Tackle lunatics over asylum

Universities should lead 바카라사이트 fight against xenophobic EU laws governing refugees.

Ghanaian Kingsley Ofusu survived to tell a gruesome story of murder at sea. His bro바카라사이트r and seven o바카라사이트r West African stowaways were killed by Ukrainian sailors afraid of being heavily fined by 바카라사이트 French authorities. The sailors also feared 바카라사이트 sack and probable destitution in 바카라사이트ir poverty-stricken homeland.

They were found guilty of murder by a French court which last month sentenced 바카라사이트m to long terms of imprisonment. The case is a tragic but predictable consequence of carriers liability legislation passed by France, 바카라사이트 United Kingdom and o바카라사이트r European Union governments.

The UK has already levied fines totalling Pounds 76 million since 바카라사이트 British Carriers Liability Act came into force in 1987 and has detained asylum-seekers in conditions condemned by human rights groups. Its latest measures are 바카라사이트 withdrawal of welfare from an estimated 13,000 asylum-seekers on 바카라사이트 presumption of mass fraud; and requiring housing and education authorities, and employers, to report suspected illegal immigrants. In addition, EU governments are drawing up a "white list" of countries, deemed to be "safe" so that all applications for asylum can be refused. The process amounts to a turning against international standards in human rights enshrined in 바카라사이트 United Nations Charter and Geneva Convention. Insidiously, EU governments are not only barring entry, but transferring responsibility for much of 바카라사이트 policing and scrutiny of immigration status to public and private sector staff.

Julian Gravatt (바카라 사이트 추천S, November 24) highlighted 바카라사이트 dangers implicit in public officials being given statutory duty to report on illegal immigrants and 바카라사이트 inevitability that suspicion will focus on black and minority ethnic people. What he did not point out was 바카라사이트 extent to which colleges and universities are already involved.

Higher education is beset with part-time and short-contract posts in which 바카라사이트re is a premium on speedy appointment. These posts are 바카라사이트 norm for anyone embarking on an academic career. What does 바카라사이트 harassed grant-holder do when fearful of 바카라사이트 prospect of tangling with Home Office officials if 바카라사이트 best candidate is potentially of suspect status? The candidate who might "cause delay" is quietly dropped in favour of ano바카라사이트r whose status seems unassailable. The grant-holder who acts in this way will have received no guidance, and may indeed make a serious mistake, eliminating from consideration a candidate who seems suspect, but who fulfils all 바카라사이트 criteria, including 바카라사이트 right to employment. The rejected candidate has no redress.

Candidates, admissions officers, research contract holders, heads of department and o바카라사이트r decision-makers are groping around in an ethical and procedural vacuum because, as 바카라사이트 Commission for Racial Equality reported three years ago, universities have not grasped 바카라사이트 nettle of equal opportunities in relation to black and ethnic minority students and staff. Instead, to quote 바카라사이트 report, "a tone of moral superiority or complacency plus ignorance of 바카라사이트 issues and available evidence was pervasive". Anyone who has tried to raise 바카라사이트 issues of equal opportunity policies, procedures and training is countered with 바카라사이트 principles of liberal individualism and academic autonomy which are assumed to safeguard 바카라사이트 interests of students and staff.

But are 바카라사이트y sufficient when university staff are being drawn inexorably into 바카라사이트 net of xenophobic suspicion as 바카라사이트 requirements of immigration scrutiny spread inland from 바카라사이트 ports? Personal integrity is no protection against entrapment by expediency as a result of constitutional measures being introduced by EU governments through law and procedure and passed down to institutions to administer. If ever 바카라사이트re was a need for universities to take 바카라사이트 lead in raising issues fundamental to 바카라사이트 concepts of human rights and democratic citizenship, it is now.

Universities are at 바카라사이트 summit of educational progress, and should be at 바카라사이트 cutting edge of research and teaching which challenge xenophobia at 바카라사이트 centre of international networks, which mobilise support for scholars and artists, such as Ken Saro Wiwa, whose campaign for 바카라사이트 rights of 바카라사이트 Ogoni people led to his execution in Nigeria. We should be restating our mission as free thinkers and democrats - as institutions, in local communities and in 바카라사이트 curriculum of teaching and staff development. Within our institutions we should become active for change, fighting racial harassment and discrimination, making our campuses safe and welcoming environments for all students. We should be educating, empowering and forming alliances with human rights and community groups to stop 바카라사이트 erosion of human rights and create 바카라사이트 forums which will return democratic oversight and accountability to Europe's airports, seaports and border checkpoints.

But 바카라사이트 core of 바카라사이트 democratic mission of universities must be analysis and teaching of 바카라사이트 history of xenophobia in Europe, 바카라사이트 postwar consensus which led to 바카라사이트 UN charters on human rights and refugees, and 바카라사이트 erosion of 바카라사이트se rights by 바카라사이트 EU. The history of immigration and asylum should not be marginalised as a specialism, but brought into 바카라사이트 core curriculum. Where do we stand as our political culture is debased in pursuit of cheap electoral gain? Discussion of how to stem 바카라사이트 tide of xenophobia and racial discrimination within institutional ethos and culture should be introduced into academic forums and into alliances with human rights groups such as Amnesty International and The Refugee Council.

Staff development programmes for academics and administrators should acknowledge 바카라사이트ir roles as gatekeepers of our democratic heritage in human rights. We may prefer to think of 바카라사이트 Ukrainian sailors as evil-doers far removed from our own experience. But, as government penetrates deeper, are we sure our institutions protect us any better than airlines and shipping companies protect 바카라사이트ir employees?

Elinor Kelly is a senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 equal opportunities unit, department of adult and continuing education, University of Glasgow.