UK Reopens Resettlement Scheme: New Hope or Political Maneuver?
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- Pemerintah Inggris mengumumkan pembukaan kembali UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) untuk memberikan jalur aman dan legal bagi pengungsi, dengan target sekitar 25% di antaranya adalah perempuan dan anak-anak Afghanistan serta warga Palestina.
- Langkah ini menuai kritik dari Partai Konservatif dan Reform UK yang menilai kebijakan tersebut sebagai upaya menyenangkan sayap kiri Partai Buruh dan berpotensi meningkatkan imigrasi ilegal.
- Keberhasilan skema ini akan bergantung pada skala implementasi dan kemampuan pemerintah menekan penyeberangan perahu kecil, sementara implikasi globalnya dapat memengaruhi kebijakan suaka di negara lain, termasuk Indonesia.
UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will announce the reopening of the refugee resettlement scheme to the UK at the Labour Party conference on Monday (30/9). The policy is expected to be a solution to curb small boat crossings in the English Channel by offering a safe and legal route for those fleeing war and persecution.
The UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), whose new registrations were halted in December 2024, will soon reopen, with an estimated 25% of total arrivals being Afghan women and children as well as Palestinians. The UK government will also launch three new sponsorship routes involving communities, universities, and companies to host refugees starting next year. Nevertheless, the exact annual quota has not been announced, and the government promises to set a controlled cap.
The policy has sparked fierce debate within the UK. Shadow Home Secretary from the Conservative Party, Chris Philp, accused Mahmood of merely trying to please the left faction of the Labour Party that is critical of asylum reform. Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage asserted that the UK has no obligation to accept more migrants and threatened to deport those who come through Labour's scheme if his party comes to power.
On the other hand, humanitarian organizations welcome the move but remind of the importance of adequate scale. Jon Featonby, senior policy analyst at the Refugee Council, assesses that safe and legal routes are crucial to cutting off the human smuggling business, but must operate at a large scale. "The government must show ambition and commitment, which means thousands of places, not hundreds," he said. Flora Alexander from the International Rescue Committee UK also emphasized the need to scale up so that this scheme has a real impact.
"Fairness is the foundation of this approach. Limits are necessary and communities must be ready to welcome those who come here," Mahmood stressed in a statement she will deliver.
The policy has also drawn criticism from within the Labour Party itself. Housing Minister Angela Rayner criticized the plan to change the asylum system, which is seen as changing the rules midway for those who have long settled. This debate reflects the tension between the need for border control and humanitarian commitment.
Indonesian Context
For Indonesia, the UK's resettlement policy could serve as a precedent in handling refugees. As a country that often becomes a transit point for asylum seekers, Indonesia needs to observe how destination countries like the UK balance immigration control and international responsibility. If this scheme succeeds in curbing illegal crossings, it could encourage other countries to adopt a similar approach, which in turn could affect refugee flows in the Southeast Asian region.
Going forward, the effectiveness of UKRS will depend heavily on implementation on the ground and the UK government's ability to reduce small boat crossings. If targets are not met, political pressure from the opposition will grow stronger. Meanwhile, the international community will scrutinize whether this scheme is truly a humane solution or merely a political maneuver ahead of the election. Will the UK be able to prove that safe and legal routes can replace the human smuggling business?
