THE REALITY OF “VOLUNTARY RETURNS” AND WHY WE ARE CAMPAIGING AGAINST IT.
“Voluntary return” is deportation by another name. It is an inherent part of the government’s hostile immigration environment. As one prominent lawyer said it is offered “solely as an alternative to indefinite detention, persisting destitution and enforced deportation.”
Many of our members have been bullied and threatened into signing to agree to go back to their country of origin with no consideration of whether they would be safe there. One of our members was pressured to sign a “voluntary return” agreement whilst lying in her hospital bed.
Community organisations, which asylum seekers depend on as a lifeline, are being recruited to administer or promote “voluntary return”.
Our campaign records women asylum seekers experiences of “voluntary return” and provides clarity so that our movement isn’t divided by some organisations which profit by promoting “voluntary returns”. In doing so this helps to build opposition to “voluntary return” so that the government aren’t able to sugar coat deportations by pretending that people agreed to be sent back to their country of origin.
PDF of our statement here:
All African Women's Group 