Navigation guide Refugee populations in the UK: Algerians - ICAR
Navigation guide Refugee populations in the UK: Algerians - ICAR Navigation guide Refugee populations in the UK: Algerians - ICAR
o On 29 January 2003, four further Algerians were arrested in Manchester and were charged with offences under the Terrorism Act. • Following the failure of the initial challenge to the legality of the government’s derogation from Article 5 of the European Convention to Human Rights, in May 2003 ten of those detained indefinitely began individual procedures challenging the legality of their imprisonment. The government has refused to give details of these individuals, but The Guardian reported that three of them were thought to be Algerian. 101 In October 2003, these challenges were turned down by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. Appeals of this decision were ongoing in March 2004. Results of these developments: • It is obviously essential that violent acts are controlled and the activities of the individuals arrested certainly raise concerns. However, we should be prepared to draw a clear distinction between being charged with an offence and being found guilty of that offence. The media has not always been willing to respect this difference. For example, the arrest of seven individuals at Finsbury Park mosque was given far more media coverage than the subsequent release without charge of six of the seven initially arrested. • The Geneva Convention (1951) includes two exclusion clauses (articles 1f and 33[2]) which have been shown to work effectively (see section on legal issues). The only Algerian asylum seeker to be found to fall within these exclusion clauses was not offered legal residence in the UK. • Many Algerians in the UK report feeling increasingly uncomfortable in the current climate 102 , although the most recent data on detentions of asylum seekers (December 2003) actually suggests that the number of Algerians detained is falling as a percentage of all detainees. Contacts with Algeria • The need to return or maintain some contact with Algeria is growing in importance as the Algerian population becomes more settled. • They have arrived so recently that there is really no infrastructure to support exchanges, return to, or even contact with Algeria. • Information on Algeria can only be obtained through specialist news sources since the dominant media rarely covers Algerian issues. • The official exchange rate to return money to Algeria is extremely disadvantageous. Where there are well-established Algerian communities, there are also established alternative channels. There is little indication that this is the case in relation to the UK. 101 The Guardian 30.10.03 102 Based on personal communication with Algerians in London during January and February 2003. Navigation guide to refugee populations: Algerians ©ICAR 2004, moral rights Michael Collyer 44
The growth of the Algerian population in the UK One of the key questions on the Algerian population in the UK is why has it grown at all; why are Algerians keen to claim asylum in the UK and not in France There are a number of possibilities that contribute towards an explanation of this question. 103 • The reasons why many other asylum seekers are keen to come to the UK are also relevant for Algerians; family (for Algerians this is a growing consideration), the English language, the ease of finding work. • The perception that Algerians will not be the focus of the same degree of racism that occurs in France. Many individuals have stated that this is not because Britain is not a racist country (they believed it is, in a different way), it’s just that Algerians form a sufficiently small group to escape targeting. • The desire to get to the USA. The UK is sometimes seen as a bridge to the USA due to the perceived cultural links between the countries and the possibility of learning English in preparation. • Concerns about the close relationship between the French and Algerian governments and the effects this could have on their position in France. 103 This was the focus of the author’s thesis and all information in this section comes from Collyer, M. (2002) ‘Explaining change in established migration systems: the movement of Algerians to France and the UK’ University of Sussex, DPhil thesis, bound and recorded at the British Library. Navigation guide to refugee populations: Algerians ©ICAR 2004, moral rights Michael Collyer 45
- Page 1 and 2: Navigation guide Refugee population
- Page 3 and 4: Cultural background................
- Page 5 and 6: Introduction The Algerian populatio
- Page 7 and 8: Historical context There is a wide
- Page 9 and 10: industry and under-funding of agric
- Page 11 and 12: to the problems of the area through
- Page 13 and 14: Zeroual’s election as president i
- Page 15 and 16: the Paris court significantly found
- Page 17 and 18: Profile of the Algerian population
- Page 19 and 20: • Algerians who have been in the
- Page 21 and 22: Legal aspects The most significant
- Page 23 and 24: ‘authorisation principle’ since
- Page 25 and 26: een Algerian, though many of those
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- Page 31 and 32: 1995 316 801 1,790 2,940 650 270 38
- Page 33 and 34: Cultural background The Algerian po
- Page 35 and 36: Nedjma, by Kateb Yacine (1956) 77 i
- Page 37 and 38: Islamism, though the relationship b
- Page 39 and 40: Key issues The most significant iss
- Page 41 and 42: Work illegal immigration, their asy
- Page 43: Algerians than other refugee groups
- Page 47 and 48: Algerians to France and the UK’,
- Page 49 and 50: trends 2000-2002, published. Geneva
- Page 51 and 52: POUR! Almost daily review of Algeri
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The growth of <strong>the</strong> Algerian population <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong><br />
One of <strong>the</strong> key questions on <strong>the</strong> Algerian population <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> is why has it grown at all; why are <strong>Algerians</strong><br />
keen to claim asylum <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> and not <strong>in</strong> France There are a number of possibilities that contribute<br />
towards an explanation of this question. 103<br />
• The reasons why many o<strong>the</strong>r asylum seekers are keen to come to <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> are also relevant for<br />
<strong>Algerians</strong>; family (for <strong>Algerians</strong> this is a grow<strong>in</strong>g consideration), <strong>the</strong> English language, <strong>the</strong> ease of<br />
f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g work.<br />
• The perception that <strong>Algerians</strong> will not be <strong>the</strong> focus of <strong>the</strong> same degree of racism that occurs <strong>in</strong><br />
France. Many <strong>in</strong>dividuals have stated that this is not because Brita<strong>in</strong> is not a racist country (<strong>the</strong>y<br />
believed it is, <strong>in</strong> a different way), it’s just that <strong>Algerians</strong> form a sufficiently small group to escape<br />
target<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
• The desire to get to <strong>the</strong> USA. The <strong>UK</strong> is sometimes seen as a bridge to <strong>the</strong> USA due to <strong>the</strong><br />
perceived cultural l<strong>in</strong>ks between <strong>the</strong> countries and <strong>the</strong> possibility of learn<strong>in</strong>g English <strong>in</strong> preparation.<br />
• Concerns about <strong>the</strong> close relationship between <strong>the</strong> French and Algerian governments and <strong>the</strong><br />
effects this could have on <strong>the</strong>ir position <strong>in</strong> France.<br />
103 This was <strong>the</strong> focus of <strong>the</strong> author’s <strong>the</strong>sis and all <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>in</strong> this section comes from Collyer, M. (2002)<br />
‘Expla<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g change <strong>in</strong> established migration systems: <strong>the</strong> movement of <strong>Algerians</strong> to France and <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>’ University of<br />
Sussex, DPhil <strong>the</strong>sis, bound and recorded at <strong>the</strong> British Library.<br />
<strong>Navigation</strong> <strong>guide</strong> to refugee <strong>populations</strong>: <strong>Algerians</strong><br />
©<strong>ICAR</strong> 2004, moral rights Michael Collyer<br />
45
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