Refugees - Truth & Propaganda

Yesterday the crew of the fishing boat, "Raymond", spent two hours pulling 31 people from the freezing waters of the Channel. 4 people died. More than 40 were eventually rescued altogether. They included adults & children from Iraq, Afghanistan, India and Senegal. They had paid £5,000 to be on the boat. The refugees had nothing to bail out the boat & some were in t shirts.

Refugee Action said that "these tragedies are predictable and inevitable, and caused by hostile government policies – such as those announced yesterday by the prime minister – which are designed to keep people out, and not keep people safe.”

Please look at this website.  https://www.refugee-action.org.uk/about/facts-about-refugees/

Does anyone truly think that refugees, asylum seekers or even economic migrants go through everything that they do if they have any other choice? Just think about one aspect only. Would you get into an overcrowded, inflatable, boat in winter & cross the Dover Strait, the busiest shipping lane in the world? Even worse, would you do it with your children? 

No, of course you wouldn't. It isn't a choice any sane person would voluntarily make. It is largely born out of desperation & a life that is intolerable. 

There is a lot of misinformation & propaganda around this whole issue. Our current government pursue policies they think we support that will keep them in power.

Isn't it time that we had  "Good Samaritan Law" & attitude to this whole problem? Currently there is no criminal liability in the UK for failing to act in the event of another person being in danger. The Social Action, Responsibility & Heroism Act 2015 does protect people attempting rescue, to reduce bystanders' hesitation to assist, for fear of being sued or prosecuted for unintentional injury or wrongful death.

I realise that this is a worldwide problem & that it will probably worsen as a result of climate change, war & bad regimes. We need an effective United Nations to negotiate a humane & effective solution. But frankly I can't see that happening. What we need to do is put our own house in order & recognise that human life is too important for any country not to do everything in their power to give aid to people less fortunate. 

If we want to be members of the human race we have to behave humanely. Currently UK policy is not humane.