S03E15: “STOP THE BOATS” Sunak Screams for his Rwanda Dream

Fractured

Despite being deemed illegal by multiple courts ranging from the European Court on Human Rights and the UK Supreme Court, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government refuses to give up on their plan to forcibly deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. This, coupled with indefinite detention in centers notorious for outrageous criminal care and conditions, the UK remains a daily nightmare for anyone seeking asylum. Either by design or indifference, the issue of migration has become a political football dominating the headlines and embarrassing debates between the Tories and Labour parties in the House of Commons and House of Lords. Whether anyone will be deported to Rwanda is about as uncertain as whether Sunak will even make it long enough to represent his Tories in the next election. In this episode, Katy Fallon- veteran migration journalist (regular contributor to The Guardian, Aljazeera English, The New Humanitarian and The Telegraph) helps us unpack everything from the conservative push to “Stop the Boats”, age-assessments, detention center abuses, and why her childhood view across the English Channel from the white cliffs of Dover will never be the same again.

SPECIAL GUESTS AND ARTISTS-Katy Fallon- follow her writing on X- @katymfallon and IG- @katy.m.fallon-Pollination UK- @pollination.uk-Safe Passage UK- @safepassageuk

EDUCATE YOURSELF:

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/opinion/2022/08/31/UK-cruel-asylum-policy

https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2024/01/15/asylum-seekers-sent-uk-rwanda-report-sexual-abuse-and-harassment

https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/ukrainian-migration-to-the-uk/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/20/serco-given-200m-contract-to-run-two-more-immigration-removal-centres

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/migrants-inhumane-brook-house-degrading-b2414195.html

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2023/how-many-people-are-detained-or-returned#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20people%20detained%20in%20the%20detention%20estate%20has,665%20at%2031%20December%202021.

PRODUCTION FAMILY:

Co-hosts: Rasheed Ghalli, Douglas Herman

Production Family:

Sude Fazlollah, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Sonia Nandzik

Citizen Journalists:

Yaser Taheri, Milad Ebrahimi, Yaser Akbari, Naqib Rasuli, Mohammad Ali Alami

Mentorship: Douglas Herman

Producers: Sonia Nandzik-Herman, Douglas Herman

Graphic Design: Eli Fazlollah for designs by Eli go to: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org/our-shop⁠

GRAPHIC DESIGNS: Art Under Pressure Festival- ReFOCUS Media LabsYasin Moradi, Iryna Stuperska, Eze Chris Ude, Marianna Gudz, Ali Jafari, Ali Reza Dardmand, Zarif Bakhtari, Eli Fazlollah, Dawoud Nouri, Rasheed Ghalli, Sude Fazlollah

MUSIC:

Theme- "Intro for Legends" by Bonkers Beat Club (Epidemic Sound)

Additional- "Mogul" by Blue Steel (Epidemic Sound) Featured Musical Guests: Open Culture: No Borders Vol 2- Pollination UK Korin Complex- “Source; SPD- “Resist”; Bex & Sim- “Simphony”

OUR PARTNERS:

Choose Love, Allianz Foundation, Leave No One Behind, Europe Cares, Parea Center Lesvos, Aputure

SPECIAL THANKS:

To the extended ReFOCUS Family for their dedication, passion and creativity all year long. We’re not where we are today without all the effort from Florian Krauer, Louise Holm, Chryssa Kouroukli, Yaiza Pardinas, Matthew Goncalves O’Kelly, Jennifer Perez, Jule Pehnt, Majid Bakhshi, Nazanin Foroghi, Yaser Akbari, Dariia Stepanova, Paul “Al” Simon, Jaime Moro Saavedra, Joëlle Hübscher, Beni Rietmann, Jakob Mayr, Jurek Edel, Francisco Ibanez, Bart Van Son, Federico, and Myriam Rey

SUPPORT:

This podcast is the product of our ReFOCUS citizen journalism program

Donate to support the artists and journalists by visiting: ⁠https://refocusmedialabs.org

CONTACT:

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