The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
June Spring2013 2013
Refugee Week Supplement www.thenewlondoners.co.uk Politics
Latin American Regimes
Education
English Classes
Comment
Mugabe's dirty game
Health
Asylum seeker pregnancy
Literature
Poetry workshops
1
Mr. Ilankovan President of the British Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons "The concept of doing something to help people has always fascinated me" page 4
The importance
of sanctuary
by Jerdenne Wilson
At the heart of the experience of being a refugee is the quest for a place of sanctuary. Sanctuary meaning a ‘place of refuge or safety’. A refugee is ‘a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or violence’. *
According to official figures from the Office of the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), at the start of 2012 there were 15.2 million refugees worldwide**. Currently in the UK, there are approximately 193,000 refugees and the top three countries they come from are Pakistan, Iran
and Sri Lanka. But the notion of people seeking a safe place from harm has been around for a long time. The two terms ‘refugee’ and ‘sanctuary’ are often used in conjunction and their history dates back as far as 600 AD to the time of the ancient Greeks and Continued on page 3 >>
www.thenewlondoners.co.uk
2
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
Editor-in-Chief: Ros Lucas Sub Editor Sara Wickert Production & Communications: Sylvia VelĂĄsquez Creative Director & layout: Pablo Monteagudo Contributors: Tania Farias Fatso Vicky Ilankovan Konstantinos Koloucheris Kate Monkhouse Dr Jenny Philimore Jerdenne Wilson
Letter from Editor-in-Chief Dear Readers, Welcome to The New Londoners' Refugee Week supplement. Refugee Week is an annual celebration of refugees’ contributions to the UK and this year takes place from 1 7 to 23 June. The plight of refugees is often forgotten in the discourse surrounding the immigration debate in the national media. Most have suffered persecution and some torture - others may have fled civil war or war zones where their lives were in danger. Many did not know their final destination when fleeing and negotiating a passage out of their home country and yet they are still misrepresented and accused of coming to the UK To get benefits. In this issue we tell a few stories of refugees who came to the UK to feel safe and how they are contributing to life in London.
Ros Lucas MRC Executive Director
Photographies by: Craig Cloutier Brett Davies Gareth Harper Donostia Kultura English Pen Vicky Ilankovan Pablo Monteagudo Andrada R. The Chuchofpunk Xpectro Illustrators: Anima Arts Renata Domagalska Rhiannon Hughes Poetry: Naz Produced by: Migrants Resource Centre 24 Churton Street London SW1 V 2LP 02078342505 www.migrantsresourcecentre.org.uk info@migrants.org.uk With thanks to all the volunteer journalists, contributors and media group members who took part in the production of the magazine
Follow us and join in debate on:
The New Londoners @newlondoners
3
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
The importance of sanctuary Picture by Xpectro
<< Continued from page 1
Egyptians. In periods of conflict, people used to seek sanctuary in holy places because they believed that they could not be harmed there. People might leave their countries because of religious, sexual orientation or political persecution; however war is one of the main causes today why there are so many refugees. Thanks to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention everyone has the right to apply for asylum in another country, including in the UK. The countries they run to are left to decide whether to accept them and offer sanctuary. Take for example the case of Marie Therese Nana. Many would not have even heard of her but the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC) has. She fled to the UK from her country Cameroon to evade torture, where she would be beaten into unconsciousness by her family in a tribal ritual, said to ‘purify’ her for converting her religion***. As a signatory to the Refugee Convention, the UK is obliged to give Marie the opportunity to apply for asylum. The UK also has a duty to respect the Human Rights Act. According to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Human Rights Act outlines the fundamental rights and freedoms of
One of the meanings of sanctuary is a ‘place of refuge or safety’ and a refugee is defined as ‘a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or violence
individuals. These include a right to live, a right to liberty and security and freedom from torture and inhumane or degrading treatment. Sadly, many still ignore the cries for help from asylum seekers like Marie and often refugees do not receive the treatment they think they will when they arrive here to the UK. Marie Therese Nana was locked up in a detention centre, where she was man handled and mocked for 8 months and during that time she was issued a removal order to send her back to
Cameroon and the same people she fled from. Marie was quoted saying “Am I a human being? I ran from my country to save my life and I just seek asylum. After destroying me mentally more than 8 months now they plot to send me back to my killers.” The Refugee Convention is the legal foundation for the right to seek sanctuary. It is up to countries receiving refugees to understand the important role it plays in saving lives and offering those who are persecuted the chance to rebuild theirs.
Il lu stra ti on
b y An im a
* Equality and Human Rights Commission offer more detailed information about refugees and places of sanctuary on their official website www.equalityhumanrights.com. ** The UNHCR defines what a refugee is and is set up to report on refugee news and also to help them. Their official website is http://www.unhcr.org where more information about the work they do can be found. *** Read more on Marie Therese Nana’s story and other personal testimonies of people who have fled their country, why and the hurdles they face in the countries they fled to on the NCADC website http://www.ncadc.org.uk/about/index.html
Arts
4
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
Since I was eight I wanted to be a doctor. I still remember using pencils as injection cylinders and giving people sachets of powder from the kitchen to make them feel better
From Sri Lanka w Vicky Ilankovan interviews her father
Il lu stra ti on b y An im a Arts
Since I was eight I wanted to be a doctor. I still remember using pencils as injection cylinders and giving people sachets of powder from the kitchen to make them feel better. The concept of doing something to help people has always fascinated me. However, the year that I was to enter medical school in Sri Lanka was the year the policy of standardisation came into force. This meant that Tamils needed substantially higher marks than Sinhalese in order to get into university. For example, Tamils needed 250 points to get into medical school whereas the Sinhalese needed less than 200. I got 249 and was therefore unable to qualify. I was heartbroken but decided to go to dental school instead. A highly underdeveloped specialty at the time and one that I was not at all happy in. Then one day I met a man who had been educated in England. He introduced me to the practice of facial surgery for dentally qualified people and stressed the importance of this speciality in treating head and neck cancer patients.
At that time, oral cancer was p among tea plantation workers. spoke of the specialtyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s involve deformity cases. These sorts of tre interested me because they mean be able to help people who otherwise getting treatment beca lack of money. In order to do this, it was necess qualified in both dentistry and m and have surgical training. I determined to do just that and, sin was no way of doing a second deg Lanka, I sat for a fellowship exa that was held by the Royal Co Surgeons of England every year. part one of the exam and came to to do part two. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a jo months because there was discrimination in the UK at th against foreign graduates. I was ab an incredibly junior job in Edinbur another six months I passed the part of the exam and managed to in South Wales. Getting into school at that time for a foreigne
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
5
Pictures by Mr. Ilankovan's personal collection Background images by Brett Davies / Andrada R.
with Surgical Skills
prevalent He also ement in eatments t I would weren’t ause of a sary to be medicine, became nce there gree in Sri mination ollege of I passed o England ob for six s major hat time ble to get rgh. After e second get a job medical er with a
temporary registration was particularly difficult. I applied to all the medical schools that first year and didn’t even get a reply. The second year I got into Cardiff. The next few years were full of visa issues, paying the Sri Lankan government who were refusing to renew my passport and let me stay in the UK, and prejudice. I became a registrar in Glasgow but, despite having more publications and presentations than my peers, along with fellowships in dentistry and medicine, I couldn’t get a position as a senior registrar. I went to elocution lessons to improve my presentations and even shaved off my moustache as an interviewer told me that I didn’t look like a senior registrar but still got nowhere. I finally got it on my twelfth interview. All these things made me even more determined, so I made a point to use all my annual leave to go overseas to India and China to learn and become competent in all aspects of our surgical discipline. Then life became easier. Within two years, I was headhunted for a job, and I have been a consultant for twenty years.
After six months of being a consultant, I realised there were many shortfalls in my field. First, I had to set up a head and neck cancer service in Dorset - which hadn’t been there before. Secondly there was nobody trained to look after these patients - so I trained the staff. What I found most difficult however was the patients; when they were diagnosed, there was no facility for them or their families to be supported in the community. I realised that this was a very important part of patient care. So 19 years ago, we set up a small charity called About Face which has blossomed over the last five years. We have now raised money for a house where we give one-to-one counselling support. We also have a laboratory where young surgeons can practise their skills, as well as one of the best head and neck libraries. It’s great for people to know that when they’re going through a rough patch, whether they be a patient, friend, family member or carer, they can pick up the phone or come and visit us and there will always be someone to listen.
When I became a consultant, I also put aside 18-20% of my income to go and work in various centres in the Far East. I set up three Cleft Centres in South India as well as centres to train surgeons in oral cancer surgery and treatment. Last year, the Peking Medical School granted me an honorary professorship for my work. So for twenty years I have been helping on established units and helping patients at no cost to them. I would love to be able to continue this and do more. Over the years, young trainees and surgeons have seen what I have contributed to the speciality and suggested that I put my name forward to become the President of the British Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons. I was successful for the year 2013-14. This is the first time a non-Caucasian has been given this position and I am immensely grateful to those who have supported me. I hope that I can make people proud of this field and can provide better support for our speciality.
6
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
Latin Americ
“From the deep crucible of the homeland. The people's voices rise up. The new day comes over the horizon. All Chile breaks out in song…” claims the first verse of We Will Triumph, a supporting song for the Popular Unity coalition led by Salvador Allende in Chile. According to the Revolutionary Democracy journal (2003) the Chilean songwriter and activist Víctor Jara sang this song defiantly after having been violently tortured in the Chilean Stadium (renamed later Víctor Jara Stadium). He had been arrested – and five days later assassinated - because of his political beliefs a fate shared by thousands of other people in 1973. Forty years after the coup d’état led by General Pinochet on 11th September 1973, it is difficult to forget the horrors committed against the Chilean people. In 2011 the Valech Commission recognised more than 40,000 victims in Chile - people arrested, tortured or executed- between September 1973 and March 1990. Among them, 3,065 people dead or disappeared. These figures don’t take into account all of the people who went into exile and the families of all the victims. Military dictatorship in Chile was characterised by its terror. However, this situation was not a unique case. Around the same time numerous Latin American countries were also ruled by a military dictatorship. In 1976, following a military coup d’état in Argentina, it started an era known as The Dirty War, a dark period of state terrorism aimed to exterminate any group or person associated with communism. During this period, all the succeeding military regimes declared war against the Argentinian citizens punishing any manifestation of heterogeneity. According to human rights organisations 30,000 people disappeared or were assassinated between 1976 and 1983 in Argentina. Meanwhile, from 1972 to 1979, Bolivia lived under the repressive regime of General Hugo Banzer. In 1980, a group of militaries led by Luis García Meza, along with people connected with drug trafficking and a terrorist cell known as Los Novios de la Muerte, - commanded by some former Nazi and Fascist criminals - took power and imposed what the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) named "Latin America's most errant violator of human rights after Guatemala and El Salvador”. In the first 13 months the regime killed more than 1,000 people. This period is also known The Cocaine Coup since corruption, drug trafficking and repression became Bolivia’s reality for three years. Around the same time, Paraguay and Uruguay were ruled with repressive regimes too. For 35 years - from 1954 to 1989- general
by Tania
An overview of
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
a Farias
Picture by Donostia Kultura
can regimes
7
Alfredo Stroessner subjected Paraguay's citizens to his government's dictatorship. Assassinations were carried out; people were persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, forced into exile and disappeared. It is estimated that during Stroessner’s dictatorship more than 3,500 people went into exile. Similarly, dictatorship in Uruguay started with the coup d’état led by Juan María Bordaberry (1973–1976) and ended in 1985 with Gregorio Álvarez (1981-1985). During the succession of four leaders any kind of political activity that did not conform to the official party was repressed. Again, during this period people were imprisoned and tortured. Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua were not exempt from having repressive governments. Actually during the twentieth century Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua suffered some of the bloodiest regimes in the world. But how can we explain the simultaneous occurrence of these brutal regimes in Latin American? To answer this question it is necessary to analyze it in the context of the Cold War; the spread of socialist ideas and therefore, the emergence of anti-imperialist governments all over Latin America. Fearing the expansion of communism in the region, the American government along with the CIA and right–wing parties in every country conceived and imposed totalitarian dictatorships aimed at destroying any seed of communism. In 1992, the Paraguayan activist Martín Almada – he was himself a political prisoner during Stroessner’s dictatorship came across the Archives of Terror in Paraguay. These documents were a compilation of written exchanges, information and descriptions relating cooperation agreements between leaders and militaries from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and later Ecuador, Peru and Colombia with the support of the Unites States, to eradicate any communist idea or Soviet influence in the region. These archives enumerated 50,000 assassinations, 30,0000 disappearances and 400,000 imprisonments under the name of Operation Condor. After the horrors and terrible consequences of the Second World War, it is difficult to understand why such terror regimes were imposed on this region and probably, we will never have a rational explanation for this level of cruelty. However, we can honor those who have fallen and those who have suffered from the brutality of these regimes remembering the events with respect, learning from our mistakes and not repeating such atrocities again.
a troubled past
8
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
English classes: by Dr Jenny Philimore
integration integration
The key to For many years now politicians and the tabloids have pointed to so-called selfsegregation of migrants and their alleged reluctance to speak English as responsible for their lack of integration into economy and society in the UK. As a result much policy focus has been placed on trying to encourage cross-community connections and linking applications for citizenship to ability to speak English. New research from the Institute for Research into Superdiversity, University of Birmingham, and the University of Cardiff provides evidence showing that for refugees at least, there is no reality behind the rhetoric. Using survey data – the “hard facts” favoured by politicians - we were able to show that refugees’ second highest priority after feeling safe and secure was learning English. Indeed they placed more emphasis
Picture by Thechurchofpunk
on the importance of speaking English than the policymakers who completed the same survey. Unfortunately refugees’ desire to learn English was frequently thwarted with many unable to attend language lessons and even more refugees finding that they did not make the progress they needed to get on in life. Our data supports earlier interview based research that showed refugees were being excluded from lessons through lack of childcare provision or high costs and that many of those who attended found lessons to be of low quality. Furthermore we show there is no evidence whatsoever that forming social networks with friends, people of the same faith, or relatives makes refugees less likely to engage more widely. Indeed the opposite was true. Networks with friends and family led to formation of networks with other groups and
organisations. Most problematic for integration was the lack of social networks. Those without them fared worse in health and employment terms while individuals who not only had networks, but were in frequent contact with those networks, were the healthiest. Ability to speak English was crucial in the formation of networks and for good health and accessing employment. So rather than focusing on “bad” networks we need to recognise the critical role of all networks in helping refugees to settle and perhaps focus on poor access to ESOL classes. Investing in quality language lessons and ensuring decent outcomes for refugees would overcome many of the key barriers to refugee settlement and ensure they can develop the wide range of social networks they need to get on with their life in the UK.
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/social-policy/departments/applied-social-studies/news-and-events/2013/04/social-networks-social-capital-refugee-integration.aspx
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
Opinion
Dirty Game
9
Kofi Anan recently denounced Mugabe as a Dictator, as if he wasn't aware of that all along. He could and should have acted in a different way when he was still at the helm of the UN. Mugabe should have gone a long time ago. Manicaland Zanu-PF Mike Mataure said, ‘The legs are tired, new pairs of horses are needed to pull the cart’. Since then he has never served in the government again. As things were better at the time, people didn’t take him seriously. Mugabe went from being an aspiring African Father to being called the ZANU PF mobster. He turned governmentcontrolled, yet traditionally non-political institutions into political instruments: the police, army, even some religious groups. The Border Gezi militia, which terrorized, raped, killed and burnt homes, schools and properties of anyone opposing the regime, was formed to strengthen the grip of power. Unfortunately, it was mostly uneducated and unemployed youths who were sent to beat up the opposition across the country, turning schools into torture bases. They were paid with intoxicating substances, so that most didn't even realise why and what they were doing. Time after time, Mugabe used unconventional tricks to stay in power, aided by those around him. He won back the support of war veterans by printing non-gold backed notes and dishing them randomly, with almost his then full cabinet benefiting - some getting 300% disability benefit. The printing of money brought a steep rise in short-term demand for goods against supply, which triggered the fall of the Zimbabwean Dollar and sparked hyperinflation. As if this was not enough, they sanctioned land grabbing, which kept away even more investors. Zanu PF wants more of these policies, because it will give them more freedom to do deals under the table, such as the forceful acquisition of personal wealth from state coffers. And they will blame everything on the West. Kofi Anan should be calling Mugabe to the Hague for the atrocities committed against his own people since he came to power. However, this time it will not be in Matebeleland only, but country-wide, with the potential to engulf the whole of Southern Africa. Zimbabwe played a big role in both conflicts before, with the Zimbabwean ministers plundering DRC Diamond in 1998. Mugabe should be stopped to avert the eminent genocide. Many people have died and disappeared under Mugabe’s government. The world is aware of the torture of opposition activists, destruction of the health service which facilitated conditions for spreading diseases, deliberately ignoring the high infant mortality rate. It’s difficult to provide actual figures due to undocumented migration trends but the numbers could be in the millions, more than even the displacement seen in Darfur or Rwanda. Mugabe must go, Mugabe must go. His henchmen should be answerable one way or another.
Mugabe and his boys: Why Zimbabwean refugees are in UK
by Fatso
The Zimbabwean crisis might have not drawn as much attention from the mainstream media as other similar cases of clashes between civilians and government, but in London there are clear signs that the problem continues. The first time I saw demonstrators outside the Zimbabwe House in Agar Street, was a few weeks ago, only to realise that it has become a common phenomenon, as every weekend protesters are demonstrating against Mugabe’s government. More than that, Mugabe’s dictatorship as recently denounced by Kofi Anan has forced generations of Zimbabweans to leave their country for better conditions, where violence and human rights violations hopefully are not part of life's daily routine. Probably this explains why Zimbabwe finds itself near the top of a list of refugee producing countries. The example of Zimbabwe gives us ample food for thought with regards to the meaning of Refugee Week in June. Asylum Seekers are testament to the existence of injustice and impunity around the globe. As long as these problems persist, then more uprooted generations will follow and there will always be something to do about it. Mr Fatso, a Zimbabwean refugee, explains why the demonstrations still continue. Every weekend demonstrators gather outside the Zimbabwean Embassy in London, rain or shine. They are there to express their discontent with the ruthless and malicious government that has ravaged the former basket of Africa, turning it into a begging orphan. When the freedom deprived Zimbabweans shout ‘MUGABE MUST GO, MUGABE MUST GO, they mean it. Mugabe must vacate his position one way or another There are elements even within the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU–PF) which want to see change at the helm. However, they just follow the rules religiously, considering the experience of Edgar Tekere, Ndabaning Sithole, Duri, Mike Mataure, former Shabani Mine ownerMutumwa Mawere, James Makamba, familiar names to the Zimbabwean community. There is a circle of greed for power and wealth, people who are taking advantage of the current political situation to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses. They will have to go or face the wrath of law when it comes in the postMugabe era.
10
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
by Tania Farias
A
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
11
Picture by Craig Cloutier
Asylum seeker pregnancy: a very sad situation Pregnancy is a very special state for a woman, one which requires complex and specialist care to assure the well–being of both, the mother and the unborn child. Pregnancy is also a time to share and be cheerful with family and friends. However, not every woman can enjoy such a protective support and some of them are exposed to very unstable situations. A pregnant asylum seeker under the support of sections 4, 95 or 98 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will be offered accommodation and financial support but she won’t be exempt from UKBA dispersal policies, meaning that she could be relocated anywhere in the UK as many times as the UKBA considers it necessary. Following the new guidance on pregnancy and dispersal established in July 2012 by the UKBA a “protected period” of four weeks before and after the birth was introduced. During this period a pregnant woman cannot be dispersed. Yet a 2013 report by the Refugee Council and Maternity Action, When maternity doesn’t matter: Dispersing pregnant women seeking asylum*, points out that the guidance does not take into account pregnant women’s mental well-being and health needs. The report highlights the risks to which this vulnerable group is being exposed. It is the result of exhaustive interviews with twenty women who have been dispersed during their preganancy. The report shows that sometimes women have had serious health conditions such as HIV and diabetes or other factors such as depression and high levels of stress that put them at risk during pregnancy; frequently when women are relocated they are
separated from family, friends, and healthcare arrangements and they are thusforced to give birth alone. In some cases women were dispersed against medical advice and journeys caused additional health and psychological problems; sometimes they were moved several times and accommodation was unsuitable because of lack of space, hygiene, inadequate food and overcrowded spaces. Moreover, interviewees found that they had insufficient money for essential needs such as clothes or food for their new born. Dana, one of the interviewed women said “It was freezing (December 29th) but if I didn’t go I would lose my money. For £35 I left my baby. Two hours after I gave birth I left the hospital to go to the post office. The nurses said, ‘No you are not allowed to take the baby with you because you are not fine.’ I said, ‘No I have to go because she doesn’t have clothes. I have to buy clothes.’ So when she was born for two hours she didn’t have any clothes so they covered her with towels.” The report concluded with a series of recommendations aiming to improve the conditions of pregnant asylum seekers, raising awareness about their care needs especially when they have been exposed to traumatic and violent situations in the past. *When maternity doesn’t matter: Dispersing pregnant women seeking asylum a research report by the Refugee Council and Maternity Action (February 2013)
12
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
Each journey entails Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) works with refugees and other forcibly displaced people, promoting their rights and providing a range of direct services. In London, JRS UK runs a weekly day centre at its base in Wapping, where each week up to 120 refugees come for lunch, some practical help and to share the joys and sadness of life in this country. In carrying out its activities JRS UK works in partnership with like-minded organisations, such as English PEN, a free speech and literature charity that campaigns to defend and promote free expression. English PEN’s trainers have run several creative writing workshops at JRS over the last year, with clearly positive results. In 2012 participants had their poems and prose published in “Big Writing for a Small World”. They also presented at the Joy of Speaking event in London in 2013. Louise Zanré, Director of JRS UK articulates why Jesuit Refugee Service has enjoyed hosting creative writing workshops, “It is very important for us to work in partnership, in particularly with English PEN, so that the refugees that we support have access to activities and opportunities that they might not have, including space for self development and growth, and also to feel normal. We are grateful that English PEN want to work with us in this way.” Philip Cowell, Head of Programmes at English PEN, explains, “We saw the participants in these workshops flourish through their creative writing, under the guidance of poet Malika Booker. We know it can be so unsettling travelling to the UK. Our workshops don’t heal that, but they do give participants a chance to explore their new lives through free expression. More than anything, though, we aim for a safe, fun and uplifting setting for people to feel relaxed and confident – and JRS and Malika certainly helped our participants with that.”
by Kate Monkhouse ‘Naz’, took part in the third round of creative writing workshops offering by English PEN at JRS's Wapping centre. He wrote two contrasting pieces, one with a memory from back home and one expressing his sense of being in the UK. He shares his writing experience. Tell me about how you got involved with creative writing workshops with English PEN. When I came, I was very excited and motivated. The trainer told us how do to this, it is just about being creative, so I wrote my first poem on that day. She gave us poems to read from other writers and she gave us time to think about writing ourselves. Even though I had never written a poem in my life that is how I did mine. She was really good to push us how to write something. What was the experience like for you? After the training, I can see anything is possible, I can train to do anything in life! Even though English is not my language, I felt this is something that I can do. How is it writing in a different language to your mother tongue? To write a poem it is all about being creative first, so when you have creativity you can use any language to express what you want to say. That is what inspired me to
a hundred possibilities
Picture by Pablo Monteagudo
13
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
write. Even though I have many difficulties since living in this country with speaking and writing English, when it is creative writing I can express myself. What did you learn about writing? To express my feelings about my situation through words, rather letting them stay inside me and causing depression. By writing it is like I am taking it out and putting on paper through words it is better than just not saying anything. What inspires you in your writing? The way the trainer was, she was the one who inspired me. There was a woman who came here to speak to the group who had been an asylum seeker in the same situation. She had been a medical doctor and gave each one of us a copy of the book she herself had written. She gave us a boost that we can do it as she is now a full time writer. That kind of thing also motivated me. Is there anything else you want to say about the poems you write? The poem I wrote is about expressing the life of a refused asylum seeker in this country. The second poem you see is about remembering when I was young and my mother and so on. I don’t know what else I can say, read the poems!
I REMEMBER
by Naz
I remember when my mother was waking me up In the morning for bath. The water was so cold, She kept saying she ain’t got money To heat the water Every drop of the water on my body Causing drops of tears, I remember. In the morning bathing was a hell.
DESTITUTE
by Naz
Each journey entails a hundred possibilities. I have been thinking all my life To make my way to this land, Many of us called the rich land. But when I reached This so-called rich land, It’s like a white storm, The whole land is so cold As Arctic With no home, no shelter.
After the training, I can see anything is possible, I can train to do anything in life!
7 o’clock in the morning after bath She dressed me up and served me breakfast The school was miles away And I had no money to pay for my bus ticket. In the morning walking to school was a hell. A long sandy road in the noon Full of hot sand, I remember. My feet got burnt When walking back home from school. However the drop of rain can be heard And puts a smile on my face as I can walk Without feeling the heat of the sun in the noon.
D ra win
ia n n on g b y Rh
H u g h es
14
The New Londoners Refugee Week Supplement
Reflections by Mercedes
What do I hear when I listen to the city, when I look to the future in this place that surrounds me? I see a neighbourhood of multiple languages, cultures, sounds, and fragrances. I see a woman wishing to tell the city that she and her child crossed the ocean and several continents to feel secure. She did not want to hear the screams of people running from the effects of war, hunger and disease. She wants to explain that she doesn’t understand what happened. Her town was peaceful before the modern tanks and men in strange clothes speaking strange languages came. No one asked her if she wanted that war, if she wanted the diseases or if she had enough to eat. She is peaceful now. She feels relieved, this city will protect her, and her child will be able to grow and learn the language of the people helping her, a language so similar to the language of the men who came to her town.
Through
Illustrations by Renata Domagalska
the eyes of a refugee No one is listening. No one responds, no one asks her how she is coping. She feels the city’s eyes looking at her with mistrust. She thinks: why do they look at me like that? Why are they sending me away? She talks loudly so people can hear her. She tells them “I can work; I can pay for your help I am a strong woman. I crossed the oceans and several continents.” I see other people wanting to communicate, wanting to tell their story but the city is becoming a city full of fear, closing doors and windows, not wanting to see, to hear or to talk, not even to their neighbours. I see the woman and her child in the street, begging and sleeping rough. Wishing to tell
her story, but no one is listening. But if I really really listen I can hear a child talking to the woman’s child, becoming friends, listening to each other in the park, and in this park a rose strong and bright is growing. Hold on, other children are talking, other children are listening. They talk about peace, about the games they used to play in their country realising they are the same but have different names, and they laugh at the sound of their voices and their accents. They will build a different world and they will grow listening and appreciative of each other. When I whispered this to the woman’s ear she smiled and the star of hope sparkled in her eyes.
Refugee Week 2013 is a unique opportunity to discover and celebrate the contribution that refugees make to the UK www.refugeeweek.org.uk