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UK: Failed Kurd refugees to return to Iraq
18.11.2005
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The
Government is set to resume the enforced return of
failed asylum seekers to Iraq, it has been reported.
According to leaked Home Office documents, obtained
by Channel 4 News, the first of the removals is
scheduled for Saturday. The Home Office would not
confirm the plan, but disclosed that a number of
Iraqi nationals had been detained with a view to
enforcing their removal to Iraq.
The move is said to follow new advice by the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that
returns to the relatively peaceful Kurdish region of
northern Iraq were now "feasible".
However the Refugee Council has warned that even the
Kurdish areas are still too dangerous to return
people against their will.
According to Channel 4 News, around 15 refugees will
be flown out this weekend to the northern city of
Irbil. It quoted the Home Office document as saying:
"Despite reservations about the general situation,
UNHCR conclude that the forcible returns to the
three Northern Governates (Kurdistan) of those who
originate from there could be feasible".
It goes on: "Should the failed asylum seeker not be
permitted to leave the UK voluntarily, their removal
will be enforced. Iraq is no different from other
countries in this regard but it has taken longer
than initially expected to put the practical
arrangements in place."
The move was condemned by the chief executive of the
Refugee Council, Maeve Sherlock, who told Channel 4
News: "Iraq is not safe. Irbil and the Northern
Governates are slightly safer than the rest of the
country but the situation is very volatile."
"The security situation is very difficult. There are
still kidnappings, there is still terrorist
activity. We should not be sending people back until
we know it is safe and we cannot say that we do."
The Home Office first announced its intention to
resume enforced removals in February last year, but
previous attempts have foundered because the
situation in Iraq was judged to be too dangerous.
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "It is important for
the integrity of our asylum system that any
individual who is not found to be in need of
international protection should be expected to leave
the UK."
www.thisislondon.co.uk
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