Time to address a refugee crisis of our own making

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/18/time-to-address-a-refugee-crisis-of-our-own-making

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The UK must deliver justice to migrants and refugees (EU looks to Turkey for help over refugee crisis amid gloom and tension at summit, 16 October). We can provide safe and legal routes to travel, offer refuge to those who need it and reform our crumbling asylum system. These are not just possible, they’re the least we can do. From conflicts to poverty, the UK has often played a role in creating the conditions from which people are forced to flee. People are fleeing a range of forces in Syria, including the Assad regime and Islamic State. The latter was able to grow and expand into Syria partly as a result of the chaos whipped up by UK and US occupying forces in Iraq.

Successive UK governments have sold arms to countries all across the Middle East, including some of the most abusive regimes. Some have even gone to Iraq and Libya, which are on the government’s own list of “countries of concern”. The 10 tax havens under British jurisdiction facilitate the illicit movement of arms and the theft of billions of pounds, draining countries of resources that could improve the lives of their citizens. Refusal to adequately rein in either our corporations or our carbon emissions drives inequality and contributes to the grinding poverty inflicted on people across the world.

We have created obstacles in people’s lives. Now we erect them in their path of escape.  People across the UK have demonstrated the power of solidarity. Now we demand our government delivers justice.Martin Drewry Director, Health Poverty ActionDon Flynn Director, Migrants’ Rights NetworkAndrew Smith Campaign Against Arms TradeKinsi Clarke Nottingham & Nottinghamshire Refugee ForumNick Dearden Director, Global Justice NowChristine Blower General secretary, National Union of TeachersNicholas Hildyard The Corner HouseLindsey German National convenor, Stop the WarJim Cranshaw Campaigns manager, People & PlanetLee Jasper Co-chair, BARAC UKTony Dykes Director, Actsa (Action for Southern Africa)Dr Dan Taylor Director, Find Your FeetZita Holbourne Co-founder/national co-chair, BARAC UKDr Gail Bradbrook Director, Compassionate RevolutionJohn Christensen Director, Tax Justice NetworkDavid Reilly Chair, Govan & Craigton Integration NetworkRajesh Makwana Director, Share The World’s ResourcesMark Curtis Curtis ResearchJohn Hilary Executive director, War on WantRita Chadha Chief executive officer, Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and LondonSarah-Jayne Clifton Director, Jubilee Debt CampaignDr David McCoy Director, MedactKhuloud Alsaba Syrian researcher and public health worker, University of EdinburghAnuj Kapilashram People’s Health Movement UK and lecturer, University of EdinburghCatarina Tully Chair, Academics Stand Against Poverty UK