I AM writing about the plight of homeless asylum seekers in Oxford.

There are a small number of people in our city who have applied for permission to remain in the UK on account of persecution in their home countries but have been turned down.

If these people refuse to agree to be returned to their home countries they lose almost all rights.

Worse, they have no right to emergency accommodation.

Yet a significant proportion of refused asylum seekers later go on to win their cases and establish that they were in fact genuinely fleeing persecution and that the first decision on their application was wrong.

This means that Oxford is currently not providing accommodation for people who have genuinely fled from persecution.

Many end up on the streets, sometimes for long periods, or are forced to accept appalling or exploitative conditions. Some we know have committed suicide in despair.

It isn’t enough just to rail at the government about this intolerable situation – the responsibility to resolve it also rests with us, as citizens. Oxford City of Sanctuary movement is looking for alternative ways to help.

To be effective, however, we need more people to join us in working together to bring about a humane solution for asylum seekers in our city.

If any of your readers would like to become involved the next meeting of the City of Sanctuary movement, our AGM, is on December 10 at the Asian Cultural Centre at 8pm.

There is also more information on our website at cityofsanctuary.org/oxford

Wyon Stansfeld
Acting chairman
Oxford City of Sanctuary

Today’s letters


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