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Statement re press coverage of terrorist incidents

The vast majority of people in Britain of all faiths and nationalities were appalled and deeply saddened by the terrorist attacks that took place in London. However, we are also dismayed at the shameful way that some sections of the press have used the background of the most recent suspects, who arrived in the UK as asylum seekers, to attack the very idea of asylum and to smear refugee communities with accusations of ingratitude. We know from our 24 years of experience that refugees feel a very genuine debt to their host country and passionately want to give something back.

Revelations about the identities of both the perpetrators and the victims have poignantly demonstrated that terrorism crosses divides of nationality, ethnicity, immigration status and religion. The July 7 suicide bombers were British born. By contrast, one of their victims, Ateeque Sharifi, was an Afghan refugee who fled the fundamentalism of the Taliban only to be murdered in the UK by fanatics who justified their actions in the name of his faith.

Indeed, many refugees in the UK have fought against fundamentalism in their home countries, including East Africa and the Middle East. It is only right that, as our politicians call for reform in those countries, we continue to offer a safe haven to those who have the courage to confront tyranny at first hand, often at great personal risk.

Asylum-seeking and refugee communities should not be slandered because of the actions of a tiny minority of fanatics. We must be careful not to fuel prejudice against this already vulnerable group.

ENDS

July 2005

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