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European leaders discuss joint action against asylum

by Colvin L. De Silva - Our London Correspondent

Sri Lanka would not be affected if the EU countries now meeting in Seville, Spain decide to use aid as a weapon against countries that don't take back asylum seekers whose claims have failed in European countries. This is because the Sri Lanka Government has gladly accepted such returnees and maintained very close contact with foreign governments in this respect. Following the 1983 communal clashes several Sri Lankan citizens looked towards western governments for help and assistance and many thousands were granted asylum under the 1951 Geneva convention. This trend continued for some years until recently when respective Western governments felt that the ongoing peace process is cogent and promising.

In the United Kingdom which is a 'soft spot' for asylum seekers hundreds have claimed asylum from different countries in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. Asylum issue has become a real political problem for the United Kingdom in view of the large numbers arriving in the country. Newspapers and political parties , particularly the Conservative Party have urged the Labour Government to take drastic action to put an end to the system being abused by bogus asylum seekers.

With this in mind the Home Secretary David Blunkett has brought in a new Bill in the House of Commons to deal with asylum claims promptly, fairly and effectively plugging loopholes in the system. New asylum seekers would be held in 'Accommodation Centres' until their cases are dealt with. The new law provides for asylum and human rights claims to be certified where the claim is clearly unfounded or where the person is to be removed to a country of which they are not a national and the Secretary of State has no reason to believe that their rights under the European Convention of Human Rights will be breached in that country. The effect of such certification means that the person cannot appeal against the immigration decision while in the United Kingdom.

Prime Minister Tony Blair at his 10 Downing Street Press conference said " Measures were needed to ensure common policies to stop 'asylum shopping' where refugees choose a country with more lenient regulations". He wished countries from where refugees flood into Britain to work with the Government to tackle the common problem. We are tackling poverty, instability and removing some of the conditions that make people emigrate. The British Government has supported the Peace process initiated by the Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with the LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabakaran. 

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