New Times Winter 2015

REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.

NEWTIMES WINTER 2015 > ISSUE # 96

ASYLU VO I C E M S E E K E R S 20T H F O R 20 Y E A ’ A E DITIO N N IVE RSA RS RY N

NEW NETWORK FOR REFUGEE JOURNALISTS ESTABLISHED IN COPENHAGEN

SAMIRA NAWA WISHED FOR ANOTHER HAIR COLOUR FOR HER BABY WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT

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DEAR READER Thanks for reading!

You hold in your hands the magazine of New Times that symbolizes the 20th anniversary of New Times. Inside this magazine you can read about the history of the magazine and get a deep insight in the unique project supported by the Red Cross.

New Times has always been important. Try and think about it: How often do you hear the asylum seekers’ view

in the asylum debate? And these days New Times is more important than ever. Europe is facing its biggest refugee crisis since the Second World War and even though the EU Commission recently concluded that the refugees will create a small financial boost the fear among the Europeans is growing.

After the Paris terrorist attacks on the 13th of November this fear grew, as the police

found out that one of the terrorists had been arriving into Europe from Syria disguised as a refugee. The idea that you can stop terrorism by stopping refugees started sounding persuasive.

Of course this is double harm done to the weary refugees fleeing the very same terrorists.

Friday the 13th of November was also the day when Denmark’s Prime Minister, Lars

Løkke Rasmussen, once again stressed that Denmark wants refugees to think twice before coming here. He did so by presenting to the public a list of no less than 34 proposals for tightenings in the Danish asylum policies. Tightenings that received a lot of criticism, but nevertheless seem to be turned into law rather swiftly.

See the complete list and reactions inside the magazine.

And much more.

Thank you again for reading. Your eyes on our work is the best anniversary gift we could hope for.

Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany

FOLLOW US AT:

www.newtimes.dk facebook.com/newtimes.dk Twitter: @NewTimesDK

The New Times editorial team (Photo: Kasper Nybo)

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: Silje Garnås Kristiansen Layout: Jens Burau, supergreen.dk

Editor: Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany

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Printed by: OTM Avistryk 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.

Subscription: Subscriptions are free. If you would like to subscribe to New Times send us an email at newtimesdk@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. You only pay the postage.

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 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.

20TH ANNIVERSARY:

NEW TIMES GIVES A DIFFERENT ANGLE ABOUT THE MAGAZINE The New Times magazine come out four times a year in around 2.500 copies. It is distributed to the asylum centers, politicians, media, organizations and universities. New Times is also active on Facebook and Twitter (@NewTimesDK).

For twenty years New Times has been giving refugees their own voice to put focus on challenges, injustice and hope as an asylum seeker in Denmark. ❚❚By: Michael Bang In 1995 an asylum seeker in Sandholm began to write articles about the asylum area. Red Cross decided to support the idea, which developed into the magazine you hold in your hands today.

Today the magazine is written by around ten asylum seekers, while they are waiting for their asylum cases to be decided.

Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany has been the editor and project leader of New Times the past three years and he describes New Times like this: “It is an amateur project supported with professional resources. I’m a trained journalist, so I’m helping in any way I can and we often have trained journalists from conflict zones in our team. But it’s the voice of the asylum seekers with a professional touch.”

New Times share important information about the asylum area and point at the challenges asylum seekers are facing.

SHOW WHAT AN ASYLUM SEEKER IS

The magazine is both addressed to asylum seekers and Danes, because many Danish people don’t really understand what the words ‘asylum seeker’ actually means, according to Robin: “They don’t understand that these people would be so happy to stay at home and not come to Denmark. And that these people are just really in need of a friendly gesture or being invited for a cup of coffee - and they really, really want to integrate and obey the law.”

Many of the stories about asylum seekers in the mass media tend to have a quite negative focus. Crimes or stories about bad integration dominate the media picture, but Robin hopes that New Times can give a more balanced impression and contribute with a different angle:

“The vast majority of the asylum seekers are honest hardworking people, who have been forced to leave their home for one reason or the other. And I hope New Times can help people to understand it,” says Robin El-Tanany.

AUTHENTIC AND HONEST

New Times has developed from a home-printed black and white paper, to a colourful professional layouted magazine, but the style of the articles still represents the way the refugees write: “I’m not so concerned whether the language or grammar is 100% correct British English. I think it is more important that it is authentic and that people can hear the voices of the asylum seekers as much as possible,” explains the editor Robin.

But isn’t there a risk, that the reader will get disappointed, when the article isn’t written as professional as the magazine looks like?

“I think it is an advantage, because if I read something that gives me the feeling that I’m getting very close to the asylum seeker who wrote it, I think that is more valuable than being professionalized.“

INTERCULTURAL TEAMWORK

The project is not only about writing articles. New Times is a fellow-feeling between people at different ages and from very different backgrounds, who only have in common that they were forced to leave their home and have an interest in journalism. But one of things the editor Robin is most proud of is the teamwork: “If we’re having an editorial meeting and decide to dig into an issue and starts researching, people use their network in the asylum centers and make interviews. And doing that process strong case stories show up and

support our initial idea. That is a good experience as an editor, when New Times is working as a professional team and help each other.”

When the teamwork has been at its best, New Times is able to scrutinize and put focus on problematic areas like bad interpretaters or stressful movings, which give an unique insight in the everyday life of the asylum seekers. Robin hopes that more stories will continue into the mass media in future.

ARTICLES IN ARABIC OR TIGRINYA

Robin is very satisfied with the magazine as it is today, but hopes to supplement with more video and radio productions and maybe work with more languages to be able to reach more asylum seekers: “I would like us to write articles in for example Arabic or Tigrinya, because we have so many refugees coming from Syria and Eritrea right now and many of them don’t know English,” tells Robin.

Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany has been the editor of New Times since 2012 and he is the seventh editor. He graduated as a journalist in 2004 and has worked as a freelance journalist in Latin America, made radio in both Denmark and Nepal, and he has worked in the press department of Red Cross.

(1997) We don’t know the asylum seeker, who started New Times and therefore we don’t know why it is called New Times. Robin has kept the name in respect of the man who started New Times, and because it symbolizes the hope refugees have for new and better times to come.

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 3

THE TEAM MEMBERS The New Times writers are all asylum seekers waiting in the asylum system. Some will only be here for a short period of time and a few are here for many years. While they are here, New Times becomes a stable place in an uncertain period, where they can do something meaningful in the waiting time. ❚❚Interviews by Michael Bang THANKS Special thanks to the documentary photographer Kasper Nybo who donated many hours of his work taking these portraits: Kasper Nybo Photography www.nybophotography.com www.facebook.com/kaspernybo +45 40 308 302

I CAN BE USEFUL FOR OTHER ASYLUM SEEKERS Makmoud (71) fled from Iraq in 2002 and has been a New Times member for three years: “It’s nice to broaden your knowledge on asylum cases and different aspects of the Danish government’s politics - and I like to be active. At New Times I can do something useful for other asylum seekers by reporting about social events and activities at the asylum centers or outside.

That is very useful for asylum seekers.”

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WE HAVE THE POWER OF WRITING Ismäel (66) came from Algeria in 2002 and has been at New Times for two years: “I love to write and we know all the problems of being as asylum seekers. We can’t help them, but we can write about them. That is the power we have.”

I FEEL SO HAPPY Marion (50) was released in January after seven years in prison in China.

She came to Denmark in June and has been at New Times for a couple of months: “Everyday when I come to New Time I feel so happy.

We come from different countries and cultures, but everyone has the same understanding of humanity. And Robin is a very good team leader, because he has a big heart and concerns about every member of the team.”

WE’RE HAVING A LOT OF FUN Huda (19) is Palestinian and came from Algeria in 2014. She has been a writer at New Times for two months: “I like that I can speak up for other refugees - and I like that I can write what I want.

Despite of very different backgrounds, I got some good friends here and we’re having a lot of fun when we’re making interviews together.

IT MAKES THE WAITING TIME GO FASTER Ahmed (25) came from Somalia in 2012 and he has been at New Times for two years: “When you’re an asylum seeker you feel alone and bored, but when you write articles and make interviews, you’re busy and you forget about your problems. Two years at New Times feels like two months, because I’ve been busy.”

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 5

NEW TIMES CAN BUILD BRIDGES

Mogens B. Bjerregård, President of the European Federation of Journalists, believes that New Times can create important bridges between asylum seekers and the Danish society. ❚❚By: Michael Bang It is rare that asylum seekers in Denmark work and use their competences, while their asylum case is being processed, and that is what makes New Times unique and valuable: “I think New Times is a fantastic thing, because if you are a journalist or possess the competences, you get a chance to use them, while you’re an asylum seeker,” says Mogens B. Bjerregård, who is the President of the European Federation of Journalists. We invited him to a talk about journalism and journalist on the run.

CONTRIBUTES TO THE DEMOCRACY

New Times has been the voice of asylum seekers for 20 years. Why is it important that asylum seekers have their own magazine?

“It is important for everyone to have a voice, but when this has an even more significant influence, it is because it contributes to the democratic development. Through New Times

asylum seekers are initiated to read about what happens in the society (...) and New Times is an important example, because it builds bridges between being an asylum seeker and becoming a permanent member of the Danish society.”

STORYTELLING WITH INDIGNATION

Why is it important to get the asylum seekers’ own stories out in the media?

“They are very personal and it is a fundamental element in journalism, that you have some strong person driven stories, because then it focus more on the individual instead of masses. I think it is important that we understand, that this is about humans” How does it influence the journalists at New Times, that they write about an area, which they have a personal relationship with?

“It is a strong motive force, that you should use to tell good stories, but of course it can be difficult to write about these

things as an asylum seeker.

Therefore you should make sure that you do it properly and ethically, but the indignation is not a problem for me. I think it makes the story stronger.”

Mogens B. Bjerregård was the President of the Danish Union of Journalists from 1999-2015 and one of the founding member of International Media Support.

100 JOURNALISTS ARE MURDERED EVERY YEAR

Some of the writers at New Times are educated journalist and persecuted because of their work.

How is the situation on safety and freedom of speech for journalists around the world today?

“It is a major problem. More than 100 journalists are killed every year and only 6-7% of the cases are solved.”

WHY?

“This is happening in countries where it is extremely difficult to investigate and the rule of law is very low. So when journalists are applying for asylum in Denmark, we have to take it very serious, because it is a dangerous risk they run.”

Mogens B. Bjerregaard is furthermore involved in a new project for asylum seekers and refugees with a journalistic background. It is a network of journalists organized by International Media Support and the Danish Union of Journalists to help refugees to get out on the labour market and work as a journalist.

Read more on page 15

NEW NETWORK FOR JOURNALIST ON THE RUN

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FOREIGNERS ARE FRAMED AND PUT IN BOXES IN DENMARK Samira Nawa wished for another hair colour for her baby when she was pregnant ❚❚By: Makmoud What are your positive experiences in Denmark?

Among my friends there is a curiosity to know more about my background, language and religion. Each Ramadan, me and my husband invite some of my friends to come and break the fast with us to make them see what Ramadan actually is all about and what we do in our family.

This Ramadan, there was this couple, the husband is also a member of Radikale Venstre, my husband and I invited them to break the fast with us and I told them: We wake up at 2.30 and eat and then go to sleep and get up at 06.00, go to work and don’t eat or drink anything until 22.00. I wrote to him and his wife and invited them to break the fast with us. They came in the evening and he said that they actually did wake up at 2.30 to eat some food, and did not eat until now and they were very hungry, and he was craving for watermelon and I told him that the watermelon was for him. They wanted to feel what it was like to fast all day for 30 days. I think it was a very nice experience, when people who are not Muslim try to understand, feel and see what we do. And this is only one example.

What are your less good experience with Danes?

Personally for me, I haven’t experienced something bad or less good. There are always some friends and some things that come up, but it has nothing to do if you are Dane or not. I have a son and he is two years old. When he was eight months old I went all around Copenhagen with him in his pram and a lot of people talked to him and said “Oh you are so cute”, but I also experienced two people who were looking at him and said “Your father must be a foreigner”, because my son has dark eyes and darker hair (from his father). That hurt me, even though I know it is not their intention, but it hurts me because my son is born in Denmark, and now he is framed belonging to some foreign culture or being in a box of foreigners, because he looks the way he does. That was a less good

experience. Another woman looked at him and said “do you speak Danish my little friend”. I got a bit angry. I know it is not her intention, because he does not speak at all. He was only eight or nine months old. We are all framed and put in boxes for how we look and I am sad to see that it happens even for the second generation. My son should be more Dane than I am, but because he has darker hair he was put in that box. When I was pregnant with my son I felt like being a racist myself, when I wished him to have fair skin and green eyes and red hair, because it would be easier for him to blend in with the Danish society. But he turned out differently and it is very good. He will learn how to get over it, and learn all the tricks from his father.

Can you give any advice to asylum seekers and new immigrants about cultural differences?

Of course there is a lot of cultural differences, and some of it has to do with religion. I think a lot of it is about the traditions in Denmark. There are Christian traditions like Christmas, Easter and so on. A lot of refugees come with a Muslim background and have other traditions and another backgrounds. I think it is important to learn about the Danish traditions and culture as fast as possible as that will open many doors. The Danes will also then be more welcoming to Muslims traditions and it will also be easier for the Danes to be open about Eid or Ramadan for example. And focus on the positive.

There are a lot of people here in Denmark with a positive attitude towards immigrants and refugees. In the last weeks we have seen a lot of Danes on the streets and it has showed how much love Denmark has to give. In the demonstration there was 40.000 people welcoming refugees to Denmark only in Copenhagen. They had demonstrations in other cities as well. Then it is also important to learn the language. If you speak Arabic or Afghan at home, that is an inheritance that you should keep so you can talk with your parents or your grandparent. But to engage in Danish society it is important

to learn the Danish language, because Denmark is a small country.

We humans are the same. If I meet someone who says something in Farsi, like for example “How are you”, then you’ll let them get closer to you.

ABOUT SAMIRA NAWA Samira Nawa is 27 years old, born in Denmark, finished university with a degree in Economics and now working with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Interior as an economist. She is member of the Social Liberal Party (Radikale Venstre) and was candidate for the Danish Parliament in the election in June. Her parents are from Afghanistan. They fled from the Taliban in 1986. Samira Nawa is also the person behind the hugely covered refugee photo event on social media “#engangvarjegflygtning”

Parisa longs for continuing working out in the fitness center. (Photo: /CreativeCommons)

CPR IS THE BARRIER TO ACCESS SPORTS CLUBS

Asylum seekers are excluded from many fitness centers and sports clubs, because they can’t get a CPR-number ❚❚By: Negar Parisa is a young female asylum seeker from Iran. She is sad because the lack of a cpr-number prevents her from keeping fit, healthy and integrate into the Danish society. I met her for a talk about her challenge.

Why do you want to go to sports clubs?

Because I need to move. Not just sit and look out the window and think about what is going to happen to me. I would just eat and sit in my room then.

So I would gain weight and be unhealthy, but most importantly I suffer from Osteoporosis, where working out is a must for me, as my doctors have told me years ago.

Secondly, it is a way of keeping my mood up. It helps mentally, which is so important for us asylum seekers that live under so much stress and frustration and having our future in someone’s else’s hand. Also it makes me feel I can integrate in the society. It helps me create networks and contact with people.

Why don’t you use the fitness room in your asylum center?

In the camps everybody is stressed, frustrated and traumatized. So if you want a break from stress and frustration the way is not staying in the same environment. It makes me feel more depressed working out in camp and see no change in my surroundings. There are no

motivated and energetic people.

Moreover, many muslim men are not so used to see uncovered women working out, so coming to the fitness room in the camp makes women feel very uncomfortable.

How do you feel now that you have not been able to get access to a sport club?

I feel sad. I feel like I do not belong to the society and cannot integrate. I feel like I am nobody. Someone with no role in the society and no identity until I get residence permit and receive a CPR number. It makes me feel that Denmark considers us as second-class people, as I can see my friends in Sweden can have bank accounts, permission to work, sports club memberships and so on.

FACTS CPR number is a personal identification number, which is only given to Danish citizens and people with residence permit.

Therefore asylum seekers cannot get a CPR-number.

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 7

FEARS HER FAMILY WILL DIE WHILE CASE IS DELAYED Manel Tahan is extremely concerned about her situation and her family members, who are still in Syria. She has been in Denmark for ten months and still, unlike other Syrians, has no answer on her case from the Danish Immigration Service

❚❚By: Houda I have interviewed the Syrian woman Manel Tahan, who came from Damascus and has been in Denmark for ten months and is still desperately waiting.

How long waiting time did you expect?

“I have expected to wait for three months to have my residence in Denmark, and during one year I expected to have my family by my side. But now it has been ten months. I came last year and yet I still do not have neither of the both.”

What do you talk about with your family when you call them?

“Every time we talk on the phone they ask me these questions over and over again: What happened with you? Have you got your positive answer?

When will you bring us to you?

They also tell me how much they miss me, and how bad the situation is there. Recently my daughter told me about a stranger who called her and threatened her several times saying that he knows where I am staying, and he knows how to bring me back to Syria. My children were so terrified and worried about me, and I was scared even INDIVIDUALS WITH TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS It became possible to be granted temporary protected status in accordance with Aliens Act Section 7 (3) in Denmark. It will be granted to asylum seekers who require protection from severe instability and indiscriminate violence against civilians in their home country.

Individuals granted temporary protected status do not qualify to sponsor an individual applying for family reunification until their residence permit is extended past the initial one-year period.

more, but I told them that I am safe now, you are the ones in danger.”

Did you know about the one year reunification rule before you came to Denmark?

“Of course not. I did not know that I would have to wait one year. This is all new for me and shocking because people used to tell me that during five to six months max. nine months their families were with them. Realizing that all of this was untrue in my case made me so tired and anxious. I could not sleep much because I was scared. I had nightmares about me going back to Syria searching for my lost children. All this affected me so much in my daily life that I had to go to the psychologic to heal.”

If you knew about the rule would you have come here?

“Sure no, if I knew that the rules are harsh like this I would have never had stepped my feet into Denmark’s land. I came to rest, to build a future not to relive the tension and the stress.

I used to live like this way in Syria, why would I endure a death trip, an anguish journey to live in suffer again. I have not tasted any joy in Syria nor in Denmark. The situations are the same.”

How do you feel about this reunification rule?

“I feel so miserable and depressed about the racist way we are being treated, I do not understand why they have to treat us like this? I am sure there are better ways. We did not came here in order to ”mosey around” or “greediness in money”. I personally came out from a horrible war seeking for a peaceful life not to suffer my way to reunite with my children.”

Could you describe how the waiting time feels?

“This time of my life that I

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am living right now is the hardest. I am living here in body but in my mind, my heart, my soul and all my feelings are with my children and family, who still live under war. I am not sure if it is possible to reunite with them ever again. This is a question that I am living every single day thinking about.”

How is it for you to see friends around you getting their residence and settle while you are still waiting?

“I feel upset. For me it feels like the government chooses a few random refugees and use different hard ways regarding their cases to reflect the bad image of Denmark. So in case they got asked they reveal the terrible things that they are going through in order to pre-

vent more people of coming to Denmark. Unluckily I am one of them. Without any reasons for the delay in my case this is the only convincing reason I have other than the sentence they keep on telling me in the Danish Immigration Service “I’m sorry, be patient”.”

What do you hope for?

“I hope to have my resident quickly and bring my children the fastest way possible before it is too late. I wish I could help them rebuild their future again so that I can plan something for my future. It seems to me that I am going to waste it. I do not know anything about my life neither about my future. I am living like a dead person, nothing is right.”

“SITTING HERE LIKE A DEAD MAN” With the help of Manel Tahan I managed to contact her desperate husband who is now in Syria and asked him a few questions about the situation in Damascus ❚❚By: Houda

IMMIGRATION SERVICE’S COMMENT New Times has asked Bjørn Hørning, Department leader in the Immigration Service, what the average waiting time for Syrians is: “We have a target of 2015 for the processing time of an average of 50 days and a target for the period from registration to act on an average of 100 days” He says. “But the current situation with increased asylum seekers have put us under pressure. Eight months is certainly not the general waiting time for a Syrian asylum seeker. We are doing everything we can to get as close to our targets as possible before the end of the year.”

Manel Tahan holding the phone with a picture of her precious children.

Photo: Houda

Kheir El Din is a man who is currently living in Syria with his three children under difficult circumstances.

How dangerous is it in Damascus?

“The situation in Damascus is so difficult, and the security situation is crap.

Everyday explosions and many numbers of rockets fall down beside my kids and my home. Everyone get out of their houses and get ready to die on their journey to school or to work - even when you are sitting at home, you may die as well by unexpected bombs.In both cases we are living day by day.”

Where do you live?

“We do not have a home anymore. Our house was destroyed during the war.

My family, my sister and my brother rent a house together.

One room for each family.”

Is it still possible to buy things?

“It is worst than ever with rising prices. Now everything is ten times more expensive than before. Things like eggs, cheese, butter and milk. The meat price has went from 400 to 4000 Syrian pounds, and the bread from nine to 25 Syrian pounds. I can only buy the necessary things, such as food, to keep us alive.”

How do you feel?

“I feel desperate and frustrated. Most of the people who travelled with my wife and reached Germany has reunited with their families in a period of seven months.

Except me. I am sitting here like a dead man.”

Would it be possible for you to wait for more than a year after your wife hopefully gets asylum?

“No! Definitely not. It is impossible to wait more than this. My seven years old son refuses to talk with me, I do not know what to say. I am so lost and confused. I do not know how I would be able to take my children to a country with a government that does not want them, to a government that put all kinds of rules to impede our existence there. I really do not know what we are going to do.”

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 9

THE PRIME MINISTER TIGHTENS THE DANISH ASYLUM LAWS Friday the 13th of November the Danish Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, presented an announced - and long - list of proposals for tightenings of the Danish asylum laws

❚❚By: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany The list of 34 new tightenings of the asylum laws is an attempt to limit the number of asylum seekers coming to Denmark. The Prime Minister says that he is concerned of Denmark taking in too many refugees. “Successful integration is important if we want to keep a good and safe society”, he says and stresses that the amount of refugees therefore needs to be limited.

The proposal meets harsh criticism from different sides.

“Løkke’s response to one of the biggest refugee crises in the world is seemingly to tear families apart ”, says the political spokesperson from The Red/Green Alliance, Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, referring to the part of the proposals that will make it more difficult for families to be reunified.

CONFISCATION OF VALUABLES

The Government also plans to allow the police to confiscate money and valuables in the asylum seekers’ luggage and use it to pay for the asylum seeker’s stay in Denmark. Wedding rings and other personal belongings are excepted.

The party leader of the Social Liberals calls the proposed list “heartless”. The chairman of the Socialist People’s Party is equally critical and labels it

“unworthy”, and the party leader of The Alternative, Uffe Elbæk, says that the 34 tightenings are “34 deep blows to the idea that Denmark is a solidary, open and humane society”.

THIRD WORLD COUNTRY?

A proposal of an increased use of tents as accommodation, made the General Secretary of the Danish Red Cross, Anders Ladekarl, ask whether Denmark is now a third world country and points to the fact that the

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capacity of buildings that can be used for housing asylum seekers is still good.

One of the tightenings will make it possible for the police to detain asylum seekers for more than 72 hours before put in front of a judge. The idea behind this is to make it possible to have time to register huge groups of incoming people.

People who might not want to talk to the police because they want to continue their journey to Sweden or other countries.

But the Chairman of the Danish Union of Judges,Mikael Sjöberg, describes this proposal as too “far-reaching”.

“It is against everything we have stood for up til now in Denmark”, he says.

The critical voices do not change the mind of the Prime Minister, though. He enjoys immediate support for almost all the tightenings from Danish People’s Party, The Conservatives, The Liberal Alliance and the Social Democrats.

The Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, at an earlier press conference (Photo: /CreativeCommons)

THE 34 TIGHTENINGS 1.

Limitation of durance of residence permit for refugees – Residence permit after §7,1 /convention status (now 5 years) shortened to 3 years, and after §7,2 /protection status (now 5 years) shortened to 2 years

2.

Postponing the right to family reunification for refugees with temporary protection status – The ones who have been granted residence after §7,3 will have to wait 3 years before applying for family reunification (now 1 year)

3.

Harder to obtain permanent residence permit – Present requirements of 5 years stay with easier access for refugees after 7 years will be changed so that very integrated persons can apply after 4 years, others after 6 years, no easier way for refugees

4.

Tightening of the rules for withdrawal of residence permit for refugees – Vacation in the neighbouring countries (as well as the home country) will lead to loosing the residence permit

5.

Fees – Reintroduction of the fees on applying for family reunification, extension and permanent residence permit

6.

Extended demands on asylum seekers own payment for their stay in Denmark

No longer access to move out of the camps or work after six months, less language training and activation

dating or detaining asylum seekers without owner’s permission

12.

Access to force municipalities to run asylum centers

The new low Integration allowance will be extended to include more people and will target everybody with less than 7 years of legal stay

25.

26.

13.

Reform of the rules for spouse reunification etc (no details yet)

Using private entrepreneurs to perform tasks for the authorities concerning foreigners – Security companies like G4S could be used for controlling, registering and surveillance

14.

27.

UN resettlement refugees will be chosen according to their integration potential

15.

The state will no longer pay flight tickets for family members of residing refugees

16.

More focus on deporting rejected asylum seekers and other foreigners without legal stay

17.

Extended access to detention of rejected asylum seekers – Detentions used faster after rejection and generally used more

18.

Shorter time limit to leave the country – Present 15 days will be changed to 7 days

19.

Establishing reception camps – The police can open camps in Vordingborg Kaserne, Søgårdlejren i Sønderjylland and Valby, København

28.

Limitation of the right to be put before a judge within 72 hours of detention for foreigners – The existing right can be suspended

29.

Option of detaining asylum seekers on the grounds of establishing their identity and other things Harder sanctions for begging – Unconditional prison sentence of 14 days for being charged with begging the first time

31.

Easier access for the authorities to stop busses, trains and ferries

32.

Access to finding out whether asylum seekers have brought financial means with them

20.

33.

8.

21.

Fewer on self catering via extended use of cafetarias in the asylum centers

New deportation center further away from larger cities Extended use of daily/weekly duty to register and the duty to stay in one place

9.

22.

10.

Access to deviate from the normal Danish laws when accommodating asylum seekers

Lowering the financial allowance (pocket money) to asylum seekers with around 10% Stop for the special counseling (on voluntary return)

11.

Stop for the Asylum Deal (2012) –

Increased capacity to accommodation, including tents

One of the mostly criticised new rules on the list is proposal no 2. which will make it more difficult for some refugees to get family reunification. This tightening addresses those refugees who get temporary protection status (7% of the asylum seekers got this limited protection this year). The government suggests that these refugees should wait three years before being able to get their family to Denmark.

30.

More control with foreigners in deportation center – Electronic access control

7.

FACTS

Fewer rooms accepted on housing of refugee families Rules about noise and environment not to be used when accommodating refugees

34.

Stronger integration program – More focus on jobs, detailed proposal will be presented around new year Sources: www.refugees.dk, www. dr.dk, www.statsministeriet.dk

23.

24.

Access to use buildings for accommo-

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 11

FEELING FREE TO BE A CHRISTIAN IN DENMARK Being respected and able to go to church freely is a new feeling for Hu. She is a 36-year-old mother from China. And Christian.

Part of the buildings in Roskilde Asylum Center. It was once a church. Photo: Marion Chen ❚❚By: Marion Chen Hu is 36-years-old and a Christian asylum seeker from China. She came with her husband and son to Denmark eight months ago.

She says that she is calm and patient, because it is free for her to tell others that she is a Christian in Denmark without any worries. She is respected as a Christian and has worship with local Christians once a week arranged from the Red Cross Center. This is a completely different feeling compared with being in China.

Why do you feel free as a Christian here?

Because in China I had to hide up as a real Christian. I could not be a full-time priest in church since all churches are controlled by the Chinese Communist Party authorities. I had to look for a job to cover myself so that I could be considered as a normal person. If not, I would be eyed on by the authorities and lose my freedom.

We had to be very careful. We dreaded not to show that we believed in God very much. We dared not to say true words.

Why did you not dare to tell others that you were a Christian in China?

In China we have two kinds of Christian churches, one is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, the other is the underground church. The one controlled by the Chinese Communist Party is called Colloquially. The National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China and the China Christian Council together formed the only state-sanctioned Protestant church in mainland China.

Priests of Colloquially are all assigned by the authorities. The sermon’s content should be

PAGE 12 | ISSUE # 96 | WINTER 2015 | NEW TIMES

approved by the authorities. Without asking for permission of the authorities, the sermon cannot be given.

Priests from overseas cannot give sermons in the Colloquially church because what they say is real doctrine of the Bible. The authorities do not allow that.

What is the main difference between underground church and Colloquially?

The main rule of the Colloquially is the three principles: self-governance, self-support and selfpropagation. It means that to be a Christian in China you must first love and believe in the Chinese Communist Party, love your country, and first then you have the right to love God. The underground churches takes God as the first to love, believe and follow. And this principle is totally on the contrary of the authorities’. So, as being a Christian in mainland China, if you do not go to the Colloquially church, you will be considered as anti-party oriented and be cracked down as cults. That is why we have to hide and worship by ourselves secretly.

How does the authorities crack down on the underground churches?

They tear down churches, saying the buildings are either illegal or violating some regulations.

In one case they said the cross of the church was too big and did not match to scale. But actually all these churches were very old and have been there for decades. However, what we can see here in Denmark are the majestic churches everywhere.

We worship every Tuesday here with Danish local Christians. Although we have different languages we can feel their true and pure heart to God.

BACKGROUND: CHRISTIANS IN CHINA Kim Schou is a Danish journalist and author of the book “China’s Christian revolution”. He says; “In short, it is not normal to be a Christian in China, and in some parts of China it can make you an outcast.“ He also says that some forms of Christian fellowship and worship are illegal. There are official Christian churches in China, both Catholic and Protestant. However only some of the Christians in China use the state approved churches. The majority of Chinese Christians take part in illegal so-called “underground” churches.

“The Christians in China are one of the largest persecuted religious groups in the world, but it is by no means the most persecuted group. 40 years ago there were about five million Christians in China. Today there are probably around 80 million Christians. It is perhaps the most comprehensive religious change that have ever happened to a people in the world, and yet most Christians have to live in relative hiding because the religious freedom in China is limited,” Kim Schou concludes.

CRIMINALS ATTACK ASYLUM SEEKERS The behaviour of criminals in center Sandholm frightens asylum seekers ❚❚By Ismaël A series of attacks and theft have left some of the inhabitants in Center Sandholm fearing for their safety and property. And the fear of reprisals complicates investigation, as center staff is unable to take action without further information from the victims.

In November three young asylum seekers entered a room of a handicapped refugee at 3 am in the morning to steal from him. When he woke up, they attacked him. Luckily, his next door neighbor had heard the commotion, and came to his help. The attacked man is handicapped, and cannot defend himself. This is the second attack he has suffered while living in Center Sandholm.

SAVED BY NEIGHBOR

New Times met the neighbor and saviour of the handicapped man. “I was sleeping when I heard cries coming from the room of my neighbor,” he said.

“Then I ran to his secour, and there, I saw that he was he was assaulted by three people while he was in bed. As soon as they saw me enter the room to help him, they attacked me, so I had to defend myself vigorously to make them flee.”

The youngsters later

mounted a punitive expedition to take revenge on the rescuer.

MORE PROBLEMS

That same night at midnight, one young aggressor was also reported to have attacked another refugee to take his cigarettes by force. In another incident one week later a refugee was robbed of both money and valuables, when some people attacked him in his room at 1 am. The refugee was sleeping when he heard knocking on the door, and as he opened it his attackers jumped on him to steal while hitting him.

FEAR OF REPRISALS

Attacks and theft like this has been reoccurring over the past year. Luckily, some of the violent people, especially a group of young men, do not live in Center Sandholm any more. But the fear persists.

RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES: PLEASE REPORT CRIME TO US ❚❚By: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany A police officer from Center Sandholm says that the police take immediate action when they hear about a crime. “We take crimes like these very serious. But we are unable to take action unless the criminal acts are being reported”, he says.

The Center Sandholm leader, Michael Ehrenfels from the Danish Red Cross, also stresses the importance of reporting crimes. “It is my impression that these incidents are rare in Sandholm, and we always recommend asylum seekers who experience such incidents to reach out to us. As soon as we are made aware of a crime we contact the police who have proper experience in dealing with these matters”, he says.

The staff at Center Sandholm has had an increased focus on reestablishing the safety in the building that has been suffering from the attacks of a criminal group that is no longer there.

“We are aiming at being attentive so that we can provide support for our residents - especially the vulnerable”, Michael Ehrenfels says.

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 13

REPORT: INTERPRETATION IN THE ASYLUM SYSTEM IS INADEQUATE A recent study published signifies what New Times has emphasized many times before; unqualified interpreters and bad translation is a major problem not only for asylum seekers, but for the entire public sector in Denmark

❚❚By: Silje Garnås Kristensen The report is based on interviews with 64 professionals who recently have experienced the problem first hand through their work.

It is the Association of Danish Authorized Translators and Interpreters (Dansk Translatørforening) that presented these findings in a public statement made on the 27 of October this year. The study revealed that a shocking 92% of those who have used translation- and interpretation services in Denmark find it to be inadequate.

Furthermore, 43,8% of the users reports it to be outright wrong and incorrect. The people interviewed were not only asylum seekers, but also lawyers, health personnel and caseworkers amongst others. The report gives examples of grave misinterpretations in the courts, hospitals and various public sectors.

without any requirement for the quality of the services. Carina Graversen, one of the people responsible for the report recommends that Denmark - like the other Nordic countries, such as Norway, implements strict rules and requirements for the certification of the interpreters. Besides, Norway has further introduced a bachelor degree in interpretation.

Hopefully, the new report will set a spark to the old debate and lead to a change for the better before more people are affected by problematic interpretation.

WEAK SECURITY

Inadequate and incorrect interpretation weakens the security of the judicial system and the security of patients.

Despite drawn attention to the problem in previous years, the responsible ministers have been reluctant to make any change to the present system.

NO EDUCATION

Today, there is no official translation- or interpretation education in Denmark, and there is no official certification required to prove the competences and qualifications of the specific translator or interpreter. The lack of a monitoring system is evident.

300 MIO KR

Denmark spends 300 million kroner each year on services

PAGE 14 | ISSUE # 96 | WINTER 2015 | NEW TIMES

WHILE WE WAIT After a critical report on this problem in 2012 the Government set up a committee to look at the quality of the interpretation in the public sector in 2013. The deadline for the committee to publish its findings was by the end of 2014.

That deadline was postponed to medio 2015 and has recently been postponed again to medio 2016.

The committee actually finished its work in the beginning of 2015. We are only waiting for the report to be put together.

Yechiela Pojanamesbaanstit. 33 years old. Thailand. She is a former New Times Member and now a member of this group ''I wrote an email to this group to work with Danish Journalists. They help us get our job again'' She has already been seven months in this group, she makes reports from the asylum centers. ''Here is like education place. I feel comfortable here. I worked in my country many years, but here is different. I feel freedom and democracy more than in my country '' She adds about the Danish language ''I try to learn Danish language myself because I don't have chance while I'm in the asylum centre''

Press ethics and laws in Denmark are being studied (Photo: Ahmed)

NEW NETWORK FOR REFUGEE JOURNALISTS The Danish Union of Journalists (DJ) and International Media Support (IMS) have established a network of journalists and other media professionals arriving in Denmark as asylum seekers or having recently been granted asylum here

❚❚By: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany and Ahmed (Photos) New Times is a partner of a newly started journalist-network-project with the Danish Union of Journalists and International Media Support. The main idea is to establish professional contacts and exchange at an early stage with Danish and foreign colleagues and thereby maintain professional identity and also a perspective of eventually being able to continue to function professionally.

The people behind the project believe, that journalists seeking asylum in Denmark, should be given the best possibilities to maintain and further develop their professional skills and potentialities to the benefit of themselves as well as the Danish society.

The network meets regularly on invitations by DJ and IMS.

Special arrangements and mini courses of professional relevance are arranged for members of the network from time to time.

At present members of the network are from Afghanistan, Thailand, Georgia, Syria, Somalia, Pakistan, Kenya, Eritrea and Iraq.

FACTS Are you a journalist or media professional and interested in joining the network?

For more information please contact: Mustafa Ismail via email mbismail2@gmail.com or phone 91660766, who will also be able to refer you to a member of the network, with whom you can communicate in your own language.

Aneel yousaf Khan. 37 years old. Pakistan. Aneel was a journalist and worked 14 years in his home country (Pakistan). He wants to continue here in Denmark where he arrived June last year. ''When I got my permission to stay in Denmark I contacted this group and they accepted me. Now I'm member. To became a journalist in Denmark is difficult because of the language and now I'm in language school."

Manila Ghafuri. 22 years old. Afghanistan. This is the first time Manila visits the group. ‘’I saw it on Facebook and decided to join because I want to know more about journalism. There are many refugee people who have journalism experience and I am sure I will learn a lot from this’’.

NEW TIMES | WINTER 2015 | ISSUE # 96| PAGE 15

CHRISTMAS IN THE ASYLUM CENTER’S KINDERGARDEN

Christmas is coming soon. And the children in asylum center Sandholm’s kindergarden can look forward to gifts, Christmas songs and even a Christmas show ❚❚By: Eden Susanne Kruger has been a pædagog (child care worker) in Center Sandholm’s kindergarden for 24 years. She has also been working in new asylum centers like Haderslev and Helsingør. I interviewed her about how Christmas is celebrated in the Kindergarden in Sandholm, and why it is celebrated.

CHRISTMAS STARTS THE 1ST OF DECEMBER

“We celebrate Christmas because it is a Danish tradition and Denmark is a Christian country. We start to make decorations with kids in the kindergarten and in the youth club the 1st of December.

We prepare a Christmas party the 22nd of December,” Susanne Kruger explains.

“Here in the kindergarden we invite parents and children for a Christmas party. They are served coffee, fruit and æbleskiver (Christmas cakes), and at the

party a man will come and do a fun show for kids. We do not teach about the birth of Jesus or sing any religious songs as the children belong to many different religions. We sing a fun Christmas song.

The name of the song is “Nisser”. (Nisser are small fairy tale Christmas creatures).

DANCE AROUND THE TREE

We also dance around the Christmas tree, and all children get a gift; a small bag of sweets. All children are very happy to celebrate Christmas and so happy to see Santa Claus and take pictures with him,” Susanne Kruger explains.

I wish the best happiness and positive things for all kids in the asylum centers and that it will be a happy Christmas for everyone.

From last year’s Christmas Show (Photo: Private)

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

ASK A LAWYER

1

I am on tolerated stay. I committed a crime here in Denmark and spent my time in jail. I want to start a normal life. But I have no future.

No rights. Is this way of condition legal according to the EU Court of Justice?

1

The short answer is yes.

So far we have not seen any decisions from the international tribunals setting an upper limit to the duration of a tolerated stay. Some of the rights enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights and its protocols, e.g. the right to family life, education, healthcare etc. could potentially be violated by a very long tolerated stay. But so far we have not seen a decision from an international tribunal where a violation was found, even though the practice of applying extended tolerated stays is widespread in Europe.

2 2

Can I visit Denmark again after two years even though I was deported?

This depends on the way you were deported. If you were forcefully deported or deported following a court decision as a result of a crime, you will receive an expulsion order with a re-entry ban. This means you cannot come back to Denmark until the re-entry ban has expired. Normally, a re-entry ban is 2-6 years. For expulsions as a result of serious crimes, reentry into Denmark can be permanently denied. If you cooperated with the authorities about the deportation, you would not be issued with a re-entry ban. Of course, obtaining a visa to Denmark is not easy if you have already applied for asylum here once and been deported.

But there is no legal barrier to visa application, family reunification, green-card etc. if you weren’t issued with a re-entry ban when deported.

PAGE 16 | ISSUE # 96 | WINTER 2015 | NEW TIMES

How long is the normal time to wait for the second interview with Immigration Service? If the second interview does not happen within the normal time, what shall I do to make it come?

3

4

3

4

In the second half of 2015 the number of asylum seekers in Denmark has risen compared to 2014.

The Immigration Service has increased their capacity but all case processing has been prolonged as a result of the increased number of asylum seekers. As such, there is no ‘normal’ processing time in the sense ‘maximum processing time’. The Immigration Service has tried to keep an average of 6 moths processing time. This is not possible at the moment.

So in short - everybody have to remain patient. There is nothing you can do to speed things up.

Why are we not allowed to speak English at the interviews? I was afraid that the interpreter would leave out some important parts of my case and am now afraid of the outcome.

All asylum seekers are asked at the registration by the police about their native language. If you mention that you are most comfortable speaking English, you will be allowed to do so at your interviews. A translator will still be present translating from English to Danish. This way the authorities can eliminate any possibility of misunderstandings as a result of the asylum officer’s language skills.

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