Charity Worker Criticizes UK Government Over Lack of Evacuation Flights for Sudanese Nationals
Alhussein Ahmed, a charity worker based in Liverpool, has criticised the UK government for not doing enough to evacuate hundreds of people trapped in Sudan, including his wife and children. Ahmed works for the Merseyside Refugee Support Network and has said that Home Office delays have left his wife without necessary travel documents after the family applied for a passport for their 10-month-old son. She and the child, who was born in Sudan last year, have been trapped in the country since April, along with his 2-year-old daughter who has a British passport. The UK was able to evacuate around 2,450 people on three flights laid on by the government and with the help of friendly countries after fighting broke out earlier this year between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. With only a small window of time to travel, and instability and violence engulfing the country, Ahmed’s family, like many others, were too far from the evacuation point near Khartoum to reach the flights, so remained in place.
Ahmed, 32, told The Guardian: “We need another evacuation flight for the many people in Sudan who have British nationality or who have the right to remain in the UK. I’m so worried about my children that I can’t sleep at night. When you call you can hear planes and shooting — you worry you’re not going to hear from them again. Sometimes you can’t get through because they have no electricity to charge their batteries or there’s no network.”
Ahmed, who was born in Sudan, was granted asylum in the UK in 2010 after the Sudanese government targeted his father for his dissident views. “I’ve done a lot of work for this country, and tried to pay back the support I was given when I arrived as a refugee, but now I feel they do not want to help my British children,” he said. “The situation in Khartoum is very bad. There’s a shortage of food. It’s a tragedy there.”
Andrew Mitchell, a former government minister, said about 800 British children remain in Sudan, telling Parliament earlier this month: “We were able to assist an estimated 476 British children to leave Sudan and are aware of a further 300 children since confirmed as having safely left Sudan.”
The Home Office told The Guardian it could not comment on individual passport applications, but would be in touch with Ahmed.
The Need for More Evacuation Flights
Ahmed’s case highlights the need for more evacuation flights to be organised by the UK government for those trapped in Sudan. With the country facing instability and violence, many individuals with British nationality or the right to remain in the UK are unable to leave due to a lack of available flights. The UK has already evacuated around 2,450 people on three flights, but with around 800 British children still in Sudan, more needs to be done.
The Impact on Families
Ahmed’s case is just one of many, with at least 50 families in Merseyside with Sudanese relatives trapped in the North African country whose applications for them to travel to the UK have not yet been approved. The impact on families is significant, with individuals unable to sleep at night due to worry and concern for their loved ones. The situation in Khartoum is dire, with shortages of food and water supplies, and telecommunications and banking frequently down.
The Need for a Compassionate Approach
Maddy Crowther from the Waging Peace organisation has called for a more compassionate approach from the UK government towards those trapped in Sudan. Family reunion cases need to be expedited while people are in this really difficult situation. The UK government needs to realise the urgency of the situation and take action to help those in need.
Conclusion
Ahmed’s case highlights the need for more evacuation flights to be organised by the UK government for those trapped in Sudan. With around 800 British children still in Sudan, more needs to be done to help those in need. The impact on families is significant, with individuals unable to sleep at night due to worry and concern for their loved ones. The situation in Khartoum is dire, with shortages of food and water supplies, and telecommunications and banking frequently down. The UK government needs to realise the urgency of the situation and take action to help those in need.