The conflict in Syria has been described as the worst mass atrocity situation of the twenty-first century. While the UK has been vocal of the responsibility of the international community to act to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, its treatment of Syrian nationals residing within its borders has not mirrored its commitment to protect this vulnerable group.
The Syrian community of Manchester has been subject to various accounts of profiling based on nationality, including police visits and airport stops. As a more recent development, financial institutions, most notably HSBC bank, have also been targeting their Syrian customers.
RAPAR and the Manchester-based Syrian Rethink Rebuild Society have been working in collaboration to document cases in which Syrian nationals have been unfairly targeted by HSBC due to their nationality.
They have uncovered a pattern of abuse on behalf of HSBC in which the bank has turned down customers, inhibited or closed accounts, or refused mortgages for customers because their identity is Syrian.
One template letter from HSBC to its Syrian customers reads: 'Our records show that you are a resident in a country that is subject to financial sanction restrictions. Due to the increased requirements for compliance with international obligations concerning payments to and from sanctioned countries, we have taken the decision to close the above account(s).
'Please be assured that this decision is based on our own assessment of the risk and is not a reflection of you as a customer or the manner in which you have conducted you business with HSBC.'
Another template letter reads: 'We're writing to let you know that following a review of your account we can no longer run a bank account for you. We will be closing your account on [date].'
In one particular case, a Syrian family challenged HSBC's decision to inhibit their account. The response they received via email cited paragraph 25.4 of HSBC's terms and conditions which notes HSBC's right to take the appropriate action to prevent 'fraud, money laundering, terrorist activity, bribery, corruption, tax evasion and the provision of financial and other services to persons who may be subject to economic or trade sanctions.' Upon meeting with a bank advisor and discussing this issue, the bank advisor admitted that the inhibit had been placed on their account solely because of their Syrian nationality.
Recently, the campaign has attracted a noticeable media attention and a lot has been written and discussed about the issue. The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/aug/08/hsbc-accused-closing-bank-a...) for example has covered the issue with some depth and noted RR’s and RAPAR’s efforts on the case. MP John Mann was also reported by the Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/mps-to-hold-hsbc-to-acco...) to have said:
“HSBC has a lot of questions to answer. This is a cheap, nasty way of pretending to comply with international sanctions. It’s outrageous for a British bank to turn down a customer based on his country of origin. HSBC is going after the victims, not the aggressors. These people are fleeing Syria fearing for their lives.”
Some of the media coverage are in the following links:
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/aug/08/hsbc-accused-closing-bank-a...
http://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/why-hsbc-closing-syrian-refugees-ban...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2719786/HSBC-accused-shameless-r...
http://rt.com/uk/178900-hsbc-syrian-laundering-closed/
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/08/374543/hsbc-shuts-uk-accounts-he...
Please, help the Syrians to challenge this systematic targeting by HSBC! Here's what you can do:
- Sign this petition (http://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/HSBC_Stop_profiling_your_Syrian_cust...)
- Use the template letter below to write to your MP expressing outrage at this pattern of discrimination. Use http://findyourmp.parliament.uk to find your MP.
Dear MP
The purpose of this letter is to alert you to a pattern of discrimination that is being employed by HSBC bank in inhibiting or closing the accounts of Syrian nationals or turning them down as potential customers. This pattern has been well documented by the Syrian community in Britain and seems to be a pervasive problem affecting Syrians regardless of their immigration status.
HSBC is citing Syria's sanctioned status to justify its discriminatory policy. A template letter sent by HSBC to Syrian customers reads, 'Our records show that you are resident in a country that is subject to financial sanction restrictions. Due to the increased requirements for compliance with international obligations concerning payments to and from sanctioned countries, we have taken the decision to close the above account(s).' It does not substantiate these allegations with any objective evidence.
While I understand that banks are prohibited from dealing with Syrian entities because the country is under sanction, I do not understand how these financial regulations can justify the profiling of an entire community. The mere fact that a bank customer is Syrian should not automatically raise red flags. Any decision to refuse service to a customer or to inhibit or close an account should not be made without substantiated, objective and compelling evidence.
There is a very real problem in this country with the way vulnerable foreign Syrian nationals are being treated by HSBC. HSBC is pursuing a blatantly discriminatory practice and is shamefully abusing its power over its Syrian customers.
I do hope that a formal investigation will be launched into the matter and I ask that you do whatever is in your power, as my constituency MP, to ensure that banks are made to uphold the dignity of their customers while complying with financial legislation.
Best regards,
