Bishops of England and Wales slam Rwanda asylum plan as shameful

Bishops of England and Wales reiterated their concerns saying the scheme “will increase the difficulties of those hoping for a new beginning and that human dignity must be protected and upheld.”

Bishop Paul McAleenan, Lead Bishop for Migration Issues of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) said: “We are responsible for our brothers and sisters”

“The UK’s plans to forcibly deport to Rwanda some of those seeking refuge in our country is shamefully illustrative of what Pope Francis has called the ‘loss of that sense of responsibility for our brothers and sisters’ on which every civil society is based.’”

Despite the government’s attempts to justify the scheme, criticism of the plan has continued to grow, including that from leaders of the Church of England.

The Catholic Church and the Church of England wrote a  joint letter to The Times last week, and it said it is an “immoral policy that shames Britain.”

“We cannot offer asylum to everyone, but we must not outsource our ethical responsibilities, or discard international law which protects the right to claim asylum.”