Protest over plight of asylum seekers

6:04am Wednesday 20th June 2007

CAMPAIGNERS are preparing to sleep out on the streets of a North-East city to highlight the plight of asylum seekers who have been refused a haven by the Home Office.

Supporters of the Still Human Still Here campaign from Amnesty International, Church Action on Poverty, the Refugee Council and Newcastle People's Working Committee on Zimbabwe will be sleeping rough in Newcastle on June 28.

A spokesperson for those taking part said: "The Government refuses to provide support to thousands of refused asylum seekers who cannot return home to unsafe countries such as Iraq, Somalia, Zimbabwe or Sudan, leaving them in limbo.

"Unable to return home, refused support and banned from taking work to support themselves, they are evicted and effectively driven into destitution.''

Campaigners are now calling on the Government to change its policy.

Local organiser of the campaign Sibanda Noble said: "We need a more enlightened policy that would see refused asylum seekers who cannot be returned home rescued from destitution and allowed to contribute to British society.''

As well as the Newcastle demonstrations, she said: "A number of actions are taking place across the country to show our belief that the Government must deliver a change of policy."

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