Cartoon | UK-Rwanda refugee deal to proceed despite criticism

In April, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government announced that it was partnering with Rwanda in a deal to deport illegal migrants to Kigali. The asylum seekers will remain in Rwanda while their applications are processed.

The government said the plan was meant to break people-smuggling networks and stop the flow of migrants across the Channel.

The controversial plan has drawn heavy criticism and legal challenges. Critics say the policy lacks compassion. Both Britain and Rwanda have faced strong criticism. In April,  UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs said:

“UNHCR remains firmly opposed to arrangements that seek to transfer refugees and asylum seekers to third countries in the absence of sufficient safeguards and standards. Such arrangements simply shift asylum responsibilities, evade international obligations, and are contrary to the letter and spirit of the Refugee Convention,”

“People fleeing war, conflict and persecution deserve compassion and empathy. They should not be traded like commodities and transferred abroad for processing.”

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