According to information revealed by the newspaper, domestic officials plan to carry out a two-week detention operation for refugees, such as those attending regular meetings at immigration services offices. In addition, surprise arrests are expected to be made across the country, and detainees will be immediately transferred to detention centers, where they will stay until they are put on planes bound for Rwanda, which the government says will start taking off within hours. 10 or 12 weeks.

Enver Solomon, executive director of the Refugee Council, expressed deep concern about the impact of this operation: “The government is determined to continue with its inhumane deportation plans to Rwanda” despite the loss, chaos and human misery it will cause. “We know this will likely cause a major system collapse.” The criticism underscores widespread fears that the operation could trigger a protracted series of legal disputes, community protests and clashes with police, adding to the huge expenditure of around €700 million needed to deport the first 300 people alone.

The Ministry of Interior, for its part, has justified this action by referring to the prime minister’s recent ratification of the Rwandan Security Act. According to an official statement, this law is an important step in the implementation of government policies aimed at tackling illegal immigration and stopping ships crossing the English Channel. However, the sudden launch of this operation has caused shock and concern, especially ahead of local elections in England which are held next Thursday, and in which the Conservative Party faces losing up to half of the seats they currently hold.

protest

The reaction in Scotland was intense, with police on alert due to the risk of street protests by pro-refugee activists. Although Scottish authorities were not directly involved in the arrests, they are expected to play an important role in maintaining public order and managing potential unrest. The tense atmosphere is reminiscent of previous events, such as mass protests preventing deportations on Kenmure Street in Glasgow in May 2021 and in Nicolson Square in Edinburgh in June 2022, when hundreds of people surrounded vehicles intended to detain asylum seekers.

Aamer Anwar, a leading human rights lawyer in Glasgow, expressed concern about the possibility of escalating tensions: “The public is furious and ready to mobilize.” “I suspect in the coming days we will see an explosion of Kenmure Street spirit across the UK, opposing policies that will lead to misery, self-harm and death” and that will “push even more people into the arms of people traffickers.” .” ».

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have been very clear about our opposition to the Rwanda Bill from the moment it was introduced” and said that “the UK must defend the 1951 Refugee Convention and support people who need protection, not undermine international protection.” . “The UK government must focus on improving the asylum system so that people are treated fairly and with dignity and respected throughout the process,” he warned.

Kim Johnson, a Labor MP who sits on the home affairs committee, strongly criticized the move, calling it an “abuse of power” by the Conservative government. These criticisms are in line with those from members of the opposition and other human rights organizations, who have condemned the lack of humanity and compassion in government policies first introduced by Boris Johnson two years ago.

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat Party’s home affairs spokesman, described the operation as a “cruel political trick”, aimed at diverting attention from the real problems facing the country, such as the economic crisis or the health system crisis, with the NHS (national health service) in a worrying situation. These criticisms reflect widespread skepticism of the Conservative government’s immigration policy and its focus on populist rhetoric over effective and humanitarian solutions, as expressed by the opinions of Britons in consultations on the issue. “This is a low-level attempt by the Conservative Party to distract “the people” from their dismal record just days before local elections. “Rwanda’s plan is immoral, unsuccessful and detrimental to taxpayers,” he concluded.