NINE out of 11 overseas
delegates who are due to attend an Anglican Alliance workshop in
London next week, and a Tanzanian priest who has permission to
officiate in an English diocese, have been denied entry to the
UK.
They are among a number of visiting
Christians who have been told by UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials
in their home countries that they had failed to provide enough
evidence - such as jobs, assets, or family - that they would return
from Britain. The director of the Alliance, Sally Keeble, described
UKBA's actions as "perverse".
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury &
Ipswich, the Rt Revd Nigel Stock, raised the problem in the House
of Lords last week. Addressing Lord Henley, a Home Office Minister,
he said: "Able, well-qualified Africans are being invited to
conferences in this country and endorsed, even by bishops and the
Archbishop of Canterbury, but are being turned down because their
personal income is low. As most African clergy live on sacrificial
stipends that are intermittently paid, we are wondering whether we
can ever invite anyone again from Tanzania."
He said later: "These links help in
establishing good relationships overseas, and help to put this
country in a good light with our partners, but this sort of
treatment of able and well-qualified people is putting all that in
jeopardy."
The priest, the Revd Absalom
Vyankende, is the principal of a Bible college in Kagera diocese,
which has a link to the diocese of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich. He
was refused entry twice, on the grounds that he did not have a
large enough income or other assets. "Despite the fact that his
sponsors, our diocese, had paid for his trip, UKBA advised him that
he had not produced evidence he would not stay in the UK," Bishop
Stock said.
Mr Vyankende had documentation,
including an invitation from Bishop Stock, and assurances that his
expenses would be paid. The diocese had also obtained permission
from the Archbishop of Canterbury for him to officiate at
services.
"Absalom had to do a 600-mile round
trip to submit his papers in Nairobi," the Bishop said. "The agency
was very inefficient with their replies, or gave no reply at all,
to emails asking for clarification. . .
"No other attempt was made by the UK
Border Agency to gain any information about his visit, despite the
fact that his return flights had been paid for and evidence
submitted of that. No satisfactory answer was given by the agency
for the refusal."
Ms Keeble, a former Labour overseas
development minister, was hoping that appeals to UKBA would succeed
in time for the Alliance's 11-day gathering on peace-building,
which starts next Monday.
The nine who have been refused entry
are from countries involved in internal conflict, including the
Philippines, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and
Zimbabwe.
"One is a bishop's son, another had
previously been granted a visa for another visit, and several are
staying with local families, which is an important factor for a
successful application," Ms Keeble said. "They all have jobs to
return to, and several have families. They are not the sort of
people who vanish once inside this country.
In the House of Lords, Lord Henley
said: "I cannot believe that someone who is being endorsed by the
Archbishop of Canterbury or, for that matter, by any Rt Revd
Prelate, could be turned away. I would want to look at that and at
the particular circumstances to which the Rt Revd Prelate has
referred."
A UKBA spokesperson said: "We welcome
visitors to the UK. Everyone applying for a visa must demonstrate
they meet the UK's immigration rules, and supply evidence to
support their application. This includes proving that they intend
to leave the UK at the end of their visit, and that they have the
funds to support themselves while they are here. It is only right
and fair that these rules apply to everyone."