The Archbishop of Canterbury, who is the spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion of about 85 million Christians, has condemned a British plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Delivering a sermon on Easter Sunday at Canterbury Cathedral, Justin Welby said the British Government’s policy to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers to Rwanda is unethical and did not stand “the judgment of God”. He said:
The details are for politics and politicians. The principle must stand the judgment of God and it cannot.
It cannot carry the weight of our national responsibility as a country formed by Christian values, because sub-contracting out our responsibilities, even to a country that seeks to do well like Rwanda, is the opposite of the nature of God who himself took responsibility for our failures.
Under the deal, which has been widely condemned, Rwanda would take responsibility for asylum-seekers, put them through an asylum process, and at the end of that process, if they are successful, they will have long-term accommodation in Rwanda.
According to the UK Home Office, this will tackle illegal migration, control the country’s borders and crack down on the criminal gangs exploiting the international crisis.
Last year, more than 28 000 migrants and refugees crossed the English Channel from mainland Europe to Britain.
Twenty-seven (27) migrants drowned when their dinghy deflated in November.