Leicestershire Bishops come together to show solidarity with refugees

The Right Reverends Saju Muthalaly and Martyn Snow

Submitted by Jo Griffin

Local Bishops have come together to urge the Government to establish a more compassionate asylum system.

The Right Reverends Martyn Snow and Saju Muthalaly, from Leicester and Loughborough respectively, have taken part in the national Together with Refugees campaign.

This campaign calls on the Government to establish a system that respects the human dignity of all people.

Bishop Martyn said: "The invasion of the Ukraine is a tragic reminder of the circumstances which force people to leave their homes.

"But the Nationality and Borders Bill, if passed without amendments, would criminalise people seeking refuge and those who come to their aid.

"The Christian faith teaches that we should love our neighbours as ourselves, and that everyone and anyone is our neighbour, regardless of nationality.

"So, churches across the Diocese are taking part in the Together With Refugees campaign to show that we believe refugees must be treated with compassion and dignity."

The Nationality and Borders Bill is nearing its final stages in Parliament.

The stated aims of the Bill are to make the immigration system fairer and more efficient whilst being strict on illegal immigration and tackling people smuggling.

However, charities and NGOs, including the United Nations Refugee Agency, fear it would penalise the majority of those seeking asylum in the UK.

They believe it would undermine international protections for refugees.

To mark their solidarity with refugees, faith groups across the country, including churches across Leicester, have shared photographs of orange hearts and symbols of support.

More than 1,000 faith leaders have also signed a letter to the Prime Minister.

This asks for safe routes to seek asylum to be established as a matter of urgency.

They urge the Prime Minister to be ‘compassionate and ambitious’ in opening schemes such as family reunion, routes for unaccompanied refugee children in Europe and resettlement.

Faith leaders have asked the Prime Minister to meet to discuss their concerns.

Roz Burch, a faith leader in Leicester and member of Citizens UK, said: "My family came to the UK 125 years ago from Ukraine.

"Without the welcome and support they received I wouldn’t be here in Leicester now.

"We must keep the UK's proud tradition as a nation enriched by those who come here to build a better life, while needing sanctuary from persecution.

"My family has produced teachers, social workers, business people, musicians, engineers and technicians since we arrived here and we are not unusual for the generations of people who started with nothing."

Many faith groups across the UK have witnessed first-hand the positive impact of safe routes on people in their communities.

Many have worked in refugee integration initiatives and community sponsorship programmes.

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