UK’s Rwanda plan

LAST week, the British House of Lords approved a plan, first proposed by then PM Boris Johnson in 2022, to send refugees to Rwanda. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reckons that the first flight to Kigali will take off in June. An air bridge is being set up to deport 75,000 refugees who had fled for their lives from war, famine and injustice in their countries. Rwanda has swallowed its pride and accepted £50 million for accommodating the UK’s ‘undesirables’. Whether all or some of the refugees finally get deported remains to be seen. The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act, 2024, however, could be a useful diversionary tactic in the upcoming local polls in Britain, with Sunak battling unemployment and rising inflation.

The British plan is not only presumptuous but also small-minded. In contrast, some Third World countries have been large-hearted. Colombia, Uganda and Pakistan figured among the top refugee-hosting countries in 2022, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Arguably the only Western country that has proved to be compassionate during the ongoing migration crisis is Germany. A bigger question is the safety of the people being sent to Rwanda, which is not exactly a beacon of hope when it comes to the protection of human rights.

The fundamental issue is that 10 crore people worldwide have fled to safer shores due to food insecurity, the climate crisis and wars. People’s desperation is making the situation worse — around one lakh Indians trying to enter the US illegally were caught or expelled in 2023 alone. Foreign ministers of European nations have privately expressed concern over the huge influx of undocumented Indians. Instead of a quick fix, the UK should lead the international community in finding a permanent and unbiased solution to the migrant problem.

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