At the heart of British policy towards refugees is a contradiction that was tragically illustrated by the discovery of the contents of a sealed shipping container at Tilbury Docks, newly arrived from Belgium. It contained 34 Sikhs fleeing persecution in Afghanistan – and the body of one who died on the way. The survivors applied for asylum, and judging from the experience of Sikhs in Afghanistan – once a substantial number, now down to a few thousand – they have a good case. And there is a significant Afghan Sikh community already here. Britain was generous and compassionate towards them, with medical care available and friendly British Sikhs summoned to help. But what is striking about this story is that they reached Tilbury despite British immigration authorities strai