Britain resumes Dafuri deportations

LONDON, July 7 (UPI) -- British officials say they have resumed deporting asylum-seekers from Darfur to Sudan, where opponents of the move say they face death and torture.

The British Home Office instituted a ban on deportations to Sudan while it fought a legal battle against opponents who claimed to have fresh evidence of ill-treatment faced by Darfuris at the hands of Sudanese authorities, The Independent reported Monday.

But now the deportations have resumed, Home Office officials told the newspaper, saying, "Our asylum decisions are humane and compassionate, and oversight by independent judges helps ensure justice is done … but we do not believe everyone is in need of international protection."

British opponents point out the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees opposes the return of Darfuris to Khartoum, saying they face torture or death, The Independent said. Attacks by the rebel Justice and Equality Movement near Khartoum this year have made all Darfuris living in the capital open to persecution, they contend.