I've been reading the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Rwandan governments on the refugee issue, and it threw up some surprises (it's always recommended to read the source material).
- Section 5 - the UK will be responsible for the initial screening of the asylum seekers. Given that information leaked to the Times newspaper suggests that numbers will be limited to 300 a year, there obviously must be some screening of the thousands who arrive here each year, as it's obvious not all will be sent to Rwanda.
- Section 8.2 - a relocated individual will be free to come and go as they please, which means they'll be free to try to get into the UK again, without hindrance, but disappear into the woodwork.
- Section 11.1 - the Rwandan government has to make a relocated individual available for transfer to the UK, should the UK be legally obliged to facilitate that person's return. Does that mean they expect to have to do this on legal challenges?
- Section 16 - the UK has agreed to take some of the most vulnerable refugees already in Rwanda.
- Section 23 - the duration of the agreement is just 5 years.
Section 16 seems to make the whole process somewhat illogical and makes it nothing more than a refugee swap.
Overall, it seems to be an attempt to show the UK government is doing something, while doing very little, which is par for the course for this incompetent kleptocracy we call a government.
The Israeli government tried this exact procedure with Rwanda, but it was eventually overturned in the Israeli courts as contravening international law. One suspects the same will happen here following the imminent judicial review and, once again, the judges will be the target of the right wing tabloids for merely applying laws that governments have signed up to.
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