New Times Spring 2016

REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.

NEWTIMES SPRING 2016 > ISSUE # 97

FINDING

LOVE IN DENMARK

SEE OUR GUIDE ABOUT HOW TO DATE IN DENMARK INTERVIEW WITH JOAN ØRTING

FLEEING ISLAMIC STATE. EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF DRAMATIC ESCAPE IN IRAQ. PAGE 8

MONTHLY BUDGET CUT IN HALF: FOCUS ON THE NEW FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES PAGE 10

DEAR READER We have laughed in the editorial meetings lately. Not because there has been so much to laugh about for asylum seekers. Actually not much at all. The government has just cut the financial support for refugees with 50%, Hungary builds walls along its borders to keep refugees out and welcoming countries like Germany and Sweden are now

closing the door a bit for the victims of dictators and brutality.

But we have laughed neverthe-less, because the theme we thought the most interesting this time was how on earth to date the Danes. During a lunch recently one member of the team asked me the question “How can you tell if a Dane likes you?” She found it very difficult

because in her opinion Danes are extremely private. “How can you tell how they feel?” she asks with wonder. And as someone born in Denmark I have to admit that we are, as a people, rather passionless in public.

Unless you mix some alcohol, work, study or activity in the relationship, we are private seeking species; Listening to our

music in the trains, walking fast on the sidewalk or minding our own business at the library. We are just difficult to meet.

So in this magazine we give our foreign readers a guide as to how to meet the Danes if you are interested in finding love in this cold country up north.

And as the inter-cultural couples we have interviewed

Printed by: OTM Avistryk

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 are welcome to send an inquiry. To book the group for lectures, presentations and discussions contact newtimesdk@gmail.com

show us: Despite fear, walls and barbed wire, love finds the way.

Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany

Nour Amora, a Syrian musician, performs a local song together with several young Syrians at a concert in the Church of Grundtvig in Copenhagen. The concert was one of many made by popular musicians in Denmark in an initiative called “Flygtningestemmer” (refugeevoices).

Picture by: Camilla B. Uhrskov

REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.

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

New Times Journalists: Negar, Makmoud, Ahmed, Sam, Ismael, Eden, Mercy, Marion, Houda and Steer Editorial assistants: Camilla Q. Madsen, Michael Bang, Nanna Sejsbo and Anna Franziska Volunteers: Jolanda Interns: Camilla Uhrskov Bank Layout: Jens Burau, supergreen.dk

Editor: Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany

PAGE 2 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

Distributed to: Asylum centres, Ministries, Members of the Danish Parliament, public libraries, asylum and human rights organizations, NGOs, media and individuals in Denmark and abroad.

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Support: We are supported by the Danish Red Cross adult education and training department.

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.

FINDING LOVE IN DENMARK It colours things to see the world with two perspectives, Victoria explains

❚❚By: Steer Dawood Shukry, a Syrian refugee, arrived in Denmark in 2014.

He was a business developer in his homeland, but here in Denmark he is helping and supporting refugees in asylum centres and in different organizations.

Victoria is from Norway and moved to Denmark in 2014 to start her M.A. at the University of Copenhagen.

Where did you meet?

Dawood: we met at the Trampoline House (a cultural center for asylum seekers and refugees in Copenhagen), where I used to do volunteer work and where Victoria used to go to Arabic classes.

Why did you fall for each other?

Dawood: We had a smart conversation and similarity, I liked her at our second meeting.

Victoria: We were laughing all the time even though we do not agree in politics.

To Victoria: Is there a difference between Middle Eastern men and Western men?

It is a bit hard to generalise.

But for example Norwegian men are more relaxed than Middle Eastern men. On the other hand Middle Eastern men have much higher standards with being gentlemen, which has been completely forgotten in the Western countries. There is definitely a difference in both cultures and they both have something interesting, it is only about taste, Victoria says.

To Dawood: Is there a difference between Middle Eastern women and Western women?

We talk about two different cultures. My people used to be a minority, like the Kurdish in the Middle East. We are more conservative compared to Westerners, we are more into ourselves than the Norwegians. For example women from the Middle East are different in religion, in culture and in behaviour inside and outside the house. Westerners have more freedom speaking about women. Culture wise Middle Easterns are more into family and kids than westerners. For example: I wake up early in the morning and Victoria she would like to wake up and make me coffee, I would say no you

do not have to, I can do it, but mostly in the Middle East the woman does it because she has to because of culture.

What is the best thing about being a culturally mixed couple ?

Victoria: We can see things from another perspective, and see it from many angles from our lives and backgrounds.

Somehow it colours how you see things when seeing it together and learn from each other. Everyday we are learning something when we are talking about cultures, we are talking about huge things. And we face nice challenges everyday.

What is the most challenging being a culturally mixed couple?

It comes in a different ways: getting acceptance from around you both from society, family and friends.

What are your dreams for the future?

Dawood: As a refugee my dreams are limited, that is why I will follow Victoria’s dream, because it is achievable and very realistic. I have everything I want with Victoria, but defi-

nitely to settle in a place where I am living, try to find the right job, and continue my career even though it is hard for most of the refugees.

The government is putting us all in one box, the educated people and the uneducated people and this is not right.

Eventually refugees will be like Danish people, they are human beings and we have people who are educated more than others, we have doctors, and we have farmers, we have waiters and we have business people. They cannot put us all in the same categories. We cannot all be waiters, and we cannot all be doctors.

They will look at me as refugee now, not as a business manager.

My dream is to get back on my feet and carry on, it is not easy but I am working hard.

Victoria: I hope to find work and combine our educational background to build something big and help other people that are in a similar situation. I want Dawood to come with me to Norway.

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 3

HOW TO DATE IN DENMARK New Times has interviewed the Danish sexologist and writer of many books, Joan Ørting. She explains to New Times how men and women can optimize their search for a warm and comforting relationship in this cold country ❚❚By: Negar

HOW TO MEET A PARTNER Go online Register on dating websites or dating applications on the phone like for example Tinder.

Go to places of interest you might share with your future partner If you like fashion, go to fashion shows. If you like salsa dance, go to salsa clubs.

Good to know: Going places of interest should work very well for guys, as women in Denmark are very outgoing and unafraid to put themselves out there.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE ATTRACTION If you are a woman, you should

If you are a man, you should

Smile and make eye contact for a little longer than usual Even if you would smile to other guys around you other than the one you have chose, smiling to others also would let you him know that you are an open and nice person.

Show self-worth When approaching a woman, show certainty in talking to her. That will make her see self worth in you.

Avoid giving a too masculine image of yourself, since it might scare her away. If you show too much muscle might make her think that you might be aggressive.

Avoid standing with your big group of guy friends, as she might read this as a signal that you do not see women as equal to men, that you do not have equal respect or that you look down on women.

Ask for help Be open to ask men for help carrying your groceries, opening a door or show you the way somewhere. Danish guys would love to rescue a refugee.

Good to know: It is better if the woman sends the signal and let the man come to her, so that it seems like he decides, who he wants. It shouldn’t appear to be her idea.

If she runs after him, he will feel like a “little brother” to her.

Because he has not fought for it, he will be lazy in the relationship, and he will doubt the relationship in the long run.

PAGE 4 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

Have nice picture of your face It is important to focus on keeping your face nice and gentle rather than keeping your body and strength. This will show women that you are also a nice and gentle person.

HOW TO KEEP HIM/ HER INTERESTED Both men and women should Talk about your dreams and values What is the biggest thing you have been doing in your life?

What did it mean to you?

What are your values in life?

And what do you cherish the most in our life?

Be gentle in talking about religion. Danes are a little shy about religion because this is a system they know little or nothing about.

Therefore, wait a little in telling your new partner, if your most important thing in life is religion. But if you would say it is tango, reading stories or fairy tales, or that it is to rescue the world, it would be great.

Women should Be feminine Very often, Danish women think that being feminine is about being sexy, Really, it is about being sweet. It could also be to act a little flirty. Women from the middle east knows this well already: They come from the area that invented the sensual thousand and one night fairytales and the poetry of Rumi.

Women from other parts of the world can teach the Danish men some sensuality and passion.

Danish men are a little tired of independent, controlling, angry women.

Joan Ă˜rting

Source: Magafon for Politiken,

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 5

LOVE MOVES THE MOUNTAIN Respect and love are keywords in the relationship between Mahmud from Mali and Lara from Germany who met in Denmark two years ago at Roskilde Festival.

New Times has interviewed Lara about her relationship with a man from Mali

❚❚By Eden Mahmud is 30 years old and from Mali. He is an asylum seeker in Denmark. He came to Denmark five years ago.

25-year-old Lara came to Denmark from Germany to study and work two years ago. They have been a happy couple for two years When did you first meet?

The first time we met was at Roskilde Festival. I didn’t have any experience with African men before. At the beginning I was afraid because I didn’t trust him or understood if he really loved me or if he meant it seriously. But day after day we got

to know each other very well.

The relation was not easy from the beginning because of different culture, knowledge and past experiences. I was always stressed and confused until I really understood him.

How do you deal with hard times?

To pass the hard times I make myself patient, because if I decide to live him that is not a good way to reach my wishes or to stay with the person I love.

Everything needs time and patience, then everything will be possible. If we don’t understand something from both sides we have to sit and talk to solve the problem. It takes

time to know each other well. I always try to ask his friends or other people who know him. I didn’t trust him until I got to know him very well. It was not easy the first six months to be sure of our trust and love for each other.

What is good about being in a mixed relationship?

In Germany we say Love Moved the Mountain! If we believe love is more important than anything, we give the first place for true love. Then the other things will be fixed.

Then the relationship will be easy. I’m a Christian and he is a Muslim. I’m from Europe, he is from Africa. I am really

so happy to be with a person who is not from the same culture and country as myself, because if you meet someone who is different from you, you will learn the different culture and religion and many things.

And he respects me. That is very important.

What was your family’s reaction about your relationship?

When I let my family know about about him they were not happy at all. They did not accept him because he is not from my country, and because he is Muslim. But I explained my family that he is a good person, that he loves me and that I love him. Even though they do not

agree with me, I don’t stop the relationship. It is my life.

What are your dreams for the future?

For the past two years we have respected, helped, loved and trusted each other. We are very different about many things but that is not important in our relationship. The most important is that I like the way he takes care of me. He does everything for me like cooking and cleaning and I do the same too.

I’m really lucky. I wish and hope to be married to my boyfriend and to have a kids.

KEEP THE BALANCE IN YOUR MIXED MARRIAGE

Most people in a mixed marriage face challenges that other couples do not. New Times has asked an anthropologist with great insight in the subject. ❚❚By: Jolanda New Times spoke with anthropologist Pia Lund Poulsen, author of the book “Across and in spite”, (orig. “På tværs og på trods”), describing intercultural marriages in Denmark.

What challenges do intercultural partnerships meet ?

“In general; unbalance. One of the partners feels as not being at home and faces a different culture and a new language.

Sometimes he or she had a status in the homeland which they lose when coming to Denmark. Here they don’t have network”.

Danes with foreign partners Danish men married with a foreign partner: 2163 Danish women married with a foreign partner: 59 Most popular nationalities for Danish men 1. Thailand: 391 2. Philippines: 287 Most popular nationalities for Danish women 1. Germany: 90 2. Great Britain: 88 Source: “På trods og på tværs”, 2010 Statistics show a significant number of mixed marriages

PAGE 6 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

between Danish men and women from Asia. Why is it so ?

“Yes, every seventh multiethnic marriage is with an Asian wife.

Thai, Philippine and other Asian women have a great network in Denmark. They help each other to make contact with Danish men. Also, Danish men’s interest for Asian wives is high.

Some of them are looking for more traditional values, some might be disappointed in previous relationship with Danish women.

Why are Danish women less interested in marriages with non-western partners?

“Danish women are growing up with the culture of equal-

ity. It can be a challenge for them to live in a relationships where they don’t feel free, have a job and earn their own money.

Some men from more traditional cultures make them feel tied down.The Danish women are in general very independent. That may challenge cultures that are more dominated by men.”

What is your message to our readers that are faced with such dilemmas?

“It’s very important to grow together and to understand each other. All couples face cultural differences, but as a mixed couple it is a premise that both parts are more aware of this.

They have to build a common understanding. My advice is to give space for cultural differences. For those who are not in his/hers own country, it is very important to learn the language, to get cultural knowledge about Denmark and to get a job and a network. Then your mixed marriage will be one of balance and harmony, that allows both individuals to grow”

OPINION AND OPEN LETTERS WHY SHOULD REFUGEES’ AN ASYLUM GOODS BE CONFISCATED SEEKER'S DREAM WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN My dream about what I will do if I ever get positive DENMARK? ❚❚By: Mercy A new law tells the police to confiscate valuables from refugees if they exceed a certain value. I think this is strange law. As far as I know, refugees don’t have any goods with them. Whatever means you use to come to Denmark either by air or by crossing waters, you are mostly interested in saving your dear life and not in saving your money. So the question that rises in my mind when l hear about confiscating goods,

is whether refugees have actually been caught with goods to an extent that the Government should make a law. In my opinion all of this is propaganda to keep refugees away from the country.

❚❚By: Ismael If I get positive, the first thing I want to do is to go to school for learning the Danish language because I will need it for relations with the Danish people and for exchanging ideas with them.

I will put myself in a sports club because I love sports. Now I cannot practice sport because I do not have a Danish ID card.

I love to ride the bicycle.

Especially the mountain bike in different Danish woods would be wonderful, because in Denmark there are many beautiful woods full of animals. It would be a pleasure to ride a mountain bicycle in the forest going on small paths with a group.

If it was possible, I would

open an art gallery where I would paint, because in Center Sandholm it is not easy to paint, because there is not enough room for it.

I am dreaming about having a house or a flat where I can live alone or with a woman whom I love - not with people who I do not know in the same room as in Center Sandholm. In Center Sandholm we have no private life like people outside the Center, and we cannot get married or live with another person.

That means no private life, no loving feelings, no balanced life.

I have many dream in my head that I want to achieve but unfortunately this dream is not coming yet.

THE WAY WE ALL GET ALONG It is not wise to judge people based on the way they are different from ourselves. Let us be tolerant, open-minded, less direct in showing our emotions and less argumentative ❚❚By: Huda It was simple and without complications in the place we asylum seekers used to live before. We come from countries, where we used to know a lot of people, and where we shared the culture, the traditions, the language and the religion.

Under hard circumstances we have had to leave this behind, and we find ourselves in a refugee camp, where we have to share kitchens and bathrooms with other people from different nationalities.

Our first impression will be intuitive; the others are strangers, they are weird, they are different. Somehow we just do not feel like socializing with anyone, and being alone is better than integrating with the others.

CHANGING IDEAS

When you accidently meet

other asylum seekers in the kitchen and they smile at you, you will feel weird. Like it is nicely unexpected. At least that is how I felt the first time it happened to me. I had to smile back or I would be considered rude.

A smile can change your whole thinking. Day by day, people you meet in the center prove your negative thinking wrong. They are nice and acceptable. You become more interested in them and in what they are cooking and that will lead to conversation.

And conversations sometimes turn into making friends. This has already happened to me. It is so cool for me to know that I have friends from Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Eritrea, Morocco, Lebanon and China.

By time, you will realize that it is true - we are different from each other. But you will also realize that it is an opportunity

for you to learn about cultural differences and other interests.

FIGURING THE WAYS TO COMMUNICATE

We live in a multicultural society, where we may not all have similar ideals or culture.

However I believe we should be able to accept each other for who we are and find a balance.

We have to keep in mind that our differences are useful, they make us special and more interested to meet and get to know each other. I personally had no idea about other religions and cultures - honestly, I was stupid, and I was judging without having knowledge. But after socializing with asylum seekers I learned a lot. I have made many good friends and I am more open and eager to learn more.

It is not wise to judge people based on the way they are different from ourselves. Let us be

tolerant and open-minded, less direct in showing our emotions and less argumentative.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT

After all, only an asylum seeker can understand an asylum seeker; we have been through difficulties and we are nearly in the same situation. We left family members and destroyed houses behind or suffered a lot on the way.

As humans we must be united with kindness and gentleness. As Nelson Mandela said: “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.”

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 7

FLEEING ISLAMIC STATE Basim from Iraq narrowly managed to escape from Islamic State. Here he shares his dramatic story ❚❚By Makmoud New Times met Basim in Auderød asylum center in the North of Zealand, Denmark. Basim and his wife arrived in December last year and applied for asylum .

Basim’s first priorities are safety and peace, things he didn’t have in Iraq. Basim is from the Shabak minority and was born and raised in Mosul. The Shabak have been heavily targeted by the ISIS. “When you have safety and peace you can achieve what you want,” Basim says.

FRIENDS ASSASSINATED

FACTS: ❚❚ Basim holds a Bachelor Degree in Microbiology. ❚❚ His wife is an engineer with an university degree.

IRAQIS IN DENMARK ❚❚ A total of 1531 Iraqis applied for asylum in Denmark in 2015. ❚❚ Only 151 Iraqis applied for asylum in 2014 ❚❚ In 2014, the recognition rate (receive asylum) for Iraqis was 11% ❚❚ In 2015, the recognition rate reached 28 % ❚❚ Iraqis coming from the IS-controlled areas are more likely to get asylum, but the general violence in Iraq is not sufficient grounds for asylum.

Sources: Danish Immigration Service and refugees.dk

Basim used to be a captain in the Iraqi national army intelligence. He has lost four of his friends and colleagues in the service, as they were assassinated one by one over a stretch of time. When he handed his resignation in in 2012, he did it because he felt that the security of the army service had a breach.

By that time, Al Qaida and terrorists had infiltrated the service and he knew that he was next in line to be assassinated. “When I handed in my resignation to my seniors, they never asked me why I was leaving and carrying their secrets. I felt like I had been working all that time and giving all those sacrifices for a supermarket or a mall,” Basim says, feeling betrayed and abandoned by the Iraqi state.

To be safe, he left his house in Mosul city, and lived in the Neynava valley, which is 10 kilometers from Mosul. An area controlled by the Kurds. When Mosul fell in the hands of ISIS in June 2014, they got hold of all the laptops, discs and documents from Basims previous directory.

“IS IS COMING!”

“Four months after the fall of Mosul, we heard some chaos and loud noises at midnight. “IS is coming!” The Kurdish forces ran away and at that minute everybody put their families in their cars and left everything in their houses. All the valuables, cash and possessions. People ran just with their lives,” Basim says.

PAGE 8 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

“One elderly man of 90 years was the richest person amongst us with a lot of property, shops and factories producing building blocks. He left to save his life that same dreadful night with nothing of his money or jewelry. From that point on, he lived on charity from other people living in the refugee camp of the Kalak area, and he died a couple of months before I left home.”

KALAK REFUGEE CAMP

Basim lived with his wife in the Kalak refugee camp in a tent for nearly four months. He shared with the other refugees the feeling of abandonment, and missed everything essential to support a living.

After renting a house and living there until November 2015, Basim found a smuggler in Iraq from his same minority to take him and his wife across the sea.

TRIP OVER THE SEA

The trip over the sea was frightening. With the help of the smuggler, Basim came to Istanbul with his wife. From there, they moved on to Izmir, and on again to the small town of Candarli by the sea. After ten days in Candarli, Basim, his wife and 25 other people boarded the fiberglass boat of 3.5 meters. All the passengers were Iraqis – Basim, his wife and four other families with children and toddlers.

“The smuggler chose one passenger, and in less than an hour he instructed him in how to control and navigate the boat. We were forced to board the boat by two thugs that the smuggler had brought with him, “ Basim recounts. “The two of us paid 6000 dollars to be on that boat.”

50 minutes into the journey, the motor stopped. “The man tried to start the motor but he failed. Women and children started crying,” Basim says. In the horizon the passengers could see the Greek island shores about 1.5 kilometers away. The boat started to drift by the current. ”I felt extremely guilty for placing my wife in such fatal situation”, Basim says. By cell phone, he called

the smuggler who promised that help would come.

THE RESCUE

“In 15 minutes a helicopter was hovering over our heads, and after some time we could see a rescue boat. They sent us a smaller rescue boat, and took all women and children and babies and moved them to the big boat.”

When finally Basim and his wife were safe on the rescue boat, he realized how tiny and small their journey boat had been, and how risky and dangerous the journey was.

The Iraqis arrived in the Greek island of Miscellany, where volunteers greeted them with cakes, hot drinks, blankets and food. “We were taken to the Greek authorities and given expulsion papers to leave Greece in three days. We were paid 100 euros each for a ferry that took us to the mainland. To get to the Macedonian border we took a taxi and stayed for one and a half day in Macedonia.”

REACHING COPENHAGEN

”I felt extremely guilty for placing my wife in such fatal situation”, Basim recalls from the boat trip to Greece. This picture shows another group of refugees arriving at the Greek Island of Lesbos (Photo: Camilla Q. Madsen)

It took the couple eight days to reach Germany through Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria.

In Germany they decided not to stay and left to Malmö, Sweden, through Denmark. Once in Sweden, they changed their mind once again, and decided to go back to Germany. The Swedish police took Basim and his wife to Copenhagen, and here, in the central station they were advised by a Danish young man from Iraqi roots to stay put.

Iraqis from a minority group and on top of that from the ISIS-occupied Naynava province have good chances in Denmark, the young man said, and Basim and his wife followed the advice.

Thus the long travel concluded in an asylum application in Denmark. Though long and hard, they had received good help from the Red Cross in all the countries they passed through – except from Macedonia.

Basim is not his real name. New Times agreed not to publish his real name due to his fear of risking his or his family’s security.

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 9

FOCUS ON THE GOVERNMENT’S NEW L SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES WITH 50% A SINGLE MOTHER UNDER THE NEW ‘INTEGRATIONSYDELSE’ Ruth Tewolde Tobiesen believes that the reduction of the financial support for refugees might be good for the integration of single people, but it makes the life difficult for a single mum ❚❚By: Ahmed Will the limited size of your support make you find a job soon?

No, I do not think so because when you try to find a work in Denmark, you have to know the language and I did not start yet and I’ve been about 4 months in this kommune. You have to wait until you get a job and that is difficult when you are family, but when you are single you can wait until you get a job. For me I have to find a job when Zara is it in school. I want to take care of my daughter as a mom and work. But a single person can work anytime.

Do you get any help for your daughter?

I do get monthly for my daughter. I got 2670 kr. last time. I don’t know what I will get next

time because I’ve got different numbers of money the last months, and this amount is not given every month, but every three months.

Do you think this new support will help the integration of refugees in Denmark?

Definitely yes, because now the refugees will try learning the language and work and that is good for them and also for Denmark. When you get enough money to just stay home it is hard to integrate. The Danish government teaches us how to live, and there is proverb saying ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’.

Ruth lives in Roskilde Kommune with her daughter, but she thinks it is difficult to learn language and find a job, when you are a single mother.

PAGE 10 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

REDUCTION OF FINANCIAL SUPPO RT FOR REFUGEES

The Danish Government decided to reduce the financial support for refugees from September 2015 to make Denmark less attractive and to get more refugees in jobs, but the law has met criticism

LAWS CUTTING DOWN THE FINANCIAL AND FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS WITH 10%

❚❚By: Michael Bang 21.000 immigrants applied for asylum in Denmark in 2015, which was 40% more than in 2014. The Danish government wants to make it less attractive for refugees to come to Denmark, which have lead to several tightenings in the asylum law. One of the tightenings is the reduction of the integration support (integrationsydelse) for refugees granted asylum after September 1, 2015.

LESS ATTRACTIVE AND MORE IN JOB

When the Government presented the new law in August, the Minister of Immigration Inger Støjberg (V) said: “Hopefully the impact will be, that fewer asylum seekers will come to Denmark. That is our very clear goal. We have to help people who are in need, but we also need to keep up, and we can not, as it is now," said Inger Støjberg to the Danish newspaper Politiken.

Another goal is to get more refugees in job, but that has been criticized by the Danish Refugee Council: “Studies show that it will get very few in job. But in practice this will lead to poverty for many refugees and it will be difficult for them to find a

LIVING FOR JUST 5900 A MONTH: WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE YOUR MONTHLY BUDGET CUT IN HALF

place to live and to take part of the society life,” says Andreas Kamm, Secretary general in Danish Refugee Council.

Andreas Kamm argues that the few refugees that might get a job because of the new law, can’t make it up for the damages it will have on the integration.

For Hamid Mukhtari, the new monthly salaries for refugees means he cannot see a specialist doctor. The amount of money in his pocket after all expenses are paid is the same as when he was an asylum seeker in the center

MIGHT EXPANDED TO COVER MORE REFUGEES

The Government is planning to expand the new law so it also covers refugees, who have been in Denmark less than seven years. This will affect refugees who have been in Denmark for several years and Andreas Kamm is very sceptic about the consequences.

“It is sad to think, that people who finally have found a place to live, now is driven away from their homes and have to start all over again,” says Andreas Kamm.

It is the plan, that the new rules will come into effect July 1, 2016, but first it need to be decided in the parliament.

According to the Office of Integration (Integrationskontoret) the new law will affect 21.000 people.

New Times has tried to get a comment from the government party Venstre, but it has not been possible.

two living in the asylum center.”

How much money do you receive from the government?

“I get 5900 dk a month, and after paying tax and rent, I am left only with 2954 kr. Additionally, the bank charges me 70 kr per month for having an account. I pay 100 kr per month for my mobile telephone.”

Do you think this new support will help the integration of refugees in Denmark?

“I am going to an interview with a Kindergarten to get a praktik (internship), and I hope that after that I will get a job in that place. I think this law has a bad impact on new refugees, and will increase the level of crime. People feel marginalised and neglected, and this will create a social class problem because people need money to buy decent food, clothes and some recreation. All of this costs money.”

Is it enough?

“My budget is extremely tight.

I couldn't pay for seeing a specialist doctor when I fell sick some days ago. I told the local authority that I couldn’t pay 1000 kr to the specialist, and I was helped with that bill. Also, I have to pay for transport to get to school to learn Danish that’s about 15 minutes away by bus - so that’s another 500 kr a month, he is also helped by the commune for this bill, I am left with the same money as when I was an asylum seeker in phase

CUT IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES The Danish government decided to cut the financial support for refugees with 30-50% depending on the family size. The new rules apply to refugees who are granted asylum after September 1, 2015.

Integration support (Before taxes)

❚❚By Makmoud

Old rules

After 1st of September, 2015

Single without children

10.849

5.945

Family with children

28.832

16.638

FACTS ❚❚ Hamid Mukhtari is 31 years old. He was granted asylum in November 2015, and he now lives in Lyngby. Three days a week he goes to school to learn Danish.

Source: Ministry of immigration and integration

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 11

FOCUS ON THE GOVERNMENT’S NEW LAWS CUTTING DOWN THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES WITH 50% AND FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS WITH 10%

ASYLUM SEEKERS: SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY In August last year the Danish Government decided to cut the pocket money for refugees with 10%. New Times asked some asylum seekers about their reaction ❚❚By: Mercy

ABDUL FROM IVORY COAST

AMINA FROM SERBIA

AHIN (19) FROM SYRIA

Why did you come to Denmark?

I chose to come because of political reasons.

Why did you leave your country?

I had to leave my country because of religious differences that affected me a lot in life.

Why did you leave your country?

I had to leave my country because of the war.

Is money important to you?

Money is not as important as safety. l had a good job and I was earning good salary in Ivory Coast.

Will the cut in financial support affect you?

It will not affect me. If today l was denied money at all and l have a roof on top of me and protection l would not mind at all.

Would you have chosen another country if you knew they would cut the benefit?

In the first place l didn’t choose to come to Denmark l just found myself here. If money is what brought me here l would not be in the camp for this many years. l could have gone somewhere else where l would completely work and get more money, but I'm still persevering here because l know I'm protected and safe.

PAGE 12 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

Is money important to you?

I can never compare safety to money at all because even though something bad happens to me, l would die and leave money behind.

Will the cut in financial support affect you?

No it will not affect me because after I integrate l will be able to earn my own money without actually depending on the social welfare.

Would you have chosen another country if you knew they would cut the benefit?

No, because I know Denmark offer protection to everyone and l feel so free and have peace in my mind regardless of the benefits that are offered.

Is money important to you?

No because in my country we were living a good life with all my friends and family but because of safety l had to leave the country.

Will the cut in financial support affect you?

Not at all because money is not everything and furthermore money does not make me, l am the one who makes money.

Would you have chosen another country if you knew they would cut the benefit?

No, l would still have come because my family is here and they are secured.

BEING A VOLUNTEER IN AN ASYLUM CENTRE Susanne Blond is a free, warm and open hearted person. She is always ready to help and we enjoy her company in the woman center in Kongelunden. ❚❚By: Mercy Why do you work as a volunteer in an asylum centre?

It started out as a wish to experience an asylum centre. To do something ‘good’ with my time and do something relevant to my studies. When it comes to experience and relevance to my studies I feel that I have gotten everything I can get out of it.

Now I mainly come because the people and the place means a lot to me. When I get home on Tuesdays I’m always smiling because I have spent an evening in amazing and interesting company with the chance to learn (be it about life or some creative activity), and laughed more than most nights. When I started coming to the centre, I had this idea of helping people, and at some level I saw my time as something I gave to the people there – now I know that coming to the centre helps me just as much as it helps the women, who come to the Tuesday Café, and time is not something I give but something we all share.

What is the purpose of the Tuesday Café?

I think the Tuesday Café has several purposes in the day to day life. Basically, it is something to do, especially for the new women, who don’t yet have much of a network in Denmark. What we do is very down to earth, and we emphasize the fact that you can stop by for whatever purpose. Often some of the women just come for a cup of coffee and a chat – sometimes with the volunteers, sometimes with the other women from the centre. I’ve also experienced that a lot of the women come by when they have gotten good or bad news, or when they’re frustrated with waiting or something of the sort. We don’t necessarily talk about it, but it’s something to take your mind off of whatever else is going on – or someone to share in the joy.

I think the most important thing we do is being a welcoming face in Denmark. Showing up, investing our time and ourselves in getting to know the women – and in them getting to know us. There’s no paycheck or formal obligations between us; we’re people meeting people.

And I feel that especially the last two things are enhanced by

the fact that some of us volunteers have been there for several years. We’re not just popping by on the way to a better resumé, it’s part of our lives.

What do you do as a volunteer in the Tuesday Café?

Sometimes I do Danish tutoring, sometimes a couple of us take a walk, and sometimes I help out with the creative thing of the week. I usually try to get someone to crochet because that is the one creative thing that I do – otherwise I watch and learn. Last week, a couple of us had a lot of fun working on our juggling skills. No matter what else is going on, I drink way too much coffee, talk and laugh.

Name: Susanne Blond Age: 26 Volunteer experience: 3,5 years Where: The Tuesday Café in Asylum Center Kongelunden

Women making jewelry in the Tuesday Café

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 13

BE WHO YOU ARE It can actually turn out to be an advantage, if you make use of your background as an immigrant, because you have unique resources and knowledge. highest score in a Danish test, but his teacher didn’t trust his results because the questions were so difficult that even native Danish children could not do it.

Sameer finished his business and IT with relatively very high scores in his bachelor’s degree from Copenhagen Business School, and found a job in a very big Danish company afterwards.

BE WHO YOU ARE

Sameer was born in Afghanistan, fled to Pakistan and later to Denmark, and now he is almost finished with his PhD. at Copenhagen Business School. Photo: Marion Chen

❚❚By Marion Chen 24 years ago a 6 years old boy was selling tea on the Pakistani streets imagining the teapot and glasses in his hands to be a motor cycle. Now that boy has become a professor at Copenhagen Business School (CBS).

Sameer Azizi was born in Afghanistan, but he had to flee to Pakistan with his family, when he was 5 years old because of the war in Afghanistan. They stayed in Pakistan for two years and started the life of selling tea on the streets, waiting for the end of the war so that they could go back home.

Sameer’s aunt got asylum in Denmark by coincidence and she applied for Sameer’s asylum in Denmark. Sameer then moved to Denmark with his family, already with refugee status. The life for Sameer has changed completely since December 1991.

KNOWING GOOD AND BAD

Sameer lives in a big family. A big family, to Sameer’s understanding, means that all family

PAGE 14 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

members, including aunts and uncles and their children, would gather together to talk and discuss life in Denmark and the future.

The family atmosphere is open and warm, but with unsaid disciplines. In his teenage years, Sameer could not be out after 6:00pm during the everyday.

No nasty words should ever come out of the mouths of the family members and cigarettes are of course forbidden.

In their first months, they live in Vesterbro – very close to the Istedgade – where drunkards and drug addicts are the usual pictures in his parents’ eyesight. So, the disciplines played an important role of teaching their children what is right and what is wrong.

On the other hand, his mother never convinces him to do anything that he is not capable of doing. Opposite the Danish youth, where to move out at 18 years old is considered normal, Sameer stayed with his family as long as he could, because he had less opportunities to afford living on his own during his student years.

Delicious meals are always ready whenever Sameer and his brother and sister feel hungry.

They never worry that one day, they will have no food to eat, no place to live, even though the apartment is not big enough for the family.

With the strong support of the family, their warm concern and strict disciplines, Sameer grew up without the interruption of bad things, such as crime and drugs, which usually affects the youth that in his ‘ghetto’ environment in Brøndby Strand.

EDUCATION MAKES CHANGES

Sameer’s aunt has a good education background, and all his cousins are doing well in their courses. His family somehow inspired and encouraged Sameer to do his best all the way through his education path.

Being the best is always the ambition of Sameer. He likes the sound competition with his cousins and friends. He doesn’t know, if he can surpass them, but he will try his best.

One time, Sameer got the

His first trip back to Afghanistan was through a Danish Refugee Council project at the age of 19, where he went back to the homeland where his family was born. While he stands on that land, he suddenly finds out that there was something missing in his life in Denmark: His identity of being an Afghan. He tried to help people in Afghanistan, who have nothing after Taliban fell, as much as he can.

Later, Sameer met some young Danish people, who were working for a small NGO that helps street-working children in Afghanistan. This is exactly what he wants to do and was employed as a project manager in a NGO, working for street children when he was 22, even though there was a very strong candidate, who had much better skills and education than him, Sameer got the job.

He came back to Denmark in 2006 and started the Master’s degree, learning about development and business, which he sees as a part of the mission of his life. He wrote about Afghanistan in his thesis for his master degree. After he finished it, his supervisor asked him if he would like to go on to PhD. “I think the links between all these stories are maybe having the confidence to see yourself as a resource,” Sameer says.

BEING AFGHAN CAN BE A RESOURCE

He then realised that there was something about being an Afghan: It is a resource. “Why look at it as a problem? Being a refugee or being an immigrant could easily be a resource. It is up to you to utilise it.” said Sameer.

His Afghan background has done much for Sameer’s success and he is confident that he will do something more for the Afghans, as well as the world development.

SELECTED DANISH ASYLUM NEWS New asylum laws, criticism from abroad and political statements. The Danish news are floating with news about asylum seekers. In February we started to gather what we think are the most important asylum news, and bring them to you here for quick overview of the news uptil the deadline of this magazine ❚❚By: Camilla Uhrskov Bank

February 3rd

10th

Representative of the EU Civil Rights Council wants to investigate if the new tightenings are in violation of the EU-treaty.

According to the Educational Union, asylum seekers with an educational background should have the opportunity to learn sufficient Danish in order to be able to apply their skills before getting employed in unskilled work. Even for refugees without an educational background, learning Danish is important to keep a job in the long run.

NEW CRITICISM TOWARDS THE NEW DANISH ASYLUM RULES

4TH

REFUGEES MUST WORK BEFORE THEY LEARN TO SPEAK DANISH

The Danish Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, writes in a statement: “It is possible to work and manage one’s life in Denmark without speaking Danish. Refugees must work, and the language must be coupled with this.”

5th

GOVERNMENT TO CUT LEGAL AID SUPPORT

The government proposes a law to restrict the asylum seekers access to legal aid in appeals made to the UN - despite the heavy increase in appeals concerning decisions made by the Danish Refugee Board.

8th

VERY FEW REFUGEES ARE SENT BACK HOME

Only three individuals have been sent back in the period from 2012-2015. Chief of asylum for the Danish Refugee council, Eva Singer, says: “There is no legal basis for sending back refugees as the conflicts often does not change or even become worse over time.”

9

th

RULES CONTINUE TO PREVENT ASYLUM SEEKERS FROM GETTING JOBS

Only 31 asylum seekers succeeded in getting a work permit last year, despite the opportunity being legally present. But even with the opportunity, asylum seekers must still wait for six months before being allowed to seek a work permit.

LEARNING DANISH IS THE GREATEST BARRIER TO GETTING A JOB

11th

DF-PROPOSAL: 20 % OF REFUGEE WAGES SHOULD BE FROZEN UNTIL THEY RETURN HOME

One fifth of the wages of working refugees should be frozen in a bank account and only paid out if the refugees travel back to their home country. Such states the chairman of the Danish People Party, Kristian Thulesen Dahl.

12th

ORGANISATION CRITICISE SEPARATING YOUNG COUPLES AMONGST ASYLUM SEEKERS

According to Save the Children, it is important to look at each case individually: “If a girl and a boy over the age of 15 wants to be together and have a healthy family life together, it shouldn’t be necessary to force them apart. This is where the social authorities must be involved,” says Gitte Jakobsen.

16th

POLICE CONFISCATES MOBILE PHONES FROM CHILD REFUGEES

At least 55 unassisted child refugees have had their mobile phones confiscated by the Danish Police upon their arrival.

According to the asylum centres, many have waited more than a month to get them back from the police, to much despair amongst the young people. The

police confirm the practice and states that the phones are used to determine the identity of the asylum seekers, when other means prove unsuccessful.

22

nd

be sailed directly back to Turkey.

The Danish Defence Minister, Peter Christensen, confirms this.

29th

THE DANISH GOVERNMENT: THERE WILL BE NO ’REFUGEE-VILLAGES’

UNIVERSITIES CALL FOR ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION COMPETENCES AMONGST REFUGEES

The proposal to establish ‘villages’ for refugees run by the state will not be realized. Such states the Minister of Integration, Inger Støjberg (V): “It will hinder the integration process and will in all aspects result in added costs to the public sector,” she says.

According to the union of Danish Universities, the universities are ready to provide education or further education for refugees: “These people are a resource; we just need to see how we can combine their educational background with the courses offered,” says chairman of the Danish Universities Union, Anders Bjarklev.

March 1st

UNSKILLED WORKFORCE BENEFITS FROM REFUGEES

24th

SMALL DANISH ISLANDS: WE ARE READY FOR MORE REFUGEES

The communities of the small Danish islands are ready to welcome refugees with open arms.

According to the chair of the Union of Small Danish Islands, Dorthe Winther, the communities in the islands are a perfect place for refugees to feel welcome and become a part of the Danish society.

25th

THE GOVERNMENT REJECTS CRITICISM FROM AMNESTY

Refugees do not cause unemployment among unskilled Danish workers, but pushes the workers towards better jobs with higher wages. Such concludes an analysis from the University of Copenhagen.

2nd

ASYLUM SEEKERS ATTEND A DANISH FOLK HIGH SCHOOL FOR A WEEK

Bornholm Folk High School (højskole) has this week invited nine asylum seekers to attend teaching in art, ceramics and music along with the other students in the school.

The law granting the authorities the right to detain and imprison rejected asylum seekers is potentially harmful, says Amnesty International in its annual report.

26th

DANISH WARSHIP WILL BRING REFUGEES DIRECTLY BACK TO TURKEY

If boat refugees are picked up by the Danish ship "Absalon", when the ship this autumn becomes part of the new NATO surveillance mission in the Aegean Sea, the refugees will

NEW TIMES | SPING 2016 | ISSUE # 97| PAGE 15

A LIBRARY FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS A new multi-language library for asylum seekers is opening in Kongelunden Asylum Centre. The library will become a platform for different types of learning programmes, language cafes and conversation rooms. ❚❚By: Marion Chen The idea of the library comes from a young man, Tore Qvist, who is the runner of the small NGO library in Kongelunden Asylum Centre.

POSSIBILITIES FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS BASED ON THEIR OWN WILL

Being a volunteer for three and a half year in the Kongelunden Red Cross Centre Tore Qvist has been looking for ways to develop the asylum system inspired by his educational background of philosophy and business administration.

BOOKS FROM DANISH LIBRARIES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Tore Qvist got a post from the Danish Royal Library last year.

They told him that the integration centre for the state libraries, who are the ones who buy books in foreign languages, were throwing out a lot of books.

Tore Qvist thought that these books could benefit people who speak foreign languages and are from different nationalities in the asylum centre.

Almost 5000 books in Persian, Kurdish, Arabic, Urdu, Russian and other languages were collected at the Danish Royal Library and transferred to Kongelunden Asylum Centre

by Tore Qvist, his fellow volunteers and residents from Kongelunden Asylum Centre.

TORE QVIST: THERE IS REALLY SOMETHING MISSING

Tore Qvist had an intuition five years ago, which told him that there is something lacking in

this huge system of the asylum centres and in the way we handle asylum seekers. So he started a NGO looking for ways where the law hampers possibilities for asylum seekers and refugees who want to develop themselves more in their lives.

GETTING IN CONTACT WITH THE LOST VALUES

“It is very good to find these new interests and new opportunities for refugees, because in many ways these new interests help us getting in contact with the lost values,” Tore Qvist said.

“It is both values in the moral sense and in the economic sense. It is values that are forgotten, which get treated badly so they lose all, they are, because the values are prohibited.”

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

ASK A LAWYER

1

Is it true that rejected asylum seekers do no longer have opportunity to get a lawyer or to have their case tried at the Refugee Appeals Board?

1

Thank you very much for your question. I understand the confusion based on the recent changes of the Danish Aliens Act. However, there are no changes regarding the specifics relating to your question.

This means that in most cases which goes through the normal asylum procedure in Denmark (stage 2) you have the right to get your case tried at the Danish Refugee Appeals Board if your asylum case is rejected by the Danish Immigration Service (Udlændingestyrelsen). You will also have a right to a free lawyer to present you at the Danish Refugee Appeals Board.

If the Danish Immigration Service finds the asylum application to be manifestly ill-founded you will as a main rule not have the right to appeal to the

Bibliotek Kongelunden will get new books every year from the national libraries. The library will be a central library for all asylum centres, and the vision for Bibliotek Kongelunden is to constantly expand and give books to all the other asylum centres.

Danish Refugee Appeals Board.

However, this is only the case in a minor part of the asylum applications.

I hope that I have understood your question correctly and that you find the answer useful.

2

I am an asylum seeker from Syria. My son is in Belarus. Is it possible to get him here to Denmark via family reunification?

2

Thank you very much for your question. The possibilities for family reunification are very dependent on the specifics in each case. First of all you will have to have a residence permit in Denmark.

There are different rules relating to the rights for parents to get their children to Denmark depending for example on the age of the child and on the refugee status of the person living in Denmark.

I will advise you to contact the volunteer department of the Danish Refugee Council as they offer free counseling on family

PAGE 16 | ISSUE # 97 | SPING 2016 | NEW TIMES

reunification relating to the specific case. They have offices in more than 10 different cities in Denmark. You can find their contact information on the following webpage: http://www. fr ivillignet.dk/aktiviteter/ raadgivning/find-naermesteraadgivning/.

Moreover it is a good idea to keep updated on www.nyidanmark.dk as the rules in this area are changing quite often at the moment.

I hope you find the help you need.

3

I have been rejected. I cooperate with the police, but they say that they cannot send me back to Algeria where I come from. Algeria rejects me because I am Palestinian. How long time do I risk being trapped in the Danish asylum system?

3

Thank you very much for your question. I understand that you are in a very difficult situation.

According to the Danish Aliens

act it is possible for a rejected asylum seeker to file an application for residence permit in Denmark if 1. The Danish police has not been able to deport you within at least 18 months 2. You have cooperated with the police in 18 months following each other (the evaluation regarding whether you have fully cooperated or not is made by the police) 3. That deportation according to the present information must be regarded as futile (the evaluation regarding whether deportation must be regarded as futile is made by the police) All three criteria must be fulfilled.

In practice it is very difficult to obtain a residence permit based on the criteria presented above.

It is our experience that in most cases the time perspective will be much longer as the Danish police do not regard the deportation as futile even though deportation efforts has been unsuccessful for a long period of time.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WRITE TO: New Times Rosenørns Allé 31, 2. sal, 1970 Frederiksberg or email us at newtimesdk@gmail.com Please feel free to ask your questions anonymously.

YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT: Dansk Flygtningehjælp Legal Counseling Unit Asylum Department Borgergade 10 Postbox 53 1002 København K www.drc.dk Email: advice@drc.dk Free Legal Counseling for asylum seekers every Wednesday from 10:00 - 13:00 You need to present your questions in Danish or English