"I did not come to the UK on a small boat because I was reckless, desperate or careless with my life. I came because every legal door was closed to me. And the danger I faced at home left me with no real choice. Now, however, I am staring down the barrel of a British government policy that could put me in harm's way again."
"I first went to France but even there I did not feel safe. I knew the person I was running from could reach me. The power of smugglers, human trafficking networks and organised crime in France is well known to asylum seekers. I received threats and my family received threats as well. I lived in constant fear. That is why I made the most dangerous decision of my life: to cross the Channel on a small boat."
An individual fled a home country after being targeted by a powerful, influential person and found every legal exit closed. The individual held a stable job managing an oilfield and was not leaving for better pay or ease of life. Remaining in the home country meant serious harm or death. France offered no safety due to the reach of the persecutor and the influence of smugglers, human trafficking networks and organised crime, and both the individual and family received threats. The individual crossed the Channel on a small boat believing British law would offer protection, but immediate stressful interviews and a UK policy now risk returning them to harm.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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