This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the UN Convention on Refugees, 1951. That is the international treaty which guarantees refugees’ rights. 147 countries have signed this convention and the 1967 protocol extending its remit worldwide. British lawyers played an important role in drafting it and the UK was one of the first countries to sign. So it is particularly pertinent to pause and consider our attitude to refugees and asylum seekers, especially those who are in this country.
A refugee is defined by the Convention as: “A person who owing to a well founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”
For centuries, at least back to the time of Shakespeare, this country has given hospitality to refugees, but with varying degrees of enthusiasm and often with opposition expressed by some people or groups to any immigrants, including those seeking asylum, and so it is today. This is a proud tradition and one in keeping with many passages in the Bible, e.g. the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25: vv 31-46. The Refugee Council, which is the largest charity working with asylum seekers and refugees in this country, is currently trying to get 10,000 people to sign a pledge saying that we are proud to uphold this tradition of giving protection to people fleeing persecution. (If you would like to sign you can do so online at www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/protect).
Words and commitment are one thing. Deeds are another. Refugee Week faces us with the question how well are we, as a country or as individuals, applying them to those in need. If physical well-being of those who are here is a guide, it may be answered: “Not very well”. Even before the current situation of economic stringency, thousands of refugees and asylum seekers were living in destitution owing to legislation passed by previous governments and its application by the Home Office or UK Borders Agency. Now the situation may worsen. Last year the Government slashed legal aid for asylum seekers challenging adverse decisions on their asylum claims, which forced the closure of one charity, Refugee and Migrant Justice, which had supported thousands of asylum seekers and refugees. In April this year the Government made huge cuts to support across the voluntary sector – funding for the Refugee Council’s advice services was cut by 60%. This will mean more refugees will end up homeless and hungry.
One of the greatest problems is that there are many whose applications for asylum have been refused and who are awaiting the hearing of appeals (a surprising proportion of which are successful) or unable to return to their former country because it is unsafe or impossible to do so – often recognised by the Home Office itself. These people are neither allowed to work nor entitled to any support from government or local authority, so they have literally nothing on which to live. They are forced to rely on help from churches, charities, handouts or friends.
One of the charities helping in this field is The London Churches Refugee Fund (LCRF). This is one of the charities which this church is committed to support. It is an ecumenical body, with patrons from the Church of England (currently the Bishop of Edmonton), the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Church of God of Prophecy. It was founded in 2007, in response to the needs of organisations meeting at the London Churches Refugee Network, whose members range from individual churches assembling food parcels or clothing to accommodation projects or large drop-in centres offering a range of services. These bodies achieve miracles with gifts in kind or volunteer help, but for some essential items they need cash. It was to meet this need that the LCRF was launched in Westminster Abbey in June 2007, to raise money to give small grants to organisations assisting asylum seekers. Grants are restricted to assist those who are destitute. The LCRF has no staff and all activities are carried out by volunteers.
Grants have been spent on such needs as:
• Food parcels
• Travel cards, to enable access to centres for advice, counselling or classes
• Hygiene packs
• Phone cards, especially for those in detention centres
• ESOL classes (English for speakers of other languages)
• Art classes
• Transport for volunteer advisers
• A self-help group for rape victims
• Groups offering free accommodation and subsistence
LCRF received substantially less in 2009 than 2008. Not wholly surprising given the onset of the financial crisis. The report for 2010 is currently awaited at the time of writing. Steps have been taken in 2010 to try to increase funding, amongst other things by having a core of regular donors. LCRF is concerned to make more church congregations aware of their existence, as they have been dependent on a relatively small number of churches and would welcome wider participation.
Here are some quotations from people helped as a result of grants made by LCRF:
“I did not even have pennies, so the money I received ….literally helped me survive”
“Beyond the financial support, this action is invaluable to me as it gives me hope to see that there are humans who do this for each other.”
“When you suddenly become homeless…..and then people just help you, it surprises you a lot. It gives me pleasure that there are people who donate money to help others they don’t even know.”
“I had no means of survival; even though the amount of money was not huge….it enabled me to seek more assistance and to feed myself…. I am grateful to the kind, caring and generous people who are giving to people whom they have never met in desperate situation like myself.”
There are some leaflets and reports from LCRF (which will be updated as new ones arrive) on the table at the back of the church.
John Willmer
Some events in or near Refugee Week which may be of interest are:
LCRF Supporters’ Evening on Tuesday, 28th June, at 6.00 for 6.30 pm (light refreshments from 6.00 pm) till 8.30 pm at Lumen United Reformed Church, 88 Tavistock Place, WC1H 9RT – formal AGM; news of how grants are being used, information on the current situation, etc.
Survivor! – a celebration of the human spirit for Refugee Week, on Saturday, 25th June, at All Hallows Church Gospel Oak, Savernake Road, NW3 2LA. This is in aid of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (currently being rebranded as Freedom from Torture). Participants include the Alyth Youth Choir, Camden Youth Choir, Rosslyn Hill Chapel Choir, writers from the Foundation’s “Write to Life” programme and two readers from the Hampstead Players.
The Refugee Council’s Celebrating Sanctuary Festival on the South Bank on Sunday, 19th July – for details see www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/60years.
Refugee Week 20th – 26th June
John Willmer