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Annual review 2003/2004

Introduction by Chief Executive, Sandy Buchan

An important public debate is underway about the meaning of citizenship in a multi-ethnic society and how best newcomers – including refugees – can play a full and active part in the life of the UK while retaining their own identity, culture and traditions. For refugees, to build a new life from scratch, especially in a country that is not always welcoming, can be a daunting task. This year’s annual review examines the many barriers to integration that confront refugees at different stages of the asylum process, as well as celebrating the courage and resourcefulness they show in overcoming these obstacles.

Bosnian refugees dancing

Refugee Action was founded on the belief that the key to successful integration lies in building strong refugee communities, empowered to act for themselves and working in dialogue with wider British communities. Experience has also taught us that if asylum seekers are made to feel isolated and unwelcome during the reception process, integration will be much harder to achieve in the long term for those allowed to stay.

Refugee Action has always welcomed the attention the Government has given to integration policy, including the funding we receive to carry out some of the work described in this review. It is therefore disappointing when Government policy appears to contradict itself. Dealing with the consequences of Section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 continued to impact on our asylum advice work in 2003/4. In denying support to newly-arrived, destitute asylum seekers, this policy forced many future refugees to the margins of UK society from the outset. Though the impact of Section 55 has now been alleviated by rulings in the Court of Appeal, the coming year will see new legislation take effect which once again threatens to isolate and exclude asylum seekers and erode their rights.

In the past year Refugee Action has launched a number of innovative projects, such as the Horizons project in Manchester, which aim to help asylum seekers overcome their sense of isolation and engage positively with the community, making use of their considerable skills, talents and experience. Meanwhile, our Development and Integration teams continue to empower refugees to form strong communities, express themselves and preserve their cultures.

To illustrate what can be achieved by strong refugee communities, our review begins with the experiences of Bosnian refugees who fled their war-torn homeland a decade ago. Though they too faced enormous challenges, these refugees arrived in a very different climate than that which confronts asylum seekers today. Sadly, due to public fear, hostility and misunderstanding, many people are now suspicious, even cynical, about the motives of refugees in coming here, as well as fearful of their social and cultural impact. The politics surrounding refugees and asylum seekers will always be volatile. What remains constant is the remarkable dignity and determination with which refugees face the challenges that confront them and the enormous contribution they make to Britain’s social, economic and cultural life. It is this conviction that still underpins our work today and will continue to do so in the future.

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