New times march 2014 by New Times

REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.

NEWTIMES MARCH 2014 > ISSUE # 89

ONE ON ONE THE MINISTER OF INTEGRATION VS DANISH PEOPLE’S PARTY ON ASYLUM SEEKERS AND INTEGRATION PAGE 04

ASYLUM SEEKERS CONVERT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ASYLUM SEEKERS LEAVE THEIR FAITH AND TURN TO CHRISTIANITY

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NEW CENTER FOR REJECTED ASYLUM SEEKERS

SOMALIS AFRAID OF GOING BACK

ALL REJECTED ASYLUM SEEKERS IN DENMARK WILL SOON BE MOVED TO THIS CENTER

MORE AND MORE SOMALIS ARE BEING REJECTED ASYLUM. BUT IS IT SAFE TO GO BACK?

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DEAR READER Stressful moving On Wednesday the 19th of February I got an upsetting text message from one of my journalists here at New Times. Her name is Rasha - an asylum seeker from Syria and her text message said: “Hi Robin. I can’t come today because I have been removed to Jelling (an asylum center in Jutland. Edit). I do not know what to do. Can you help me?” I was very surprised - as I always am when people from my team are suddenly being transferred to another part of the country and we have to part with them with short notice. But this time was different.

Normally when the Immigration Service decides to move asylum seekers from one center to another, they usually give a warning of about three days. But Rasha was given a warning of less than 24 hours. She could not even finish the articles she was working on. “I was told by a Red Cross staff on my center around 11 o’clock that I have to pack my things and be ready to board a bus tomorrow at 9am. I told him I could not make it”, Rasha explains. I tried to call Immigration Service for an explanation: “There is a big pressure on the rooms in Sandholm and the other asylum centers on Zea-

Committee to look at Interpreter problems land”, the lady from Immigration Service told me. “There is nothing we can do”, she added. Giving asylum seekers – many of whom have post traumatic stress syndrome, depression and other challenges - one day’s warning for moving is not beneficial for their mental wellbeing, and I question myself: Is it not possible to give asylum seekers longer notice when they are to be moved from their temporary homes? From their friends and colleagues? In a country where the bus and train schedule is exact down to the minute, it should be possible to change this without spending a lot of money on it. Of course I am not expecting

magic from the staff at Immigration Service. When there is a high demand for rooms I can easily understand that they need to move people around. I am also fully aware that there are much bigger problems in the asylum system than this. But this problem is one of the few that could be avoided by with just a little more planning from the relevant authorities. The refugees in Denmark deserve that we try.

The serious problems with interpreters in the asylum system were covered in our October issue. Shortly after the Minister of Justice set up an internal committee whose members will suggest how to improve the quality of interpretation. Unfortunately the asylum seekers need to be patient. The committee’s report is only expected to be ready by the end of this year.

Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany Editor

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REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.

NEWTIMES Published by: The Danish Red Cross Editorial Office: New Times Red Cross House Rosenørns Allé 31, 2nd floor 1970 Frederiksberg Email: newtimesdk@gmail.com www.newtimes.dk Tel. +45 23 34 58 87

New Times Journalists: Yolanda, Rohit, Makmoud, Sonny, Shokria, Alisa, Sam, Rasha, Ismael, Robert, Ahmed and Billy. Volunteers: Patricia Brander, Simon Brix Justesen, Signe Sengar, Stéphanie Coste, Robin Schmid and Sindy Ortiz Pimentel. Layout: Jens Burau, supergreen.dk

Editor in chief: Maja Kathrine Rettrup Mørch Editor: Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany

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Printed by: OTM Avistryk Distributed free of charge to: Asylum centres, Ministries, Members of the Danish Parliament, public libraries, asylum and human rights organizations, NGOs, media and individuals in Denmark and abroad. Subscription: Subscriptions are free. If you would like to subscribe to New Times send us an email at teamnewtimes@gmail.com and we will send it directly to your email inbox as soon as the next issue is out. If you would like to receive the magazine by post send us an email for details.

ASIG: ASIG (Asylum Seekers Information Group) answers questions about asylum and life as a refugee. Individuals, teachers, students, journalists and anyone interested in asylum matters is welcome to send an inquiry. To book the group for lectures, presentations and discussions contact newtimesdk@gmail.com Support: We are a part of the Danish Red Cross adult education and training department and are supported by the Danish Institute for Study Abroad. We cooperate with the Danish Refugee Council and Amnesty International.

Note: Some of the journalists use their real names, but some use pseudonyms because they do not want their whereabouts known by people in their home countries. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are those of the authors and the persons interviewed and not – unless stated clearly – the opinion of the Danish Red Cross.

NEW CENTER FOR REJECTED ASYLUM SEEKERS

The new center is located two kilometers from Center Sandholm. (Photo: Google Maps)

All rejected asylum seekers in Denmark will soon be moved to a new, big departure centre that will be run by the Prison and Probation Service ❚❚By: Rohit A few years ago, Sjælsmark barracks, which lie near to Sandholm asylum centre, were used to house unaccompanied child asylum seekers. Then in 2012 the army took over the barracks again. Now the barracks will once again be used to accommodate asylum seekers - this time those who have been finally rejected and therefore are obliged to leave the country. It will be a so-called departure centre. A consultation process about the future of the barracks has been set in motion, and at the moment it is difficult to give an exact date for when the proposed departure centre will open. The departure centre was announced to open in the beginning of 2014, but the opening has been postponed several times. Now the authorities expect the departure centre to open at the end of 2014. New Times sent questions to the Ministry of Justice to find out what the plans are. Will it be a closed centre or will it possible for asylum seekers to come and go when they want? In centre Sjælsmark it will be possible for residents to go in and out freely, just like in

the other centres. Some residents could, however, be subject to residence and reporting requirements as is currently the case at the centre Sandholm. What will be the main difference between Sjælsmark and the current departure centres, Sandholm and Auderød? Centre Sjælsmark will serve solely as a departure centre. As such it will only house people who are obliged to leave the country. This includes rejected asylum seekers, people on “tolerated stay” and those convicted criminals who are expelled and therefore must leave the country once they have served their sentences. Newly arrived asylum seekers will be housed in centre Sandholm; rejected asylum seekers in centre Sjælsmark. Thus, it will be possible to take better care of the newly arrived asylum seekers who are often in a vulnerable situation. At centre Sjælsmark the focus will be on the rejected asylum seekers’ return to their country of origin, and therefore a counseling service will be established, offering information and advice about voluntary return and resettlement in the home countries. The Prison and Probation Ser-

vice will be responsible for the operation of Departure Centre Sjælsmark. It is expected that the Prison and Probation Service will work in close cooperation with the Danish Red Cross, which operates the nearby Centre Sandholm, to provide various activities in the centre including activities and education for the children. Will criminals be isolated from the rest of the group (families, single women and men with no criminal record)? The departure centre will be divided so that, more or less, there will be two centres in one. This means that there will be an area where people on “tolerated stay” and those convicted criminals with an expulsion order are accommodated, and an area for the rest of the residents. This division will also apply to the public areas as far as possible. Will there be a section just for women? There will also be a section for vulnerable and single women. Will the residents get money to buy and prepare their own meals or will there be a canteen which everyone must use? There will be a canteen.

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 3

ONE ON ONE

New Times put forward five questions about asylum seekers and immigrants to the newly appointed minister for Integration, Manu Sareen.

❚ By: Billy Hydar Interview with Manu Sareen, Minister for Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs: What is important for Danes to know and understand about the new Danish immigrants, in order to avoid social problems? Immigrants and refugees come to Denmark with many different backgrounds. The group is very diverse and includes researchers and spe-

cialists recruited by Danish companies, people who have arrived due to family reunification, migrant workers who came in the 1960s, refugees who have been granted asylum because of persecution and conflicts, young descendants of migrants and many others. The Government’s integration policy is a matter of ensuring that migrants are aware of the rights and responsibilities they have so that migration may contribute to a positive development of the Danish society.

What is the biggest and most important adjustment to be proposed for a better life between immigrants and original Danes? When coming to Denmark, immigrants should be met with expectations and respect – rights and responsibilities. We need to require that immigrants engage actively in society, and that they understand the importance of their commitment to this process. At the same time, we need to provide them with the best opportunities to do so. The Danish integration legislation’s purpose is to ensure that immigrants will get the possibility to utilize their skills and qualifications in order to become participating and contributory citizens. What events can be helpful in shaping the attitudes and beliefs, that new Danes have gained through all their heritage, for immigrants to be welcomed? Every citizen is free to practice whatever religion they wish to, including the traditions and rituals that they bring with them as long as they do not violate Danish legislation. What advice would you give to the citizens who are afraid of new Danes, and Muslims in

particularl? What do you want them to know? New Danes need to be met with respect as individuals and with an expectation of and the opportunity to participate actively in the Danish Society. Why would people think refugees are criminals? Why are they seen as a bad people or outcasts? Denmark has a long tradition of receiving refugees, under the jurisdiction of international conventions and in order to be granted asylum in Denmark, an applicant must meet the required conditions. Although the crime rate among immigrants and descendants is high, I do believe that most Danes recognize the difference between refugees needing asylum and criminals. Recent studies indicate a greater tolerance among Danes towards immigrants.

DID YOU KNOW? The Minister belongs to the center party The Social Liberal Party, and he was born in India of Indian parents.

“Although the crime rate among immigrants and descendants is high, I do believe that most Danes recognize the difference between refugees needing asylum and criminals”

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WANT TO KNOW MORE? If you wish to learn more about the different parties or different members of the Danish Paliament visit: www.thedanishparliament.dk

We also asked the same questions to Martin Henriksen, Spokesperson on Immigration Matters from the Danish Peoples Party - the most critical party towards the immigration policy in Denmark. Interview with Mr. Martin Henriksen, spokesperson for the Danish Peoples Party on Immigration Matters What is important for others to know and understand about the new Danish immigrants, in order to avoid social breaches? First and foremost it is very important that people who immigrate to Denmark accept the laws, culture, norms and traditions of the society they have come to. It is the immigrants who have to adopt the Danish traditions not the other way around. Danes are in general very open and very openminded people. There is nothing that Danes want more, than to witness immigrants thriving and playing a positive role in Danish society. Unfortunately, too many immigrants, and especially the second generation, choose to identify themselves in opposition to the Danish society. When you have chosen to leave your native country behind, the best thing you can do is let your kids grow up in your new country on the same terms as the natives, telling them that they should think of themselves as Danes and take an active part in their country.

What advice would you give to the citizens who are afraid of new Danes, and Muslims in particularl? What do you want them to know? I don’t think that Danes are afraid of Muslims. I think that Danes are worried that the Denmark they know is going to change because of immigration. It is a noted fact that immigrants from non-western countries – especially countries situated in Africa and the Middle East – have a far higher crime rate than Danes. We also have far more unemployment among immigrants from these countries. Thirdly, we are witnessing a rise in Islamic extremism. Finally, Danish hospitals, kindergartens, schools and so

on are caving in to Muslim pressure groups who demand that Muslim traditions and demands of the religion of Islam take precidence over Danish traditions. This is completely unacceptable and the Danish Peoples Party will fight it all the way. Why would people think refugees are criminals? Why are they seen as a bad people or outcasts? Well because some of the asylum seekers actually are criminals. One in five asylum seekers were found guilty of

one or more criminal acts in 2013 according to Danmarks Statistik. We will not accept that people who seek the protection of the Danish society choose to commit crimes while they are here. The Danish Peoples Party think that asylum seekers who are found guilty should be expelled from Denmark immediately.

What is the biggest and most important adjustment to be proposed for a better life between immigrants and original Danes? See answer of the first question. What events can be helpful in shaping the attitudes and beliefs, that new Danes have gained through all their heritage, for immigrants to be welcomed? Off course it is very important to know Danish society and Danish history. The Danish nation and the Danes are a product of our history. Knowing the history of the Danes is a great way to understand why Danes act and think the way they do.

“Immigrants from non-western countries – especially countries situated in Africa and the Middle East – have a far higher crime rate than Danes”

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 5

FROM THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE Refugees fleeing war get a very “warm” welcome from the Danish army ❚❚By: Ismael Deboub When I first came to Sandholm as a refugee, I found it to be a quiet center and a very calm place. About one month later, while I was painting a picture, I suddenly heard the sound of big explosions like thunder, followed by bursts of firearms. I was so frightened and scared that my painting brush fell from my hand. I stopped painting and ran to the window. The spectacle that I saw was incredible: soldiers shooting with machineguns following tanks that fired their cannons. All around this little army there was smoke from grenades. I was so surprised that in this moment I was brought back to my country’s civil war many years ago. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was a military manoeuvre beside the Sandholm Center.

SYRIANS’ REACTIONS

The army exercises are still taking place, and recently I thought about the many Syrian refugees who are escaping the war in their country. How do

they feel about the fact that Sandholm is situated just next to the Danish army’s military exercise grounds?

the refugees really need peace and tranquillity”, Khaled Kiki says.

KHALED KIKI

Another Syrian refugee, Abdou Salam Mohamed Ali, is also affected by the army exercises. “I escaped from Syria because of the war. I was living with terror in all my body,” he says and explains how the sound of shooting outside his window in the asylum center makes him feel. “The sound is unbearable and intolerable. I can only sleep during the night if I take pills and when the shooting happens during the day I remember the time that I lived in Syria,” he says. “It makes me sick and I’m always tired. I don’t know what to do. It is like psychological torture. I hope they move me to another place soon,” Abdou Salam Mohamed Ali ends.

Khaled Kiki escaped from Syria because of the war. One year ago he fled with his wife and two children. The army exercise does not do him or his family any good. “We suffered so much during this war and we are lucky we are still alive,” he says. “Sometimes the shooting and sound of bombs and grenades happen in the night when we are sleeping. I think I am back in Syria and the Syrian soldiers are attacking us. My children wake up trembling, shaking and crying. My wife huddles up against me because she knows what the soldiers can do with women once they enter your house,” he says. “I think it is traumatizing. I can’t understand why a refugee camp is located next to a military camp. It´s not for protecting the refugees I presume! It would be better to move one or other of these camps because

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ABDOU ALI

cises will stop. The only thing frustrated asylum seekers can do is therefore to complain to the Red Cross staff and apply for an “internal move” away from the parts of the center that are closest to the heavy exercises - or apply for private accommodation outside Sandholm.

FIND OUT WHEN THE ARMY WILL BE SHOOTING: Find out when the army will be shooting close to Sandholm on the army’s website: www.forsvaret.dk/LG and search for “Støjkalender 2014”. Translation of terms from Danish to English Uge= week Dato= date Skydning med løs ammunition = shooting with blank ammunition Kanonslag = mortar Sprængning = explosion Hjulkøretøjer = wheeled vehicles PMV= armoured personnel carrier Sjælsø skydebane = Sjælsø firing range

NO CHANGE IN SIGHT

During research for this article New Times has not found any indications from the relevant authorities that Sandholm is moving or that the army exer-

When the boys take a break, so does the sound of war (Photo: Ismael Deboub)

ASYLUM SEEKERS BECOME CHRISTIANS

An increasing number of asylum seekers in Denmark leave their faith and turn to Christianity. It can be a dangerous choice to make and the authorities are suspicious.

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 7

ASYLUM SEEKERS BECOME CHRISTIANS An increasing number of asylum seekers leave their faith and turn to Christianity ❚❚By: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany The Refugees Appeals Board has noticed an increase in the number of convert-cases over the last year and a half. “We do not keep a record of the number of cases where conversion is part of the motive for protection, but it is my impression that the number of asylum seekers converting - either here in Denmark or in their home countries - is increasing”, says Stig Torp Henriksen the administration leader of the Refugee Appeals Board.

71% GET ASYLUM

Lawyers, priests and the Danish Refugee Council confirm the increase. And the outcome of a convert-case is often positive - granting the convert protection. According to the research conducted by New Times, 50 asylum seekers out of the roughly 70 convert-cases in 2013 were granted protection. That is 71% of the cases. One and a half year ago the Danish Refugee Appeals Board changed its practice regarding converts. Previously one of the arguments for rejecting converted asylum seekers was that they could hide their new - dangerous - belief. But after strong criticism from lawyers, human rights organisations and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Refugee Appeals Board dropped this argument for rejecting people. It is a basic human right to exercise one’s religious beliefs, and a Danish authority should not urge religious minorities to keep a low profile. Refugee status determination is about whether an individual qualifies as a refugee under international law, not about what the individual could do to avoid persecution.

“CONVERT AND GET ASYLUM”

After the Appeals Board stopped using this argument for rejecting people, Danish politicians and media were worried. The fear was that asylum seekers now had an easy, secure way to get asylum in Denmark. Now everyone can just convert and be granted asylum, they said. But that is not the case, says assistant professor in international law and human rights at the University of Aalborg, Jesper Lindholm. “The asylum authorities tackle the risk of misuse by making a specific assessment of the need for protection in each individual case, based on proof available in the case, and by applying a credibility assessment. They also apply interview- and question techniques that test the authenticity of the conversion”, he says

THE RISK

Jesper Lindholm also points to the fact that all converts are not automatically at risk of being persecuted in their country of origin. “The particular circumstances in the home country of the asylum-seeker must be reviewed in each case”, he says. Only in a limited number of countries, may the mere non-participation in religious worship and exercise of the predominant religion lead to instant stigmatization and persecution.

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CONVERTING IN DENMARK

Testing the converts’ authenticity is especially applied to the people who have converted after coming to Denmark. This group is met with more scepticism by the authorities. Reading through rulings by the Refugee Appeals Board on its website reveals that a number of these cases are being rejected. In one of these rejected cases the Board members remark that an Iranian asylum seeker who converted after coming to Denmark “could not, to even the smallest extent, explain the Christian festivals of Easter, Pentecost and Christmas”. In the eyes of the Board this showed that the authenticity of the conversion was weak. In the same case the Board found it unlikely that the Iranian authorities would be aware of the applicant’s conversion.

There can be good reasons for an individual to postpone conversion until they arrive in Denmark. But the authorities are sceptical towards these converts. (Photo: Jo Ann Deasy / CC)

NADIA: “IN THE CHURCH, THEY TREAT ME LIKE A HUMAN BEING” FACTS:

Nadia, asylum seeker from Afghanistan, converted from Islam to Christianity. She is happy in church but afraid of the threats she receives from religious people in the asylum center ❚❚By: Shokria Nadia was 14 years old when she was married. Her husband, a rich man, was 21 years old. Nadia’s own family was forced to flee from the Taliban because they worked as doctors for the government. Her parents did not dare to bring her along because of the fear of her being kidnapped or raped. That is why they arranged to marry Nadia into another family before fleeing. It was a family Nadia would learn to hate. Nadia lived together with her husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law, three brothersin-law and seven sisters-in-law. They were very bad people who did not treat her nicely. They beat her often.

PUNISHMENT

She gave birth to four daughters and her husband beat her after each birth. He pulled her hair so hard that her scalp was ripped. Her husband’s family wanted sons. Luckily, she gave birth to a nice son the fifth time, but she was beaten again when she

gave birth to another daughter afterwards. Especially Nadia’s brotherin-law and mother-in-law were bad to her. They beat her and threw things at her.

HELP

One of her brothers-in-law had a wife who was a good woman. She saw how Nadia was being treated. One day she came by and gave Nadia a black scarf and told her that if she did not escape from that house the inlaws would kill her. Nadia ran away with bare feet and went to her uncle-in-law’s house. He said “I am like your father”, and he helped her and paid a human smuggler to take her to Denmark. The same country her own family had fled to, several years before.

THREATS

Her life in the refugee camps in Denmark has been surrounded by problems. She cannot speak English or Danish. First she asked for help from some Afghan men, but after they had helped her they wanted her to do bad things; they wanted her

Nadia’s case had been rejected by the Danish authorities, but has recently been re-opened. She was granted asylum by the Refugee Appeals Board at the end of February. New Times is not publishing her full name or a picture of her face as she is still living in the asylum center where she is harassed by some Muslim conservatives.

to sleep with them. So she then started asking for help from Iranian people instead (they share the same language, Farsi). This made the Afghan men angry and they threatened her, “You are non Muslim. You are a bad women. We will kill you”, they said. After that she went to the office and the center staff arranged for her to move to another room.

HUGGING CHILDREN

Nadia is sad living in the asylum centre; she misses her six children. She tried to get in contact with them, but her husband’s family won’t allow her to have any contact with them. “Your children do not belong to you any more. They belong to us”, they told her. When she sees some of the boys or girls in the camp that look like her children she hugs them and kisses them and cries.

CHURCH

One of Nadia’s Iranian friends had converted to Christianity. One day she took Nadia to the church and that was the first of many visits. The church was

relaxing and comforting to her. The Fathers at the church are kind and well-behaved. They treated her like a human being, they hugged her and respected her. Not like her husband’s family, who treated her like an animal.

DANGEROUS

After going to church with her friend, Nadia decided to change her religion. She is now baptized and has become more relaxed and comfortable. Every Sunday she goes to church by bus. And sometimes she goes to social celebrations. She is happy there. But in the camp she is regularly threatened by Afghan Mullahs and religious people. They tell her: “We will kill you and cut your neck when you wear the cross and go to church”. Office staff in the camp try to help her, but she is afraid of those other asylum seekers who are aggressive towards her. Nadia shows her necklace which she wears everyday. Even in the asylum center where people threaten to punish her for converting. (Photo: Private).

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 9

“I LIKED WHAT THE PRIEST WAS SAYING” Mehdi is a 34-year-old Iranian asylum seeker who converted to Christianity a year and a half ago. By changing his religion Mehdi risks a death penalty if he returns to Iran

❚❚By: Alisa Why did you leave Iran nine years ago? My life and the life of my family was in danger. My brother was killed by the government. He used to work for the government in the atomic factory. He made some videos and pictures inside the factory. The government found out about this. Then they killed him and made it look like an accident. What is the status of your asylum case in Denmark now? I got a negative reply a long time ago. My case is closed. They told me that they can reopen my case if I provide them with new documents about my case. But, I don’t have any new documents because I am not living in Iran. I´ve been here for nine years now. What are your plans now? How do you see yourself in Denmark in the future? I have a feeling that my life is passing by without me doing anything about it. So, last year I tried to leave this country because I have no residence here. I tried to go to Australia with a false French passport. I wanted to make a new life. In Australia I could work. That is not allowed for me here. I bought an airline

ticket from Copenhagen to Sydney with transit in Dubai. The police caught me in Dubai and returned me to Copenhagen. The Danish police arrested me and jailed me for fifty days. After that, I came to Sandholm again. What made you convert to Christianity? I had a Danish friend who told me a bit about Christianity. I got interested in this religion and one day I decided to go with him to the church. I liked what the priest was saying.. He said that we should help others in need, that we should be good persons and similar. Before, when I was a Muslim I did not read the whole Qurán but now, as a Christian, I have read the whole Bible. How did you feel once you converted? I felt a bit stressed because of my family. I was afraid of what my parents would think about me because they are Muslims and I have changed my religion now. It´s also dangerous to go back to my country if I have changed my religion. The authorities in Iran put people on trial and kill those who decide to change their religion. I remember the day I converted. The priest put some water on my head. I felt good that I had chosen Christianity as my religion because it was my choice and mine alone. It was not like before when I felt like I had inherited my religion

by birth, from my parents. It´s important that I decided for myself and it was not others that had decided for me. How do you practice your religion? Every Sunday I go to the mass in the Apostle church in Copenhagen. I listen to the priest there. He speaks in Danish and it is translated to Farsi. He speaks about how God is the only One who can help us in need, in every situation. We should always think about God and believe in His help. The priest tells us how important it is to help others. The service starts at 10 a.m. and it lasts until 1 p.m. After the mass we talk with other converts about our problems and how we can help other people. What would happen if you´d need to go back to your country? Before I had a political problem, but now, after I have changed my religion I risk the death penalty there. Are you afraid that the authorities here will not believe that you are a true convert? I don’t care if they believe me or not because I have made this choice by my heart. I want to believe in God. This is something between me and my God. FACTS: New Times know Mehdi’s full name. We have not used it in this article as it could put him to severe danger if he is deported back to Iran.

“After the conversion I was afraid of what my parents would think about me”. (Photo: Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany)

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PRIEST: “I AM NOT A JUDGE” Iranians and Afghans are the biggest groups who attend the weekly international fellowship meetings every Sunday in Apostelkirken in Copenhagen

“I try to lead the asylum seekers on the path of faith rather than judging them on their words.” (Photo: Sonny) ❚❚By: Sonny One of the most popular churches among the asylum seekers on Zealand is Apostelkirken in Copenhagen - a Christian church located in Vesterbro. Every week the church welcomes people to services in English that are translated into Farsi - a language shared by both Iranians and Afghans. These two nationalities are the biggest groups at these international services in the church, and often they seek the church for converting from Islam. The priest, Niels Nymann Eriksen, has experienced an increase in the number of asylum seekers in his church over the last 18 months. “Now almost 80 people come to the international fellowship meeting every Sunday, most of them are Afghans and Iranians,” he explains.

How many people approach you for conversion? At the moment we have a baptism class of about 15 people. Most of them come from Iran and Afghanistan but we have also people from several Arab countries. Some of them are asylum seekers, some of them have a residence permit. How do you judge when people are ready to convert? I do not know the secret of human hearts. If people want to deceive me, they would probably manage to do so. But basically what I am doing is this: we have a process and we want that process to be case led, that is the process depends on each individual. So, if somebody approaches me and says I want to be baptized, I ask: How long have you been involved in the church? If he says I came this Sunday, then I say sorry, you have to wait and come back in a couple of months.

You need to be active in church for a couple of months. After that you get admitted to the baptism class, which is a six-month course. And during these six months we expect people to go to church regularly, every Sunday 10 o’clock and join the international fellowship after church. And every second Sunday they should receive special baptism coaching. Baptism coaching means not just being taught about the basic content of the Christian faith, it is also about talking together about our lives in the light of faith: what it means to believe in God and in Jesus Christ in the Christian way, given the challenges that we face today. So, it is about information but it is also about prayer and Christian practice. I cannot guarantee you that no one has cheated me. Even I would say, I do not see it as my

job to judge the secret motives in people’s hearts. I ask them questions, if they lie to me, well that is very sad. People should not lie about their spiritual life. But I am not in a position to say “I do not believe you”, I have to ask further questions and try to lead them on the path of faith rather than judging them on their words. Is there anything that surprises the people coming for conversion? Sometimes some people misunderstand the meaning of freedom. Some people think OK, let me become Christian and let me do whatever I like. That is not the point. Christianity is very strict. There are not a lot of detailed rules but it is very strict in terms of giving up your own life for God and for your neighbour, and that is not easy. It is a demand that you give your entire self in a way.

NO REOPENING OF CONVERT CASES Since October last year the Refugee Appeals Board has refused to re-open at least six convert–cases, the Danish newspaper, Information, writes February 28th. Asylum lawyer Niels-Erik Hansen calls this “in breach of

the law” and says that these cases should be reopened so the members of the Board can examine whether the converts risk persecution in their home countries after converting to Christianity - and to reject the

ones who speculate in converting to gain asylum. Two of the cases have been brought to the UN Human Rights Commission. In both cases the Commission has asked the Danish Refugee Appeals

Board to stop the deportations while the Commission handles the complaints.

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 11

My Somali friends are getting their asylum request in Denmark denied. But is Somalia a safe country to return to?

SOMALIS AFRAID OF GOING BACK HOME LATEST NEWS: 15.11.2013 A 26-year-old Somali man who has lived in the Netherlands, was deported to Mogadishu and was injured by an explosion near the hotel Makkah Almukarramah. (Source: Human Rights Watch). 01.01.2014 Deadly car bombs strike a hotel in Somali capital Mogadishu at least killed 10, in an attack claimed by Al-shabaab militants. (Bbc World News). 07.01.2014 Two people shot dead in Mogadishu: armed groups have gunned down two people on Mogadishu’s Wadajir and Hodan districts, the latest attack in a series of killings on soldiers and civilians in the capital, (Source: Shabelle News). 31.01.2014 UNHCR states that Somalia is not yet safe for refugees’ return. The UNHCR’s Senior Communications Officer Dan MacIsaac said “Somalis are at risk of being killed”. 08.02.2014 The U.S Department of State continues to warn U.S citizens to avoid traveling to Somalia. This replaces the travel warning dated from June 21st 2013, to update information on security concerns, (Source: Allafrica News). 10.02.2014 Al-Shabaab stops the internet and forbids anyone to use their Smart phones in Somalia, (Al Jazeera English News). 10.02.2014 The Deputy Security Commander of the Lower Shabelle region was killed today by an explosion in Mogadishu, and a security guard was killed near the Oriental Hotel , (Source: Daily Star) 13.02.2014 6 people were killed in the explosion in front of the airport, (source: Jowhar news). 21.02.2014 Nine Al-Shabaab militants wearing military fatigues and carrying guns and grenades died after attacking the presidential palace with two car bombs. President Hassan was unharmed, but two government officials were killed. (source: Jowhar news). 27.02.2014 A car bomb killed 12 people and another 10 were injured near Somalia’s national intelligence headquarters in the capital of Mogadishu. Most of them were government soldiers. (source: CNN)

❚❚By: Ahmed Myself being a Somali asylum seeker, I have many Somali friends in Denmark. However, for the last six months more and more Somalis are being refused asylum. I hear the news from many centers like Sandholm, Avnstrup, Ranum and Holmegård, and the Somalis there are confused; they fled from their homes and are now being rejected by Denmark. Before, most people coming from Somalia got asylum and now they don’t know what to do.

WHY ARE THEY BEING REJECTED?

When I ask them why they were rejected, most of them say that the Danish Immigration Service believes Somalia is developing into a more stable country now. This new assessment of Somalia was made last summer when the Refugee Appeals Board announced that the security situation in Somalia is no longer so unfavorable that just coming from Somalia was enough to get asylum. “Direct combat operations with weapons on both sides have stopped, and a rebuilding of the city (Mogadishu) has been started. The number of civilian casualties varies periodically, but the tendency has shown a significant decrease in the number of civilians killed in the last couple of years. People can now walk and move around freely,” a statement from the Board said last summer. According to the Refugee Appeals Board the militant group Al-Shabaab, which all Somalis fear, has been weakened. The group now primarily attacks “members of government, officials, the government’s international supporters and people connected with them,” the Board says.

An Al-Shabaab policeman in Somalia sitting on a canon left behind by Ethiopian troops. (Photo: Abdurahman Warsame / CC)

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FEAR OF GOING HOME

None of the Somali people I have interviewed agree with the Danish Immigration Service’s rejections. They fear going home. And they follow the news from Somalia meticulously. After 22 years of war, no one in Somalia remembers what order or government means.

NO SECURITY

Many of my Somali friends thought, like many other Somalis, that Somalia would be a good country when the parliament chose a new president on 10.09.2012. Albeit, in the opinion of many Somalis the Presi-

dent has not changed anything. The police and the military do not have enough training. Before there were just gangs who fought for the clan and the African Union troops in Somalia protect only the country’s leaders and the foreign persons, but they do not seem to care about the civilians.

DEPORTATIONS

The Danish Authorities now wish to deport Somalis back to Somalia. Luckily none of my rejected friends have been deported yet. According to the Police 81 rejected Somalis are on the list to be deported. The deportations are on hold now

as there are problems making the needed paperwork from the side of the Somali authorities. According to the UNHCR the Danish authorities should not be in a hurry to send Somalis back home. A statement on January 28th from the UNHCR appeals for restraint. The spokesperson Lejeune-Kaba said: “We are appealing to all states to uphold their international obligations with regard to no forced returns. Somali nationals should not be forcibly returned to Somalia unless the returning state is convinced that the persons involved would not be at risk of persecution”.

I met many Somalis and talked to them about the security situation in Somalia, they were really keen to talk about it. Here is what two of them said to me:

FACTS: How many Somalis are granted asylum? In 2012 93% of the Somali asylum seekers were granted asylum by the Danish Immigration Service. In 2013 about 60% of the Somali asylum seekers were granted asylum by the Danish Immigration Service (preliminary figure). How many Somalis come to Denmark? In the beginning of 2013 about 100 Somali asylum seekers came to Denmark every month. In the first three weeks of January 2014 only 27 Somalis came.

Ahmed Mohammed, 23 years old, living in Avnstrup.

Yasmin Hassan, 26 years old, living in Sandholm.

What do you think of the situation of Somalia? First of all I love my country and I really want the best for my country and I hope it will be peace. I think the situation of Somalia right now is really bad, everybody has a gun, the police and military were previously members of gangs and they still fight between themselves and sometimes they make illegal roadblocks. This means that Al-Shabaab have a chance to operate.

How is the security situation of Somalia? It’s bad really, we had a new Parliament and new President but they didn’t change anything. We were thinking everything will change, but, do you know what happened last night? Mortars fell and it isn’t good these days in the city. Today (13.02.2014) there are reports of explosions at the airport and in the city and also explosions in Marka and Baidoa.

Are you afraid of being deported back to Somalia? Yes, because I am afraid of losing my life.

How do you think Somalia will be a peaceful country? I think everybody will need to take up the guns and fight the Al-Shabaab. After that we should put the guns away and take our brother’s hands and help each other.

Do you have contact with anyone in Somalia? What do they say about the security situation? No, all my family is in Denmark (they have residency). What do you think will happen in Somalia in the future? Peace or war? I think there is only 10% chance for peace with the help from AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) because Somalia does not have any true forces. But I really hope it will happen. That is what I want.

Do you have contact with anyone in Somalia? What do they say about the security situation? Yes, my husband. He’s in Somalia; he says the situation is bad. The diaspora and foreigners don’t know what’s going on in Somalia and neither do the officials, but civilians they know everything and it is they who have most problems in the country. The journalists, they talk only to people like other journalists and, officials... but they’re not talking to the civilians. Are you afraid of being deported back to Somalia? Yes I am. You’re talking about Somalia! I’m afraid. Sometimes when I’m sleeping I have dreams and wake up sweating. What you do you see in your dreams? I had problems in my country so sometimes I remember or I see what happened in my dreams and I remember how scared I was at that time. Can you tell me what’s in that dream? No sorry, it’s long story. Would you like to change name of this country (Denmark) to Somalia and move all these people to Somalia and your people to this place? (She laughs) No. Why? Because Danish people enjoy their homes and they don’t know anything about problems and wars. Somalia is a dangerous place and I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I know the problems and what war means, but the Danish people can’t possibly know about war. They only watch it on TV or play war in video games. What do you think will happen Somalia in the future? Peace or war? I hope peace.

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 13

A DEPORTED FAMILY Last year we wrote about an Albanian mother and her two children seeking asylum. Now - after more than five years in Denmark - the family has been deported and are back in Albania. Nina Lørring, a Danish friend of the family, has just returned from a visit and sends us this report

❚❚By: Nina Lørring I visited the family in October 2013, one month after they had been deported to their country of origin, Albania, and stayed with the family for eight days. I have known this family for around four years. I love them and consider the children as my grandchildren. I was so happy to see them. It was very hard for me to see my two grandchildren living in such a new environment. The conditions were much worse than in the asylum center in Sandholm in Denmark, where they used to live; it felt like going one hundred years back into the past.

DIFFICULT LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

Dori, the 13-year-old boy, and Ida, his 10-year-old sister, now live on the countryside in an old, small farmhouse with the children’s real grandparents, their mother’s parents. The house is full of moisture, the walls are running with water and the roof is full of holes. They have positioned old basins on the floor to collect the dripping water. The kitchen and the toilet are primitive. The only food they have comes from two milk cows, some hens and there are some vegetables from the garden. The only possibility for getting some money is by selling milk products in the market, though there are not many buyers in the countryside.

THE CHILDREN HAVE NO MORE EDUCATION

The children don’t go to school. Their mother tongue has not developed according to their age. I went to the local school to speak with the headmaster. “Dori and Ida can not continue their schooling. Their low level of Albanian means that both of them should be in the first class but, under the law on Education, they are too old for that grade.”

It means that the children do not go to school at all. It is devastating for the children. They miss their Danish school and their classmates. They miss taking the bus to school, spending the whole day learning and laughing. And they miss going to the after school club where Ida produced hundreds of drawings and did needlework. Now they just sit in the humid house doing nothing but waiting and hoping for some change. They try to find a way to cope with it, but it seems difficult without any help from some adults.

DENMARK AS A HOPE

But at least they have got an Internet connection. That is especially important for Dori as it is his life-line to his Danish

friends. His sister Ida uses it too. A few days ago I got a facebook message from her: “Can you do something? I have to work the whole day, and my mother is sick, so she can´t work.” Then, yesterday Dori sent me a text message that the Internet connection had stopped. I could imagine the crumpled look on his face that often came when he was sad or felt powerless and hopeless. I hope it will be possible for them to come back to Denmark and continue their life and schooling in the society into which they were integrated. Their friends, schoolmates, teachers and their Danish grandparents miss them so much.

Ida and Dori’s education has been stopped. (Photo: Jolanda)

Albania is located in the Balkan region of Europe.

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“MIT ASYL” HELPS ASYLUM SEEKERS An organisation helps asylum seekers by accompanying them through their interviews and over other hurdles ❚❚By: Makmoud

GET IN TOUCH:

The organisation is called Mit Asyl - meaning “My Asylum.” Until recently the small organisation was completely unknown to both me and the rest of the editorial staff at New Times. But a little while ago we heard about this small, hardworking organisation and decided to know more about it. So we contacted the head of the organisation, Mona Ljungberg:

You can get in contact with the organisation by writing an email to: kontakt@mitasyl.dk

Why was the organisation founded? Because there are a lot of problems with the asylum system. The politicians call it a “fair policy” for refugees in Denmark, but I do not think it is fair to send people back to Iraq, Algeria, Sri Lanka and Iran. It is too dangerous for many of them. Some of the deportees we have been in contact with who have succeeded in coming back to Denmark have told us that they had been tortured. That is no fair way to treat people. What kind of help do you offer asylum seekers? When asylum seekers are denied asylum, and we believe they deserve to be granted asylum, we try to get their cases reopened. We do whatever it takes, meaning hiring a lawyer - which is expensive. We may also take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. We also help the people who now have residence. We stay in contact with them, especially the young people who grew up in asylum centers. We spend holidays together and we go out and eat together. We also offer to go with the asylum seekers to their interviews with the authorities to support them. How many asylum seekers has the organisation helped since the beginning? More than a hundred. How does your presence during the interview help the asylum seeker when you are not allowed to interfere? A few months ago The Immigration Board interviewed a young man. He came to Denmark 15 years ago when he was six years old. He did not remember much from his home country, and the Board officer asked him silly questions about the asylum case of

Mona Ljungberg started the organisation in 2001. (Photo: Makmoud) his parents. Afterwards I complained about that. His parents did not discuss their case with their six-year old son, so how should he know about their case details? What is your impression about the officials who make the interviews? I am not present in all interviews, but I am quite positive about most of the officials. They ask relevant questions. Some of the officials are very nice during my presence in the interviews but some, they should never be allowed to interview anybody. What is your experience of the quality of the interpreters? Very different, I met one who doesn’t speak Danish, and

another one who did not speak Arabic, although he claimed to speak it. The interpreters do make mistakes because they are human beings, but a little mistake can damage the case. The interviews should be recorded. I keep thinking it is strange that they are not recorded. What are your dreams about the future? There are too many mistakes being made in the Danish asylum system and we send people back to torture. I hope that Denmark in the future will stop making these misjudgements. People should be treated with dignity. In Denmark we accepted the Jews after the Second World War and gave them papers when they crossed

the border, and we got on well. Also the Chileans in the seventies, we accepted them and some of them were political prisoners. They had been tortured, humiliated and imprisoned by Pinochet’s regime, but the Danish government took them, at that time. That made me proud to be a Dane.

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 15

A TEENAGER’S HUGE AMBITION

Ali wants to be a Muay Thai champion

❚ Text by: Ismael Photos by: Billy Hydar “My ambition is to become the champion”, says Ali, a 15 year old teenager from Afghanistan. He has lived in Center Sandholm for about three years with his parents, younger sister and brother. He goes to school and learns Danish, English and practices `Muay Thai´ - a fighting sport in his spare time. “I have practiced Muay Thai for two years. I love it. It helps me with many things and I meet many people in this sport and I have made new friends here”, he says. Ali practices Muay Thai up to three times a week. Three hours per day. Muay Thai is a dangerous sport and accidents can happen. But Ali likes the hard training. “With so much practice I can control myself better. It makes me more calm in the normal life”, he explains. Ali is good at his sport. Not long ago he participated in the Danish Championship. His ambition and hope about reaching his dream of becoming the next champion are solid as a rock. Asked about his attitude towards other fighting sports:“Karate is for babies because you do not hit the face”, he laughed.

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NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 17

A GIRL FULL OF DREAMS After receiving asylum, Mariam found out that she was different from the Danes. She was isolated in school and hated it. Now she has found her own power and gained tremendous strength. A strength she wishes to use to help other asylum seekers

❚ By: Rasha Mariam is 19-year-old Syrian girl but she never knew her country of birth. Twenty years ago her parents escaped from Syria to Yemen as refugees. Mariam was born in Yemen and came to Denmark when she was five years old. She has three older brothers and one younger one, who was born in a Danish asylum center. The family stayed in camp for about six years before they received asylum. “I was young when we came. I don’t have any memories of Yemen, all my childhood was spent in an asylum center. I just wanted to play, but mother suffered every day, not only because of the bad situation we were in, but also she was worried about our education,” Mariam said.

BETTER LIFE

Her mother is an anaesthetist and her father is an agronomist. They decided to leave Yemen because their permission to stay ended and they were looking for a better life for themselves and their children. “There were good people in Yemen, my mother told me, but we didn’t have a good life and the economic situation was very bad,” Mariam said. So her parents decided to move to another Arab country, but they couldn’t go anywhere because they were political refugees in Yemen and no country would accept them. “My uncle who lived in Denmark called my mother and advised her to find a way to

PAGE 18 | ISSUE # 89 | MARCH 2014 | NEW TIMES

come to Denmark,” Mariam said. They came to Denmark and they moved from one asylum center to another. They were continuously rejected but they didn’t have anywhere else to go so they waited and waited for any hope to get asylum. They lived in Jelling for six years before they were finally granted asylum.

LIKE JAIL

“The thing I hated most in the asylum center was that I felt as if I was in jail; we were so far from the city. This had a bad effect when I finally got asylum because I couldn’t integrate into Danish society,” Mariam said. Upon receiving asylum, the family lived in a small village north of Copenhagen where she was the only Arabic, Muslim girl that wore a hijab or scarf in school. She felt alone, she didn’t have any friends, and everybody looked at her as if she was odd. Why didn’t she eat pork? Why did she cover her hair?

REJECTED

“I felt rejected by this new society so I made a plan to buy some friends,” she said, “Yes, I tried to buy friends! I told my mother to make me more sandwiches, not because I felt hungry but to give to the other students so they would be friends with me. But this plan did not work as I had hoped. I didn’t tell my mama the real reason,” she added. Mariam spent three years in this situation feeling rejected. She felt lonely and the head teacher decided to send Mariam to a psychologist. “I didn’t say anything to my family because my mother always said I was a strong girl and I didn’t want her to feel worried,“ Mariam said. She continued, “The doctor was the worst doctor I have seen in my whole life. When she first saw me, she asked me why I came to Denmark and then told me that I was not welcome in her country,’” Mariam said. The situation worsened for Mariam and she felt more rejected than ever, but she still kept her feelings from her parents. “I hated the hour I had to spend with this psychologist because when we started my session she started to do something else, file her nails or

play with her mobile, and set the stopwatch for exactly one hour.“

DARK SKIN

“My friends asked me why I had dark skin when normal people are white. They said that people who live in trash have dark skin,” she laughed out loud. Mariam graduated from one class to the next but still had these problems, feeling that she was odd, the only girl wearing a hijab and like she could not

integrate into her school. “After three years suffering in school, I decided to talk to my parents about my problems,” said Mariam. “I am not as strong as you think, Mom. I don’t want to go to school anymore, but if I go, I will go without my hijab.”

BUILDING CHARACTER

“My parent’s reaction was unexpected and they told me to do what I thought was right. They said I was big enough to decide what I wanted to do,” Mariam

told me enthusiastically. Her mother was smart. She wanted to build her daughter’s character in the right way and to make her strong. “I started to be quieter and not so aggressive with the other students in my class. In the past, sometimes I would hit them or I would fight or make problems with my teachers. I changed completely because I got the freedom to choose,” Mariam said and added, “when I found all the answers to my questions,

about why I am Muslim, why I wear the hijab... then my character started to form.”

DOCTOR

Mariam’s dream is to be a doctor. “When we lived in Yemen I was very young, but I do remember going to the hospital with my mother and thinking that I would like to be like these ladies who wear white - meaning I’d like to be doctor,” Mariam says laughing. Then during the years in the asylum centre and at

school her dream disappeared, but now it has surfaced again. “I would like to make my parents proud of me, they have suffered a lot to give me and my brothers a good life.”

RAISE AWARENESS

Mariam has tried to contact several Danish newspapers because she would like them to write articles to shed more light on the situation of refugees. “Nobody listened to me, I didn’t get a reply from any of

the newspapers - except from New Times. I think I can make a difference, I think I can help. I can let the Danish people know about the asylum seekers situation. There are people who have stayed in asylum centers for years and years. Some of the friends I knew when I was an asylum seeker are still there. It is not unreasonable to want to do something for my friends and those who stay in the camps for so many years,” she said. “I would like to make my parents proud, they have suffered a lot to give me a good life.” (Photo: ‘Billy’ Mahmoud)

NEW TIMES | MARCH 2014 | ISSUE # 89 | PAGE 19

VOX POP– VOICE OF THE PEOPLE I. II. III. IV.

Have you faced any sorts of conflicts between immigrants or new Danes? Have you heard of the word ‘perker’, or even used it? What do you think of immigrants after being in contact with them? What is your message for the Danish people who fear immigrants and Muslims in particular?

Name: Henrik Peterson Age: 42 Occupation: Red Cross bus driver Residence: Frederiksværk Education: 9th grade/ former ambulance Falck. I.

No, no, not at all, maybe a small one I wasn’t involved in, but even that was a very small one. II. Yes I heard it, but never used it. The guy I heard using it was an Egyptian comedian guy called Omar Marzouk. III. I think we are all equal., I put myself in their place, I like to work in a place with different people, because we are all in the same boat, no exceptions. IV. I would like to answer that question with a question and that is, what would you do if you were in their situation and you didn’t have a meaning of life since you are running away from death. And to anti Muslims I say, even Muslims are afraid of other people, everyone should know that we have to respect to have respect back. Muslims are welcome here as long as they respect Denmark back.

Name: Maya Age: 35 Occupation: Communication advisor Residence: Copenhagen Education: MA in Rhetoric

Name: Jacob Ollsson Age: 41 Occupation: Art director Residence: Copenhagen

Yes, I had an experience; but to be honest it doesn’t have to do with Muslims. II. Yes, I have heard it, I disagree using it or even having it in our literature, and I have heard it by people using it ironically because it’s so condensing. III. I didn’t have to worry about anything during my childhood in my family, I was kind of a spoiled little girl, so now it’s challenging to have people around who had suffered in their early lives before coming here, like people coming from, India, and the Middle East. IV. We shouldn’t be afraid of human beings, we have to take advantages of our differences we have in our country and use it positively.

QUESTION FOR THE LAWYER We sent your questions to the lawyers at the Danish Refugee Council. Here are their replies.

I am an asylum seeker from Lebanon. I have just finished my interview with the Immigration Service. I am very nervous because I made a mistake. I did not remember a year correctly when they asked about when I applied for a visa. Can this hurt my case?

At the interview with the Immigration Service you are expected to explain your asylum claim in details. However – it can be very difficult to remember every date or event correctly, especially if it happened a long time ago. It is better to be honest and say that you do not remember the date or year precisely than to come up with a wrong date because you think you have to answer something which you actually do not remem-

ber. If, during your interview, you have said the wrong thing or after the interview have remembered something important which could be relevant for your asylum case it is always a good idea to contact the Immigration Service and correct the mistake or give them the additional information. You can contact them by letter or email in your own language or by calling them. Their contact information is written in the information you got when you applied for asylum in Denmark.

I am an asylum seeker in Germany, but my case is rejected now. I want to marry with a French citizen girl. Please can you tell me how it is possible? Thanks.

PAGE 20 | ISSUE # 89 | MARCH 2014 | NEW TIMES

We have conflicts every day, especially in Nørrebro, there is police all the time, and I have faced a conflict once with Arabs, I asked them once to stop shouting and lower down the music from under my apartment. II. Never used it before as an insult and it’s not nice to insult, not even an Arab, Muslim or Christian. III. Eventually we have to blend in. It’s okay to have other than original Danish people, but I don’t want Denmark to end up as a religious country’. IV. Open your heart, both Muslims and Christians can be dangerous when they are wrong. The important is your actions not your religion.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WRITE TO:

2 3

Your question concerns German law so you will have to seek legal assistance in Germany. Hi. I am a Syrian asylum seeker. I hope to be granted asylum soon. My Iranian husband has been rejected. We married in the Islamic way here in Denmark. I want to know if there is any possibility for family union after I, hopefully, have been granted asylum?

In order to apply for family reunification you have to be legally married. Denmark does not recognize an Islamic marriage as legally binding. You have to seek special permission to be married in Denmark if one or both parties are asylum seek-

YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT:

New Times, Red Cross House Rosenørnsallé 31, 2nd floor 1970 Frederiksberg

Dansk Flygtningehjælp Legal Counseling Unit Asylum Department Borgergade 10 Postbox 53 1002 København K

or email us at newtimesdk@gmail.com

www.drc.dk Email: advice@drc.dk

Please feel free to ask your questions anonymously.

Free Legal Counseling for asylum seekers every Wednesday from 10:00 - 13:00

ers. However – if you have children and you apply for family reunification without being married, the Immigration Service can in certain cases decide that your family life has the same legal status as if you were married. In that case the Immigration Service will assess whether you can continue your family life in Iran (the country of origin of your husband) instead of Denmark. If that is not possible, you can be granted family reunification.

I am from Syria and I have been granted asylum three months ago. My husband and three children live in Lebanon. What is the legal way of family unification? I was told different instructions, so I am confused.

You need to present your questions in Danish or English

Congratulations on your residence permit. You and your family have to apply for family reunification at the Immigration Service and/or the Embassy in Lebanon. You and your husband will have to use the application form for family reunification which you can find on the Immigration Services webpage www.nyidanmark.dk You can also get the form from the Embassy in Lebanon. After sending the form to the Immigration Service they will decide whether your family can get family reunification with you in Denmark.