Blair snubs Zimbabwean asylum seekers

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Herald Reporter

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair has turned his back on
Zimbabwean asylum seekers in the UK who are facing
deportation after being used to portray Zimbabwe as lawless
and crumbling.

Speaking during his monthly Press briefing at his residence
yesterday, Mr Blair said claims by the asylum seekers of
persecution by Zimbabwean authorities were found to be false,
wrong or unjustified.

This marks a dramatic shift from the British leader’s policy
that encouraged thousands of Zimbabweans to seek refuge in
the UK in order to paint a negative picture of Zimbabwe that
could lead to foreign intervention and illegal regime change.

"If we introduce a generalised moratorium in respect of
Zimbabwe instead of assessing each case by case basis, our
real fear is that we will open up our system to the abuse we
have been shutting down," said Mr Blair.

He rejected a general moratorium on the deportation of asylum
seekers to Zimbabwe.

This comes at a time when Zimbabweans working illegally in
Britain might soon find themselves out of employment if a
Bill that heavily penalises employers who employ illegal
immigrants that is before that country’s House of Commons
sails through.

The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill, published last
week, seeks to penalise firms and employment agencies that
knowingly employ large numbers of illegal immigrants.

The Bill is expected to have far-reaching repercussions on
most Zimbabweans in that country who left for the United
Kingdom claiming either to be visiting or falsely claiming
persecution back home.

Most Zimbabweans in the UK are illegalimmigrants carrying out
menial jobs.

British authorities have been deporting hundreds of
Zimbabweans asylum seekers currently held in detention
centres who had sought asylum claiming that their lives were
in danger back home.

Zimbabwe authorities have since condemned the racist move by
the British government to deport the asylum seekers.

Under the new Bill, a fine of up to 2 000 British pounds
would be imposed per illegal employee and a possible two-year
jail term on any employer found violating the provisions and
unlimited fine for those found knowingly to use or exploit
illegal workers.

British immigration minister Tony McNulty said the Bill was
part of that country’s five-year strategy on immigration and
asylum and to ensure that migration is managed to meet the
UK’s economic needs.

The Bill states that an employer would be liable to the civil
penalty "if he employs an adult subject to immigration
control who has not been granted leave to enter or remain in
the UK or whose leave is invalid, has expired or is subject
to a condition preventing him from accepting employment."

The Telegraph newspaper in London yesterday reported that the
government’s commitment to the crackdown was questioned
because only 12 immigration officers would be assigned to the
central team dealing with the problem.

This means few cases would be brought for prosecution.

Last year, 1 600 operations were carried out against illegal
workers and uncovered 3 330 employees working in that country
without permission.

Three-quarters worked in hospitality, car washes, garages,
the sex industry, and shops as cleaners or in food
production.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Mr Mark Oaten said
the new measures would be "meaningless" if not properly
enforced.

The chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of
Immigrants, Mr Habib Rahman said: "This is asking employers
to do the Home Affair’s dirty work. People migrate here
because there is work which they are needed to do."

The British Home Affairs acknowledged that some companies
would be forced out of business by the proposals and that the
whole process could be bogged down in legal appeals.

The Bill also limits rights of appeal for those refused entry
to the UK to work or study and restricts rights of appeal in
family visits cases to close family members only, emphasising
that entry to the UK for managed migration purpose was a
privilege and not a right.