BYM lobbies politicians in Refugee Week
‘We urge whoever forms the next government to bear witness to the humanity of all people and provide peaceful, safe routes for people seeking sanctuary.’
Quakers have urged all political parties to draw up a ‘humane, co-ordinated response to those seeking refuge’.
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) made the call during Refugee Week which it marked by allowing Women for Refugee Women (WRW) to take over its social media accounts. WRW raises awareness of the intersection between climate and immigration.
BYM said: ‘The new government should repeal and replace recent laws which punish people seeking sanctuary… and process asylum applications quickly, fairly and affordably.
‘People seeking asylum should be allowed to work and be housed in the community, instead of being detained, placed in dangerous barges and barracks, or forced into destitution’, it added.
BYM pointed out that, under UK law, people forced to flee by human-caused climate disasters, including conflict, desertification or rising sea levels, are classed as economic migrants, not those seeking asylum.
Siobhán Haire, deputy recording clerk for BYM, said: ‘We urge whoever forms the next government to bear witness to the humanity of all people and provide peaceful, safe routes for people seeking sanctuary.’
The Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network hosted a meeting at Friends House on 22 June around the migration experience. Speakers included Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, and Mariam Yusuf of Women Asylum Seekers Together.
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