Dashty Jamal speech at 10 Downing Street against forced deportation to Rwanda

1May2024 Hello everyone, Happy May Day

On behalf of International Federation of Iraqi refugees-IFIR and International organisation of Iranian Refugees. I welcome you to this important Demonstration.

We are gathered here today to voice our opposition to this inhumane and unjust policy of sending refugees to Rwanda. This policy is yet another example of Rishi Sunak’s racist policies, which involve deporting people to a country that is not only unsafe but also one in which the UK government condemned for the murder of 11 refugees in 2018 due to their protests. 

It’s clear why Rishi Sunak has decided to do this – just in time for Thursday’s local elections and parliamentary elections. Sunak hopes the crackdown on refugees will secure at least some seats and save him from humiliation.If Rishi Sunak’s government wants to stop people from fleeing their countries, it should end all the conflicts it is waging throughout the world and stop bombing other countries. We need global peace, which will result in fewer people fleeing war-torn countries. Rwanda is not a safe country, so sending migrants there is not the answer. International and European courts have repeatedly rejected this law for violating the Human Rights Act by sending refugees to Rwanda. In November 2023, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the Rwanda program was unconstitutional. It warned that refugees were at risk of being repatriated to their home countries, where they may face harm. The legislation violates both British law and international conventions. Today, we ask Rishi Sunak to listen to the Supreme Court and put an end to this outrageous policy.It is time for trade unionists, anti-racists, and anyone who opposes this policy to work together to stop sending refugees to Rwanda.