune from
illegally shipping migrants to the UK; will also intend to deter migrants from
putting their lives at risk.
The
partnership was shaped in a manner that prioritises the dignity and rights of
migrants, empowering them with a range of opportunities for building a better
life in a country which has been consistently ranked as one of the world’s
safest.
The partnership is the first of its kind, and has been referred to as an innovative solution to a broken global immigration system.
Source:
www.newtimes.co.rw