A fairer and more transparent system for evaluating the phenomenon of asylum seekers and removing the recent legislative restrictions on the matter: that, in sum, is what is asked by a new document of the Churches of Scotland, presented in Edinburgh on 14 June. The aim of the joint statement, “Principles of asylum”, explains the Office for Racial Justice of the Scottish Churches, is to establish “the basis to permit the Churches of the United Kingdom to express their views with a single voice on the question of asylum”. According to Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow, the document “represents a useful resource, a prophetic voice and also a challenge for Christians” and “especially for politicians”. The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland “has conducted a passionate debate this year, which has demonstrated the Church’s commitment to the need for asylum seekers to be received in an appropriate manner and treated with fairness”, observed the Moderator of the Assembly, the Rev. Alan Mc Donald. “This new publication – he added – will help us to pursue this task”. The statement, published by the Churches for Racial Justice Commission of England and Ireland, expressed a negative judgement on the “restrictive approach of the new policies” in terms of asylum, accused of “dehumanising asylum seekers”. It further condemns “the institutional racism implicit in the procedures” and the heavy hand of government in the management of asylum seekers”.
