UK
Zelenskyy visits UK on European tour seeking military aid
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was visiting Britain on Monday, as the staunch ally of Ukraine prepares to give more military aid in an effort to change the course of the war.
The U.K. government confirmed Zelenskyy's arrival early Monday and said he would meet with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
It is the fourth European country Zelenskky has visited in the past few days. He made an unannounced visit to Paris on Sunday evening to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, after trips to Germany and Italy, where he met those countries' leaders and Pope Francis.
A message posted Monday on Zelenskyy's official Telegram Channel said: "Today — London. The UK is leading the way when it comes to expanding our capabilities on the ground and in the air. This cooperation will continue today. I will meet my friend Rishi. We will conduct substantive negotiations face-to-face and in delegations.”
Sunak's office confirmed the two leaders would meet at Chequers. the prime minister's country retreat outside London. It's Zelenskyy's second trip to the U.K. since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
The U.K. has become one of Ukraine's major military allies, sending Kyiv short-range missiles and Challenger tanks and training 15,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. Last week Britain announced it had sent Ukraine Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which have a range of more than 250 kilometers (150 miles) — the first known shipment of the weaponry that Kyiv has long sought from its allies.
Sunak's office said that on Monday Britain will confirm it is giving Ukraine hundreds more air defense missiles, as well as “long-range attack drones" with a range of more than 200 kilometers (120 miles).
“This is a crucial moment in Ukraine’s resistance to a terrible war of aggression they did not choose or provoke," Sunak said. "They need the sustained support of the international community to defend against the barrage of unrelenting and indiscriminate attacks that have been their daily reality for over a year.
“We must not let them down.”
Russia stepped up attacks across Ukraine with drones and missiles over the weekend. On Sunday, Russia shelled two communities in the northern border region of Sumy, the region’s military administration said in a statement on its official Telegram channel. It said 109 explosions were recorded.
Zelenskyy toured European capitals over the weekend to seek more aid as Ukraine prepares a long-anticipated spring offensive to retake territory seized by Russia.
Zelenskyy and Macron met for about three hours at the French presidential Elysee Palace — an encounter kept under wraps until shortly before the Ukrainian leader’s arrival in Paris.
Macron’s office said France will supply dozens of light tanks and armored vehicles “in the weeks ahead,” without giving specific numbers. Also promised were more air defense systems, but again details weren’t made public.
More Ukrainians will also be made battle-ready, with France aiming to train about 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers in France this year and nearly 4,000 others in Poland as part of a wider European effort, Macron’s office said.
France has supplied Ukraine with an array of weaponry, include air defense systems, light tanks, howitzers and other arms and equipment and fuel.
France had dispatched a plane to pick up Zelenskyy in Germany, where he met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz earlier Sunday and discussed his country’s planned counteroffensive.
It was his first visit to Berlin since the start of the invasion and came a day after the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.
After initially hesitating to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, Germany has become one of the biggest suppliers of arms to Ukraine, including Leopard 1 and 2 battle tanks, and the sophisticated IRIS-T SLM air defense system. Modern Western hardware is considered crucial if Ukraine is to succeed in its planned counteroffensive.
In the western German city of Aachen, Zelenskyy also received the prestigious International Charlemagne Prize, awarded to him and the people of Ukraine.
On Saturday. he met Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome.
On the European trip, Zelenskyy said it will aim to liberate Russian-occupied areas within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders, and not attack Russian territory.
The Washington Post cited previously undisclosed documents from a trove of U.S. intelligence leaks suggesting that Zelenskyy has considered trying to capture areas in Russia proper for possible use as bargaining chips in peace negotiations to end the war launched by Moscow in February 2022. This would put him at odds with Western governments that have insisted that weapons they provide must not be used to attack targets in Russia.
Asked about the report, Zelenskyy said: “We don’t attack Russian territory, we liberate our own legitimate territory.”
“We have neither the time nor the strength (to attack Russia),” he said, according to an official interpreter. “And we also don’t have weapons to spare with which we could do this.”
“We are preparing a counterattack for the illegally occupied areas based on our constitutionally defined legitimate borders, which are recognized internationally,” Zelenskyy said.
Among areas still occupied by Russia are the Crimean peninsula and parts of eastern Ukraine with mainly Russian-speaking populations.
India shaping up campaign to reclaim historical artefacts looted in colonial era, UK media reports
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other diplomats are reportedly gearing up for a campaign later this year to reclaim items in British museums and held by the royal family, The Guardian reports citing the Daily Telegraph.
The items include the controversial Koh-i-noor diamond, which is held by the royal family and has featured in discussions about its potential use in the coronation; the treasures of Tipu Sultan, which are in the Victoria and Albert Museum and Powis Castle; and the Amaravati Marbles.
India’s actions are part of a larger reconsideration of its former colonial status. Modi has encouraged school classes to be taught in Hindi and other languages rather than English, India's parliament is being rebuilt and its MPs are preparing to move out of the Edwin Lutyens-designed colonial era building, and roadways named after former British monarchs have been renamed, according to the report.
Read more: Now that the Queen is dead, will India get Kohinoor back?
Meanwhile, The Telegraph quoted Govind Mohan, secretary for the Indian ministry of culture, saying returning antiquities is going to be a key part of future policy. “It is of huge importance to the government,” he said. “The thrust of this effort to repatriate India’s artefacts comes from the personal commitment of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, who has made it a major priority.”
The issue has previously received attention alongside disputes that include the potential return of the Elgin marbles to Greece.
Former Conservative prime ministers and culture secretaries have rebuffed requests for the return of artefacts. During his 2013 visit to India, David Cameron stated that the return of the Koh-i-noor was not the “right approach,” according to The Guardian.
The report also quoted a leading author on the British empire regarding the issue.
Read more: National Museum to send proposal for including palm leaf scroll etching as UNESCO cultural heritage: KM Khalid
Sathnam Sanghera, who authored “Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain”, believes the Indian jewels and other historical artefacts looted during the British colonial era will be returned “inevitably.”
He said the latest demands are part of a series by former colonies reassessing their own time under the empire.
Sanghera said, “Our museums and the royal family are in possession of billions of pounds worth of Indian loot. It was a systematic part of colonial rule. The royal family was given the king’s share of that loot. When we annexed parts of India and Burma [now Myanmar], there were representatives of our museums there to take things, soldiers took loot and sold it, too.
“It’s not just the financial value of these items, there is also the emotional and religious value.
Read more: French honour for Nadia Samdani: Receives Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters medal
“These countries are future superpowers or superpowers already, they are not going to shut up about it,” the writer told The Guardian.
On the issue of returning Koh-i-noor, Sanghera agrees that the item is controversial in its own right, with multiple claims on its ownership.
“I think it is impossible. There will be anger by the Sikhs if the Hindu nationals get it. It is unsolvable,” he said.
Museums are constrained by law to keep their collections intact. However, charities such as the National Trust who are not subject to the same legal restrictions may be approached first.
Read more: Tracing the Roots of Ekushey Boi Mela
Sanghera said, “In the next 10 years, it will totally change. Young people in Britain feel the same way about loot in museums as we felt about animals in zoos. They can’t quite believe it is allowed. I think it is inevitable.”
Countries such as India are altering historical legacies of colonial rule, which ended in 1947, and an official tour of the Caribbean by the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2022 was marked by demands for slavery reparations from the days of the British empire.
BNP-Jamaat is an alliance of killers, don't vote for them: PM Hasina at London reception
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again urged the people not to vote for BNP-Jamaat nexus in Bangladesh's next general election as they will just ruin the country.
“They (BNP-Jamaat) will just destroy the country, nothing else. So, make it sure that BNP-Jamaat must not come to power again,” she said.
The prime minister made the call on Sunday (May 07, 2023) while addressing a civic reception accorded to her by Bangladeshi expatriates in the UK at London Marriott Hotel.
She said that BNP-Jamaat alliance is just a bunch of killers, thieves and corrupts.
Read More: Khulna city polls: Miscreants attack BNP leader Kaisar’s house, threaten not to join election
“So people should remain cautious and must not cast their votes for them,” she said.
Hasina, the chief of the ruling Awami League, expressed hope that people of the country will give their verdict in favour of Awami League in the next general election.
“Inshallah people will vote for us in the next election to setve them one more time,” she said.
She said that BNP-Jamaat nexus siphoned off money and put the country on the verge of destruction.
Read More: BNP leaders losing their mind over world's praise for Bangladesh: Hasan Mahmud
“How could people cast their votes for them,” she wondered.
She said that Tarique Rahman (BNP vice chairman) has been convicted of corruption and the government has been able to bring back some Tk 40 crore that was smuggled by Koko ( late son of BNP leader Khaleda Zia).
Reiterating her determination to build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh, Hasina said, “Bangladesh will be a smart Bangladesh by 2041. We have formulated Delta 2100 plan. We have to take the country forward.”
She said that there will be no homeless, landless people in the country.
Read More: BNP burning over PM's success on tours: Hasan Mahmud
“Awami League works for the welfare of people. No person in Bangladesh will remain without food," she said.
Criticising BNP leaders including Tarique , the PM said, "Today, where do you get the courage to call us vote thieves?"
She said that Tarique Zia was a vote thief, and his mother ( Khaleda Zia) too.
PM Hasina said that Awami League did not come to power by rigging the votes of the people.
Read More: BNP-Jamaat protesters refuse PM Hasina's invite to meet her in hotel: Official
“Awami League always fights for the rights of the people; Awami League has come to power after being elected by thecpeople. Awami League never grabbed or stole power,” she said.
Hasina asked the BNP leaders to reflect on how many parties participated in the February 15, 1996 election and how many votes were cast.
Awami League president said that the people of the country are now aware enough about their right to vote. "We have made the people aware.”
The prime minister said that no one has anything to say about the fairness of the 2008 election that was won by the Awami League-led alliance.
Read More: BNP, Ganatantra Mancha meeting held on future of anti-govt movement
“What is the result of that election? How many seats did BNP's 20-party alliance get? The 20-party coalition won 29 seats in the election and 1 in a by-election, totaling 30 seats. And the remaining seat is Awami League-led alliance. We got it all. Where is their position among the people that they jump so much?”
She briefly described various development programmes of the government that have been taken in the last 14 years.
Bangladesh's next general election will be fair, PM Hasina tells UK
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has once again said that her country's upcoming general election will be free and fair.
She made it clear after UK Foreign Minister James Cleverly during a meeting with her on Saturday (May 06, 2023) said that Britain wants to see a fair national election in Bangladesh in the coming days.
Bangladesh is likely to hold the next general election either end this year or early next year.
Cleverly called on Hasina at the Claridge Hotel where the visiting prime minister is staying on her official UK visit.
Read: US wants Bangladesh to set a strong example of free, fair election
Hasina urged cooperation from all to make the next polls free and fair, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen who briefed the media after the meeting.
“We want a fair election to be held. My party has always maintained democracy in the country. We have given the country’s democracy a strong footing,” she said.
The PM further said that her government is committed to holding a fair election which requires participation of all.
"I want cooperation from all to hold a fair election,” Hasina said.
Read more: Awami League alone exercises democracy and holds fair polls in Bangladesh: PM Hasina
She stated that the AL government had done everything required to hold a fair election. She mentioned introduction of a voter list with photographs of voters and making ballot boxes transparent so that none can manipulate the vote.
“We have created a strong state of democracy in Bangladesh," she said.
On the contrary the BNP during its rule had prepared a voter list with 1.23 crore fake voters for rigging votes, she said.
“We have made the Election Commission (EC) as independent and powerful enough alongside bringing institutional frameworks to hold a fair election,” she said.
Read More: Election is Bangladesh’s internal affair, would refrain from commenting: Japanese Ambassador
The Prime Minister said they believe in Westminster like democracy following which Bangladesh has introduced a question-answer session in the Parliament.
During the talks, several bilateral issues like climate change, trade and commerce alongside the Rohingyas came up prominently, Momen said.
The UK foreign minister highly praised the humanitarian role of Bangladesh premier in sheltering a huge number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
“Britain will remain beside Bangladesh for quick repatriation of Rohingyas,” Cleverly said.
Read More: BNP not to join polls under AL: Fakhrul
Momen said the British government introduced a resolution before the UN Security Council on the Rohingya issue and played an effective role for its adoption.
Cleverly also expressed his gratitude towards Bangladesh premier for joining the coronation of King Charles III.
King’s coronation draws apathy, criticism in former colonies
When King Charles III is crowned on Saturday, soldiers carrying flags from the Bahamas, South Africa, Tuvalu and beyond will march alongside British troops in a spectacular military procession in honor of the monarch.
For some, the scene will affirm the ties that bind Britain and its former colonies. But for many others in the Commonwealth, a group of nations mostly made up of places once claimed by the British Empire, Charles’ coronation is seen with apathy at best.
In those countries, the first crowning of a British monarch in 70 years is an occasion to reflect on oppression and colonialism’s bloody past. The displays of pageantry in London will jar especially with growing calls in the Caribbean to sever all ties with the monarchy.
“Interest in British royalty has waned since more Jamaicans are waking to the reality that the survivors of colonialism and the holocaust of slavery are yet to receive reparatory justice,” the Rev. Sean Major-Campbell, an Anglican priest in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, said.
Also Read: PM Hasina arrives in London to attend coronation of UK’s King Charles III
The coronation is “only relevant in so far as it kicks us in the face with the reality that our head of state is simply so by virtue of biology,” Major-Campbell added.
As British sovereign, Charles is also head of state of 14 other countries, though the role is largely ceremonial. These realms, which include Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, represent a minority of the Commonwealth nations: most of the 56 members are republics, even if some still sport the Union Jack on their flags.
Barbados was the most recent Commonwealth country to remove the British monarch as its head of state, replacing Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, with an elected president in 2021. The decision spurred similar republican movements in neighboring Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize.
Last year, when Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness welcomed Prince William and his wife, Kate, during a royal tour of the Caribbean, he announced that his country intends to become fully independent. It made for an awkward photo with the royal couple, who were also confronted with protests calling for Britain to pay slavery reparations.
Also Read: UK’s diverse communities ambivalent about king’s coronation
William, the heir to the throne, observed later in the same trip that the relationship between the monarchy and the Caribbean has evolved. The royal family will “support with pride and respect your decisions about your future,” he told a reception in the Bahamas.
Rosalea Hamilton, an advocate for changing Jamaica’s Constitution to get rid of the royals, said she was organizing a coronation day forum to engage more Jamaicans in the process of political reform.
The timing of the event is meant to “signal to the head of state that the priority is to move away from his leadership, rather than focus on his coronation,” Hamilton said.
Two days ahead of Charles’ crowning, campaigners from 12 Commonwealth countries wrote to the monarch urging him to apologize for the legacies of British colonialism.
Among the signatories was Lidia Thorpe, an Australian senator, who said Thursday that Charles should “begin a process of repairing the damage of colonization, including returning the stolen wealth that has been taken from our people.”
Buckingham Palace said last month that Charles supported research into the historical links between Britain’s monarchy and the transatlantic slave trade. The king takes the issue “profoundly seriously,” and academics will be given access to the royal collection and archives, the palace said.
In India, once the jewel of the British Empire, there’s scant media attention and very little interest in the coronation. Some people living in the country’s vast rural hinterlands may not have even heard of King Charles III.
Also Read: With coronation approaching, Charles and Buckingham Palace working at top speed to show new king at work
“India has moved on,” and most Indians “have no emotional ties with the royal family,” Pavan K. Varma, a writer and former diplomat, said. Instead, the royals are seen more like amusing celebrities, he said.
And while the country still values its economic and cultural ties with the European country, Varma pointed out that India’s economy has overtaken the U.K.’s.
“Britain has shrunk globally into a medium-sized power,” he said. “This notion needs to be removed, that here is a former colony riveted to the television watching the coronation of Prince Charles. I don’t think this is happening in India.”
Since gaining independence in 1947, India has moved to shed the vestiges of British imperialism. The statue of King George V that used to stand near the India Gate monument in New Delhi was moved in the 1960s to Coronation Park. Once the scene of celebrations honoring Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and George V, the park is now a repository for representations of former monarchs and officials of the British Raj in India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has led a renewed push to reclaim India’s past and erase “symbols of slavery” from the country’s time under the British crown. His government has scrubbed away colonial-era street names, some laws and even flag symbols.
“I don’t think we should care much about (the royals),” Milind Akhade, a photographer in New Delhi, said. “They enslaved us for so many years.”
In Nairobi, Kenya, motorcycle taxi driver Grahmat Luvisia was similarly dismissive of the idea of following the coronation on TV.
“I will not be interested in watching the news or whatever is happening over there because we have been mistreated back then by those colonizers,” he said.
Herman Manyora, a political analyst and journalism professor at the University of Nairobi, said memories of Britain’s harsh response to the Mau Mau rebellion in the 1950s are still raw.
Many Kenyans will not watch the coronation “because of the torture during colonialism, because of the oppression, because of detentions, because of killings, because of the alienation of our land,” Manyora said.
Not everyone is as critical. In Uganda, political analyst Asuman Bisiika says British culture continues to have a strong influence on young people in the East African country, especially those who follow English soccer. There is also a lot of goodwill for Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September after 70 years on the throne.
“It’s not about caring for the British monarchy,” Bisiika said. “It’s about relating.”
In the South African city of Durban, expat British communities have planned a live screening of the coronation ceremony, complete with trumpeters to announce the moment the Archbishop of Canterbury crowns Charles. On Sunday, there will be a special church service followed by a picnic or a “braai,” a traditional South African barbecue.
“I think people want to be part of an important moment in history,” Illa Thompson, one of the organizers of the festivities, said.
Experts say that despite its flaws, historical baggage and fraying edges, the Commonwealth still holds appeal, especially for poorer nations. Gabon and Togo, which are former French colonies with no colonial links to Britain, became the association’s newest members last year. Most observers believe countries like Jamaica that want an elected head of state are likely to retain their memberships.
“Countries, whether they benefit or not, feel like they need to have this closeness to Britain as an economic entity,” said Kehinde Andrews, a professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University. “As much as there will be still be some dissent — (Charles) is not as popular as his mother — it’s all about the economics.”
Big Tech crackdown looms as EU, UK ready new rules
TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Google, Amazon and other Big Tech companies are facing rising pressure from European authorities as London and Brussels advanced new rules Tuesday to curb the power of digital companies.
The U.K. government unveiled draft legislation that would give regulators more power to protect consumers from online scams and fake reviews and boost digital competition.
Meanwhile, the European Union was set to release a list of the 19 biggest online platforms and search engines that face extra scrutiny and obligations under the 27-nation bloc's landmark digital rules taking effect later this year.
Also Read: TikTok attorney: China can’t get U.S. data under plan
The updates help solidify Europe’s reputation as the global leader in efforts to rein in the power of social media companies and other digital platforms.
Britain's Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers bill proposes giving watchdogs more teeth to draw down the dominance of tech companies, backed by the threat of fines worth up to 10% of their annual revenue.
Under the proposals, online platforms and search engines can be required to give rivals access to their data or be more transparent about how their app stores and marketplaces work.
The rules would make it illegal to hire someone to write a fake review or allow the posting of online consumer reviews “without taking reasonable steps" to verify they're genuine. They also would make it easier for consumers get out of online subscriptions.
The new rules, which still need go through the legislative process and secure parliamentary approval, would apply only to companies with 25 million pounds in global revenue or 1 billion pounds in U.K. revenue.
Also Read: Twitter restores blue tick to high-profile accounts with over 1 million followers
Also Tuesday, the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, is set to designate 19 of the biggest online platforms or search engines that will have to take extra steps to clean up illegal content and disinformation and keep users safe online.
Violations of the bloc’s new Digital Services Act could result in fines worth up to 6% of a company’s annual global revenue — amounting to billions of dollars — or even a ban on operating in the EU.
Google, Twitter, TikTok, Apple, Facebook and Instagram have already disclosed that they have more than 45 million users in Europe, putting them over the bloc's threshold.
PM opens VVIP terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal Int’l Airport
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday inaugurated the newly constructed VVIP terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
She opened the VVIP terminal in the morning before she flew for Tokyo on the first leg of her two-week tri-nation official visit to Japan, the USA and the UK.
Also Read: PM Hasina reaches Tokyo to begin four-day official visit to Japan
Unveiling the screen of the terminal’s plaque, the premier joined a munajat. Cabinet members and high government officials were present.
Sheikh Hasina is now visiting Japan from April 25 to 28 at the invitation of Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio.
Also Read: PM Hasina off to Tokyo on first leg of a two-week official visit to Japan, USA and UK
She is expected to return home on May 9 after visiting the USA and the UK.
US Embassy expects investigation of alleged assault on journo Zulkarnain's brother
The US Embassy in Dhaka expects an investigation thoroughly into a reported attack on Mahinur Ahmed Khan, brother of UK-based journalist Zulkarnain Saer Khan Sami
"We wish Khan a speedy recovery, and we hope the case is thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice," said acting US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller in a statement on Friday.
Bryan Schiller said the US Embassy is aware of reports that Mahinur was attacked in front of his home in Mirpur last week.
Mahinur Ahmed Khan, 37, came under attack at about 8:00pm on March 17 as he went out to buy some essential items from a shop opposite his house, according to his wife Rubyda Rakhee.
Prince William thanks Poland for generosity to Ukrainians
Britain's Prince William paid tribute on Thursday to Poles who lost their lives in past wars, and expressed gratitude to the nation for what it is doing today to provide humanitarian and military support to Ukraine.
The heir to the throne's visit to Poland underscores Britain’s support for both Ukraine and Poland, an ally on the front line of efforts to help refugees displaced by Russia’s war and to assist the Ukrainian military in fighting off the invasion.
William laid a wreath in Poland's national colors, white and red, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and bowed his head solemnly. The memorial honors Poles who lost their lives in wars including World War II, when Polish and British soldiers were allies.
A note on the wreath that he left read: “In memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice."
He later headed to the presidential palace for a meeting with President Andrzej Duda, who has been a prominent ally of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago. Duda's office said their talks focused on humanitarian aid for Ukraine.
“The Prince of Wales thanked the Poles for their generosity and hospitality,” Duda's office said.
In the final stop on his two-day visit, the prince then went to a trendy food hall where he met with young Ukrainians working or continuing their studies in Poland.
William began his surprise visit Wednesday by meeting with British and Polish troops in Rzeszow, a city of 200,000 people in southeastern Poland that has become a hub for shipments of military and humanitarian aid bound for Ukraine.
“I just wanted to come here in person to say thank you for all that you’re doing, keeping everyone safe out here and keeping an eye on what’s going on,″ William said as he spoke to the troops.
He later traveled to a center in Warsaw that houses about 300 recent arrivals from Ukraine, meeting Ukrainians and playing table tennis with children.
Read more: UK PM Sunak makes surprise trip to Kyiv, boosts defence aid
The U.K. has been one of the most outspoken supporters of bolstering NATO’s eastern flank in the face of Russia’s aggression. The country sent troops to Poland and the Baltic states and provided more than 2.3 billion pounds ($2.8 billion) of military aid to Ukraine. It also has pledged 220 million pounds ($269 million) of humanitarian assistance.
Deploying the popular 40-year-old prince, a military veteran who also worked as a civilian air-sea rescue pilot, offers a more personal touch. While British political leaders have visited Poland regularly to trumpet their support for NATO and the Ukrainian cause, a senior royal like William is a symbol of the nation who can thank military personnel for their service without the baggage of party politics.
Asylum seeker accommodation in UK ‘racialised segregation and de facto detention’: Report
Asylum seekers in the United Kingdom who complain about poor conditions in Home Office assigned hotels were threatened with “being sent to Rwanda,” according to a new report by charity group Refugee Action.
The report, titled “Hostile Accommodation: How the Asylum System Is Cruel By Design”, consists 100 in-depth interviews with asylum seekers conducted in hotels in London, Manchester, the West Midlands, and Bradford, reports The Guardian.
It contains interviews with single persons and families, extensive casework records relating to problems in hotels and other asylum accommodations, and freedom of information (FOI) requests to council environmental health departments.
In addition to being advised not to complain about terrible living conditions or expect deportation to Rwanda, asylum seekers were also told that if they complained about the quality of food supplied to them, police would be contacted.
Read More: EU+ saw 1 million asylum applications, including record 34,000 from Bangladeshis, in 2022
They were also barred from taking photos of the food, it said.
The system of housing asylum seekers, which presently accommodates over 50,000 people, is “a nationwide system of racialised segregation and de facto detention,” said the report.
Asylum seekers are increasingly being kept in hotels for extended periods. One in every three people and one out of every four families with children stays in a hotel for more than a year.
In one example, a family of six lived in a single room for over a year. The report cautioned that if the new immigration bill, now being debated in parliament, is passed, the situation would deteriorate.
Read More: Online system to seek asylum in US is quickly overwhelmed
Individual cases highlighted in the report include a wheelchair user trapped on the 11th floor of a hotel because of a malfunctioning lift and an accommodation contractor who advised a GP not to write a health support letter for an asylum seeker advocating for a transfer because it would put a strain on the contractor’s accommodation system.
Infestations of pests and rodents were prevalent, as were moisture, mildew, and floods. Ceilings have also collapsed resulting in one woman holding a baby and a child being rushed to the hospital in two different occurrences.
“The government is running a system of de facto detention – holding and segregating people seeking asylum in accommodation that is harming their mental and physical health. This demoralising and brutal system costs the taxpayer millions per day but creates huge profits for contractors who are too often failing to make their housing habitable,” said Tim Naor Hilton, chief executive of Refugee Action.
Read More: UNHCR issues non-return advisory for Afghanistan
“We do not recognise the claims in the report suggesting hospitalisations, threats of deportation or restriction of movements, but where concerns are raised about any aspect of the service delivered by the hotel we work with the provider to ensure they are addressed in a timely manner,” a UK Home Office spokesperson said.