Asylum policy sparks protests

Mr Matamba wants a complete amnesty for asylum seekers

Protesters concerned about the treatment of asylum seekers in the UK have mounted a series of demonstrations in the capital.

In Westminster, a mock shanty town was erected outside the London headquarters of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

And in Parliament Square, protesters demanded an amnesty for asylum seekers.

Asylum applicant Didier Matamba said: "Is the Geneva Convention good enough for Europeans only?"

Mr Matamba, who said he left DR Congo a year ago because of difficulties with the government there, added: "We've learned all these human rights from you people in Europe."

"We are asking Tony Blair, we are asking David Blunkett - let them practice what they preach."

Change of policy?

"What we would like to achieve is a change of policy and to make the government understand that they are not taking responsibility for what is happening and asylum seekers are really victims here," said Mr Matamba.

"This government is supporting a lot of conflict throughout the world by giving arms, by supporting governments that are causing trouble all over the world and when people are coming here the government is stigmatising them."

He called for the Home Office to hand the responsibility for asylum seekers to an independent and non-political commission.

Mr Matamba added: "We want David Blunkett to give us a blanket amnesty - we would like everyone to be given the status to remain in the UK and we would like a review of the whole process."

Also at the Parliament Square demonstration was Green MEP Jean Lambert who expressed concern that cases were dealt with so quickly.

Speed

"So many of the decisions now are being made on the basis of speed, rather than accurate information, that a lot of wrong decisions are being made," she said.

Ms Lambert - who joined some of the demonstrators in delivering a message to Downing Street - added: "One of the questions I can never get an answer to, whether it's from ministers here, whether it's from the European Commission, is how do you claim asylum legally.

Protesters stand on Whitehall

"How do you get here legally. Nobody can tell you how to do it - so consequently it becomes a mix."

Just down the road outside Millbank Tower, which is the London home of the United Nation's Commissioner for Refugees, Niki Adams of Legal Action for Women attacked the part of the government's asylum bill which limits the time in which people arriving in the UK can claim asylum.

If they try to claim after three days, under Section 55 they will not be entitled to the help that asylum seekers get, such as benefits.

Crisis?

"There is a crisis in Britain and this is a crisis of the government's making," said Ms Adams.

Protesters make their point outside the UN's London HQ

"They've passed legislation to deliberately make people destitute, which is unprecedented in this country. It really is a return to Dickensian times."

Home Office Minister Beverley Hughes has defended Section 55 as a tough piece of legislation that is designed to be fair.

"Section 55 is a vital part of the package of measures that has seen asylum applications fall by half since last autumn," she said after the Court of Appeal ruled the legislation was lawful in September 2003.