The United Kingdom (UK) plans to deport over 1,000 Namibian asylum seekers after their applications to stay in the UK were declined.
Namibia’s Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation has revealed that the UK has declined 90% of applications by Namibian asylum-seekers.
According to the Namibian Sun, British High Commissioner to Namibia, Charles Moore, has since approached the Namibian Government for cooperation in carrying out the deportation of the asylum seekers.
“There have been some new developments following a proposal made by the British home office in a meeting with the Namibian High Commission in London. The proposal is for cooperation in developing a mechanism to deport Namibian nationals whose applications for asylum were rejected,” he said.
The Namibian reported that Moore last year said many Namibians were seeking asylum in the UK. He described the asylum attempts by Namibians as disgraceful, saying they were abusing the UK’s asylum system.
Speaking to the Namibian Sun, a Namibian civil rights activist, Petrus Undari, described the decision to deport the asylum seekers as unjustified saying the asylum seekers are running away from challenges in their country.
“This move is unjustified. If someone comes to you as being under threat, you ought to offer them refuge,” he said.
“We have serious human rights issues, economic, gay and lesbian illegalities and forced marriages that force people to seek refuge in the UK.”
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