"LITTLE MISS Lucky" ran the Sun headline on Tuesday above a picture of a three year old Kosovan Albanian refugee arriving at Leeds airport. The pro-war press has been congratulating the government for airlifting in a few hundred Kosovan Albanians. Yet the episode does nothing so much as demonstrate the government's hypocrisy over refugees.
The government says it has gone to war to save the Kosovan Albanians, but it is washing its hands of responsibility for them. Many of those now suffering in Kosovo would be happy to come to Britain. But the number of refugees Britain is grudgingly prepared to take is pathetic compared, for example, to the 10,000 or more Germany is allowing in. Home secretary Jack Straw says that he has given refuge to 10,000 Kosovan Albanians already. But most of these have not been given refugee status.
Three weeks after the bombing of Serbia started an 18 year old asylum seeker from Kosovo was jailed for three months for "possession of a false passport" at Uxbridge magistrates court in west London. Yet the pro-war press reports that Kosovan Albanians were stripped of their passports as they fled.
The government is also trying to keep quiet about the vicious new anti-asylum law it is passing that will make it virtually impossible in the future for anyone to claim refuge. The 10,000 Kosovan Albanians already here, and other asylum seekers who have fled from pro-NATO regimes such as Turkey, are treated like dirt by the authorities. This is the callous reality behind the "humanitarian" mask worn by this warmongering government.
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NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY 8 MAY assemble 12 noon, Embankment, London |
| PROTEST
AGAINST THE WAR CARDIFF: Saturday 1 May, assemble 12 noon, St David's Centre, The Hayes. For transport from all over Wales ring 01222 257 216 |
| London Rally: Wednesday 5 May, Central Hall Westminster, 7.30pm, called by Campaign for Media Accuracy and Free Speech, supported by Media Workers Against the War. Speakers include John Pilger, John Foster (NUJ general secretary), Alice Mahon MP, John Rees (Media Workers Against the War) |
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