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AFGHANISTAN: Forced Return of Asylum Seekers from UK Condemned

Tuesday, April 29, 2003
Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN)

Spokesman for Amnesty International, Neil Durkin, said the notion that these were symbolic returns was totally unacceptable. "Returns for symbolic purposes are dangerous because they are motivated by public perception rather than a cool-headed and objective assessment of the reality on the ground."

ISLAMABAD -- IRIN
There has been strong condemnation of a decision by the UK to return a group of Afghan asylum seekers, after the government rejected their claims. With few details available, it's understood from rights groups and Afghan community organisations in the UK that 30 Afghans were flown back to their homeland from Stanstead airport, outside London on Monday.

"We are worried about the situation in Afghanistan and people are leaving because there is no peace in Afghanistan and they should not be turned away like this," a representative of the Afghan society in London, Sayed Jan Karwani told IRIN on Tuesday. He left the southern Afghan province of Kandahar in 1978 to settle in England.

Following the deportations, a meeting of Afghan community leaders was convened yesterday in London. "We plan to meet with home office and UNHCR to take up this matter. Security in Afghanistan is reportedly not getting better and our people need protection," he added.

Amnesty International (AI) also condemned the decision, saying the Afghans were forcibly returned. "This is not a responsible attitude towards human rights. It is simply premature," spokesman for Amnesty International, Neil Durkin told IRIN from London on Tuesday.
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