Your July 3 Special Report, "The People Trade," was special indeed. The terrible loss of life in Dover, England, is a dreadful tragedy. Human smuggling is an evil crime motivated purely by financial greed. To prevent any similar tragedies in the future, the British and European governments must crack down hard on all forms of illegal immigration and asylum-seeking. For too long, Britain and Western Europe have been seen as a "soft touch" by economic-asylum seekers wishing to exploit the generous welfare systems of these countries. Most asylum seekers coming to the United Kingdom, for example, are found to be seeking economic betterment, and though their asylum claims are bogus, precious little is done to deport them because "host" governments fear being branded racist or fascist. Genuine refugees, fleeing real persecution, should of course always be helped, but the bogus ones, of whatever color, should be swiftly removed.
Dominic Shelmerdine