BBC

The United Nations Human Rights Commissioner has urged the British government to rethink its proposed policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

It follows a ruling on Thursday by the Court of Appeal in London that the policy is unlawful.

Volker Türk said the British plans raised very serious concerns in terms of international human rights and refugee laws.

The UN Refugee Agency also welcomed the court’s decision, saying the UK should pursue other measures, including cooperation with its European neighbours.

The British government is planning a further appeal, saying it’s determined to stop the arrival of migrants on small boats.

Rwanda says it has an “excellent record of taking care of refugees”, and has criticised a legal ruling in the UK that said it was unlawful to deport their asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Rwandan government spokeswoman Yvonne Makolo told the BBC’s Newsday programme that judges were wrong to say there weren’t enough guarantees that Rwanda wouldn’t send back refugees to their home countries – calling it “a very narrow aspect of this issue”.

She said Rwanda was a signatory to the UN refugee convention and “we do not in policy or practice send back to dangerous situations”.

Ms Makolo said country has 140,000 refugees and has been working with the UN refugee agency to evacuate endangered migrants in Libya since 2019.

“We know what it is to flee and seek safety. Many of us have lived outside the country, we’ve been forced to leave… and come back. So we empathise with those in this situation,” she told the BBC.

She said the information being given about Rwanda was “not sufficient or has been misunderstood”, adding that the country had been ranked one of the safest in the world.

“If there are issues that come up in this [asylum] programme and on the distorted views of what Rwanda is and how we govern this country, we are happy to explain – a lot of it is unjustified.”

ALFRED JAWOKO

ZOMBO: Muslim leaders in Zombo district have been implored to acquire land titles for their mosques and other properties especially those offered to them by good Samaritans.

The call was made by Paidha town council chairperson Innocent Onega Godfrey during Eid Al Aduha celebrations at Salama Mosque Paidha Town council on Wednesday this week.

Onega said this will guarantee that the Muslim community they are rightful owners of the properties and avert any disputes that might arise in the long run.

Onega’s appeal comes at a time when a multi million project for Islamic school at Salama Mosque in Paidha town council is under construction. The project is currently at 89 percent completion.

Meanwhile at the same celebrations, Okoro lower county Kadhi, Sheikh Aljab Adam encouraged Muslims to value the education of their children in order to foster development of the Islamic faith.

He also noted that some Muslim believers have been by taken by worldly desires, which contradicts Islamic Sharia.

“We urge each one of you to return to the teachings of the Islamic principles; it’s absurd that many Muslim faithful in the quest for earthy desires have resorted to violence, promiscuity, witchcraft among others,” he said,

Eid Al-Adha is celebrated after one day of fasting and it marks the beginning of New Year in the Muslim calendar.

Countrywide celebrations to mark Eid Al-Adha went on peacefully.