Wednesday 8 August 2007

Iraqi interpreters - Does Gordon Brown understand them at last?

It looks like Gordon Brown is going to do something about a terrible decision made by the Home Office. They had insisted that 91 Iraqi interpreters would have to apply for asylum in the normal way - registering when they arrive in the UK.

Iraqi interpreter ***** ************, who worked with our forces for three years said: "I put my whole life in danger. I didn't imagine it was going to be like this. I didn't imagine the British government is going to abandon me like this." Mr ***********was turned away from the British embassy in Damascus when he asked them for asylum.

Defence Secretary Des Browne said: "People who do interpreting work believe themselves to be particularly more vulnerable than other people do. That's why the prime minister has made it clear that we will review how best to carry out our duty of care to these people."

Lets hope that Gordon does do the decent thing and shows the world that the UK values its friends and allies. We are getting a bad reputation of using people (Gurkhas) and then leaving them to rot.

There is an E-Petition on the No.10 site http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Iraqi-Employees/

2 comments:

S said...

I agree this is a terrible situation which needs to be sorted.

The problem with the online petition is it gives people an easy way out, a quick few seconds and they have ‘done their bit’. To some extent I wonder if such petitions are counter productive.

Daily Referendum said...

I'm not sure James. I do think they can raise the public awareness if nothing else.