From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The British government announced a plan to send some asylum seekers thousands of miles away to Rwanda for processing and resettlement, drawing immediate condemnation from rights groups and opposition leaders, according to The New York Times.
Rwanda — which has faced fierce criticism for its human rights record from many countries, including Britain — said it would receive about $157 million as part of the deal. It will offer the asylum seekers “legal pathways to residence” in Rwanda if their claims are successful.
Background: The British government has struggled to stop a small but steady flow of people making dangerous crossings across the English Channel from France.
What’s next: Prime Minister Boris Johnson said legislation to enable the deal was still going through Parliament. He conceded that the plan was likely to face legal challenges and “will not take effect overnight.”
The backlash: Yvette Cooper of the opposition Labour Party described the plan as “unworkable, unethical and extortionate.” It was, she wrote on Twitter, a “desperate and truly shameful announcement,” and “an attempt to distract from Boris Johnson’s lawbreaking,” following the decision by the police on Tuesday to fine the prime minister for breaking lockdown rules.
