“The plan of sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda goes against the prophet Isaiah’s words that we read in the run-up to Easter: ‘A bruised reed he will not break and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out’”. With these words, in a release, bishop Paul McAleenan, director of the migrant and refugees service at the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, criticised the British government’s decision to relocate some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
“Though that plan is presented as a humanitarian need to fight human trafficking, it will in fact make things more difficult for those who come to our shores, hoping in a better future – bishop McAleenan writes -. The actions of the population of the United Kingdom show that the British citizens wish to help those who need them, and the government’s decision should reflect this”.
“I remember a commemorative plaque along the Dover promenade in honour of those who died at sea, seeking asylum, that says: ‘Every migrant has a name, a face, a story’. This should be our starting point. We must help them tell their story, bearing in mind that we are dealing with people made in the image of God who have gone through lots of difficulties in their country and in their journeys. We must address the problems that make people leave their homes. Let’s pray for all the refugees who are only trying to survive day by day”.