English Channel: The "death journey” to the UK
July 6, 2021, 5:03 am

Zara saleh

In recent months, the number of migrants who attempted crossing the English Channel from northern France to enter the UK has dramatically been increased. Comparing to the last year, only in the last six months of 2021 the number has reached a peak and about 6000 migrants have successfully entered the UK.

Such sharp rise of migrants who attempt to cross the Channel to Britain comes after the UK government declared that the new migration law will be discussed in the parliament during this week. The UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has already warned the smugglers and migrants who are trying illegally to cross the UK border and seeking asylum will face long prison sentences. According to the new upcoming legislations, entering the UK without permission will consider as a criminal offence. Added to that, the migrants who found guilty might face up to four-year prison whereas, smugglers maybe face life sentences- up from 14 years.

People are risking their life to make such dangerous and illegal "death journey" and paying smugglers thousands of pounds to reach the British territories and then claiming to be an asylum seeker. Due to the appalling condition in Calais north France, criminal gangs using such a situation to put their benefits even before those migrants are crossing the Channel. The smugglers, therefore, are preferred to choose boat crossing as it is easy to enter and not expensive for them that cost about £4,000 with an inflatable and engine, and the smugglers usually charge every person between £3,500 and £5,000. Added to that, putting more people in boats including children, people's life became in more danger during the journey, and many migrants have lost their lives in previous years.

Arguably, people are risking their lives when crossing the English Channel using boats as currently, they are aware of the new UK legislation that will take place soon. That is why the migrant's number who had chosen to cross the Channel has been increased and eventually, this route will be closed in front of smugglers at first because of hard punishment. The new plan for immigration legislation might take place soon as the UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has confirmed that and she added that "We will welcome people through safe and legal routes whilst preventing abuse of the system". As a result, different human rights organisations are criticising such way of dealing with all migrants who are seeking asylum in the UK. There are many people who have been forced to leave their homeland due to civil wars, and such conditions will carry on as still various of migrants are coming from conflict-affected areas such as Syria, Yemen, and Sudan. death journey

by: Zara Saleh levant

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Zara Saleh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.