Amnesty supporters sleep on it

Supporters of Amnesty International’s “Still Human, Still Here” campaign will spend the night outside Devonshire House in a ‘sleep-out against destitution’ on March 5.

It will be one of many sleep-outs staged at universities nationwide on the launch of National Student Action Day by Amnesty and the group Student Action for Refugees (STAR), to show solidarity with rejected asylum seekers forced by government policy into abject poverty.

Amnesty International argues that by denying basic welfare, financial support and access to healthcare, housing and education, the Home Office hopes that the potent threat of destitution will force these asylum seekers out of the country, although the government said that this is not a deliberate, active policy.

The publicity officer for the University’s Amnesty International Society, James Souter, said, “We are a compassionate nation and our Government should reflect this, not starve people into submission.”

Arguing that this is not only inhumane but also ineffective, Amnesty aims through the campaign to raise public and political awareness of the plight of these tens of thousands of hungry and homeless on Britain’s streets.

There are as many as 280,000 living in poverty in Britain after having their leave to remain refused, and many of whom cannot return to their native country for fear of persecution, torture and even death.

In support of this campaign, students will first sign a petition to be presented to Exeter Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, and then at 9pm they will bed down to sleep rough for the night outside Devonshire House on campus.