By Dr. David Matsanga in London
Today the world must be wondering what is this that makes the British PM introduce a new law because of few Syrian & Afghanistan nationals who arrived via boats on the shores English Channel waters. The lives of the service men used as interpreters against ISS and TALBAN matter.
The truth is some of these guys were very instrumental in helping British forces secure success against the TALBAN or ISS in Afghanistan or Syria respectively. They must be protected and with high surveillance because they are not documented. They are War veterans of conflicts in the Arab world.
So why is Rwanda interested in bringing undocumented Refugees to its country? If it is not the money that comes from this deportation what else makes a country that has just come out genocide to invite undocumented combatants?
I am well vast and familiar with the sunk cost fallacy. Whether it be sticking with a job we hate, a partner we no longer love or an investment hemorrhaging cash, the Sunk theory is dangerous.
In the Sunk theory we keep going because we’ve already put in so much time, effort or money in the Rwanda project. Remember and any reader of my article in Africa must know £240 million have been Sunk into HOTAIR business that can be done by banana republics not Britain.
The amount of Money in the Sunk theory and costs have this terrible power to make proceeding in the divided Tory party feel like the most rational choice, even when the benefits no longer outweigh the costs.
I have read the proposed Bill that the PM Rish Sunak has introduced in Parliament. It destroys the Britishness of the Empire that stood for people’s liberties across the globe. The PM wants to tamper with international conventions to gain political expedience.
I pity PM Rishi Sunak as his particular open wound is the Rwanda scheme, in which asylum seekers would be sent to the East African nation rather than have their applications processed in the UK. Any Court in the world would first look at international obligations.
The Geneva Conventions of 1951 and 1954 were as result of the World War II where the Jews were scattered all over the whole place in Europe and America as far as Russia & China. So over 70 years the Tory party wants to abolish these Conventions for political expedience?
In the world of politics, one does not carry a cross of the other. Sunak is carrying the cross of Boris Johnson. It wasn’t his idea neither Suella Braverman’s idea. But the policy of the dreaded man called Boris Johnson whose Turkish roots of the Ottoman empire are clear. The policy stinks.
It is on record that as chancellor, Sunak raised concerns about the practicality and potential costs of the Rwanda scheme. And yet here he is today, virtually pinning his leadership on getting a version of the Bill through Parliament.
I want to tell the world that it’s been quite a journey. And it’s not over yet. We shall defend the rights of everybody including Rishi Sunak when his turn comes.
Several experts like me who have taken part in cases like this belief that the Brit minister’s new bill does not go “far enough to deliver the policy as intended” because it would still leave the government open to legal challenges.
The bold truth is that resolving these issues would, require very significant amendments, some of which would potentially be outside the current title’s scope”. Remember, the Prime minister has effectively said that the legislation set to come before the House is as tough as possible within the current confines.
I want to be on record by saying that I don’t think the bill as amendable in its current form, can bring the matter to rest. No. The bill raises the stakes that other colleagues in the Tory Party may vote against it today.
This is obviously a problem for the Prime Minister, who is constricted both by the law and potential rebels on his left flank. That is, the One Nation group that shares values of humanity and are not willing to scrap the international obligations of which Britain has expanded its influence world wide
I am telling you today’s events in British Parliament might signal the departure of RIshi Sunak. The Members of One nation group comprised of roughly 100 MPs, are more moderate Conservatives that are keen on ensuring the government complies with the European Convention on Human Rights, which upholds the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement amongst other things.
I tell as an expert who is engaged in this case I can frankly tell, the landing strip for this legislation is extremely narrow. Is RIshi Sunak going to battle it given the reasons I have explained above?
In political science that I went University to study for many years, it is sometimes very dangerous to divide your party if the reason for doing so is not worth it policy gains. Rwanda does not CARE what happens to Rishi Sunak, they have pocketed a cool £240 million non-refundable cash of the British tax- payer
Whichever way the matter goes the SUNK POLICY will return to the courts Regardless of one’s views on Europe, nobody is willing to CAST the first stone because of the Rwanda scheme. Perhaps the only beneficiary of the scheme is Rwanda
I have told the world that Rwanda will not ‘fix’ the issue of small boats. That is because Rwanda has the capacity for hundreds, and there is no scant evidence that sending them to Rwanda will act as a deterrent. If were Rishi Sunak and the owner if this policy struggle, I would reasonably just ditch it?
I want to be candid that RIshi Sunak and Rwanda Government are in a FIX. To quote the French philosopher Émile-Auguste Chartier, “Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.” The money is SUNK in the SUNK POLICY and the political climate is rough.
In my final submission from this poisonous pen of mine, I can boldly say that the PM cannot turn back now from the Rwanda policy, despite the trail of destruction it is leaving in its wake and appears to be too painful for the Sunak SUNK POLICY.
Let us see what happens next but the trail has already left the station and Rwanda is smiling all the way to the bank.
The writer is a Pan Africanist based in London , Political scientist & International Relations expert , studied conflict Resolution, a member of Royal African Society (RAS) Founder /Chairman Pan African Forum (UK)Ltd @MatsangaDr