Asylum seekers residing on the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge in England are gripped by fear and uncertainty following the approval of a controversial proposal to deport them to Rwanda. The UK government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, a country with a questionable human rights record, has raised concerns among those living on the barge.
An asylum seeker from Sudan, identified as Atuib, expressed his determination to resist deportation, stating, “I’d rather die.” He fears being sent back to Sudan, where his family members had to flee conflict in Darfur and are now living in a refugee camp in neighboring Chad.
The deportation plan has been met with legal challenges and criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that Rwanda is not a safe third country for asylum seekers. Despite these concerns, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated that the first flights to Rwanda will take off within the next 10 to 12 weeks.
The asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm come from various countries, including Afghanistan, South Africa, and Sudan. Many of them have been living on the barge for months or even years, waiting for their asylum claims to be processed. The prospect of being sent to Rwanda has added to their already precarious situation.
Ahmed and Muhammed, two Afghan asylum seekers, expressed their fear and uncertainty about the deportation plan. Despite their initial belief that they would not be selected for deportation, they acknowledge the unpredictability of the situation.
“No one knows,” said Ahmed. “But it can happen to me, so I’m in fear.”
The UK government maintains that the Rwanda deportation plan will deter people from attempting to enter the country illegally and disrupt the activities of people-smuggling gangs. However, asylum seekers and human rights advocates argue that the plan is inhumane and will not effectively address the issue of illegal immigration.
As the government prepares to implement the deportation plan, asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm and elsewhere in the UK are faced with a harrowing choice: endure the uncertainty and fear of potential deportation or risk their lives by attempting to cross the English Channel in small boats.
