§ Ms Oona KingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a concession to the Immigration Rules granting asylum seekers from Sierra Leone immediate exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [77548]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI do not consider that such a policy would be justified at present, but we are keeping the situation in Sierra Leone under continuous close review.
Following a decline in the country situation in December 1998, enforced removals to Sierra Leone were suspended on practical and precautionary grounds. In view of the continued fighting and the rebel invasion into parts of Freetown, consideration of asylum applications was suspended in January 1999.
234WAppalling human rights violations and destruction have been perpetrated by the rebel forces in Sierra Leone. However, President Kabbah has remained in power and Freetown has recently been secured following action by ECOMOG troops. There are large numbers of internally displaced people in the city. In all the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to resume widescale enforced returns of rejected asylum seekers at this stage. We will consider the viability of making limited returns to Freetown now that the city is secure, but no one will be returned to Sierra Leone unless it is considered safe to do so.
As and when consideration of applications by asylum seekers from Sierra Leone is resumed, they will be considered in accordance with the standing instructions to caseworkers which point, among other things, to the grant of exceptional leave to remain in cases where there are compassionate or humanitarian reasons which merit not requiring the person to return to their country of origin or habitual residence.