Churches 'deplore' discrimination against minority ethnic refugees fleeing Ukraine

Churches have called for refugees fleeing Ukraine to be treated equally irrespective of their race or religion.

The Russian invasion has triggered a humanitarian crisis and forced over three million people to flee Ukraine, the UN has said. 

There have been reports in the media of refugees of colour experiencing racism while attempting to cross the border into neighbouring countries. 

In a statement, members of Churches Together in England (CTE) said they "deplore the discrimination against African and Asian people and those of religious minorities fleeing Ukraine, and call for every nation receiving refugees to treat all with equal care and dignity".

The statement recognises the "enormity" of the refugee crisis and says that there should be a "fair sharing of this burden throughout Europe". 

After coming under pressure, the UK government has launched a new humanitarian route that allows refugees from Ukraine to stay in people's homes.

Under the scheme, they will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years.

CTE urged the government to do all it can to develop programmes in support of those fleeing that are "both just and effective". 

"We welcome changes recently announced to a complex and slow visa application system, thus easing the ways in which Ukrainian refugees can be given sanctuary, and urge the swiftest implementation of this system," CTE said.

The statement encourages churches to take up the opportunities to sponsor refugee families, but it also urges the government to speed up the re-housing of refugees from Afghanistan and calls for changes to the controversial UK Borders and Nationality Bill to make it easier for people to flee to the UK.

"We also recognise, with shame, the slowness to welcome Afghan refugees who are already in Britain, often remaining housed in bed and breakfast accommodation," the ecumenical group said.

"Refugees come from many nations in conflict, and we pray that Britain might become a society where strangers find a welcome, whatever their origin."