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24th December 2007
Letter
to the Daily Express
Re: Your report from Calais
Dear Mr Hill,
I am writing with concern in regard to an article by Mr Nick Fagge in The Daily Express of 21 December concerning foreign nationals in Calais, “Next Stop? Yes, Britain.”
As you may note, the article uses legal terms like “refugee” and sensationalist wording like “wave” whilst describing charitable efforts to aid some scores of foreigners in Calais. Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is defined as a person who has a well-founded fear of persecution.
For The Daily Express to utilise words like “wave” whilst referring to “refugees” and then associate the situation in Calais with an earlier era when vastly larger numbers of foreign nationals had gathered near Sangatte amounts to hostile and alarmist media coverage. Using incorrect terminology fails to inform any legitimate public debate on migration and asylum issues: asylum claims in the UK have plummeted and are now at levels not seen in almost 15 years.
Your Christmas period coverage from Calais sensationalizes the situation at a time of year more suitable to disseminating good-will towards the less-fortunate. Many of the individuals gathered in Calais hail from countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Eritrea, states experiencing conflict and where reports of human rights abuses are frequent.
The UN Refugee Agency is saddened that such a misrepresentation occurred and requests The Daily Express more carefully use terminology.
Best wishes of the festive season,
Peter Kessler
Senior External Affairs Officer
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