REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.
NEWTIMES MARCH 2013 > ISSUE # 85
THE VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTARY WORK EMPOWERS ASYLUM SEEKERS PAGE 5 DUMPSTER DIVING IN DENMARK PAGE 12 REFUGEE SINCE CHILDHOOD PAGE 4 YOUR HELP IS NEEDED PAGE 9
WHO ARE THESE ASYLUM SEEKERS? Asylum seekers are often in the news. Hardly a day passes by without a story about this minority. Because of this, one might assume that the average Dane has a good feel for who the refugees are. Unfortunately the stories in the media are often rather bad. The focus is on the negative sides of this minority - those exploiting the system one way or another, the criminal or suicide rate or the growing costs of the asylum system. The depressing facts are well documented in newspapers and television and it is impor-
tant to do it. We cover these things as well. The crime rate, for instance, is really depressingly high among asylum seekers and something needs to be done about it. Same thing with the suicide rate. Why is it happening? How do we change the high rate? But seen from the perspective of this editorial room it is another depressing fact that the other sides of the story are rarely told. What about the stories about a refugee from the vast majority that have not been in the hands of the police? Or the story of the refugee with
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the potential and dream of playing football at a European level? Or the story of the refugee who started a Friday café for elderly Danish people in a nursing home? Stories like these rarely get through the media filter, because - as it is with all other stories in the media world - a good story is a bad story. In the case of the refugees waiting for the judgement of their call for protection in Denmark - and anywhere - there are few powerful spokespersons to balance this news stream. And that makes it easy for
the average Dane to assume that most refugees in Denmark are criminals, suicidal and - in top of that - expensive. That is a shame; refugees are so much more than that. Most of them are like you and me. Decent people with hopes and dreams for a life in peace and with great stories to tell.
Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany Editor
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REFUGEES. REPORT. LIFE.
NEWTIMES Published by: The Danish Red Cross Editorial Office: New Times The Red Cross School Rosenørnsallé 31, 4th floor 1970 Frederiksberg Email: newtimesdk@gmail.com www.newtimes.dk Tel. +45 23 34 58 87 Editor: Robin Ali Ahrenkiel El-Tanany Editor in chief: Pernille Helena Rasmussen
New Times photographer: Tania Volunteers: Patricia Brander, Kathryn Krinsman, Matthew Walthius Layout: Jens Burau, supergreen.dk
PAGE 2 | ISSUE # 85 | MARCH 2013 | NEW TIMES
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FACTS
ASYLUM SEEKERS SCEPTICAL TOWARDS CASH OFFER
❚ The offer is for asylum seekers who have had their asylum claim rejected or those who have withdrawn their application. ❚ The asylum seeker must have entered Denmark before 18 December 2012 and should have been registered as an asylum seeker before 1 July 2013. ❚ The applicant must also participate in organizing his/her departure with the Danish government along with the IOM (International Organization for Migration) and the Danish police, if necessary.
The authorities have launched a new cash offer scheme to help rejected asylum seekers return to their home countries. Our reporters went to an information meeting about the new scheme and found the asylum seekers’ reactions to be mostly sceptical ❚ By: Robert & Grace During the first months of the year the Danish Immigration Service visited the country’s asylum centers to inform about a new financial support scheme for rejected asylum seekers. Rejected asylum seekers who agree to return home and who meet certain criteria can receive up to 20.000 kroner per adult and 10.000 kroner per child and also receive financial support for starting business in
the country of origin.
ASYLUM SEEKERS SCEPTICAL
The room in centre Kongelunden was packed with asylum seekers when the Immigration Service visited the centre February 13th. During the meeting most asylum seekers argued that they came to Denmark for protection, and that no amount of money could persuade them to go back to their home country. Some asylum seekers were interested in the scheme, but
❚ You cannot qualify for the scheme if you are subject to expulsion or if you have a criminal offence.
lost hope when they were told that the money would first be handed over to them when they arrived in their home countries. “How can I trust the authorities in my home country not to pocket the money themselves?” one of the asylum seekers asked. Many asylum seekers are still unaware of this financial scheme, but it is hard to see that it will be a big success, as it seems clear that many people are not willing to trade their safety for money.
HOW MUCH? ❚ The amount paid is up to DKK 20,000 per adult and DKK 10,000 per child. The money will be paid by the IOM upon your arrival in your home country. ❚ It is also possible to be granted assistance of up to DKK 10,000 per adult for purchase of business equipment. ❚ All travel expenses back to your home country will be paid in full. ❚ Find out more: www.nyidanmark. dk (in Danish) ❚ https://www.nyidanmark.dk/ da-dk/Nyheder/Nyheder/ Udlaendingeservice/2012/ December/ny_stoetteordning_ asylansoegeres_frivillige_hjemrejse.htm
DID THEY GET THE MONEY? Chalakkarem Hassan from Iraq took part in a similar cash offer scheme offered to asylum seekers in 2007. We made an email interview with him to hear his experience. ❚ By Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany & Patricia Brander Did you get the money when you arrived in Iraq? I got the money that the government promised me with thanks. Have you heard about any of your friends who did not receive the money? No. None of my friends had problem with IOM (International Organization for Migration) about the money. How did you spend the money? I stayed six months without finding work so I ended up spending all what I got and more than that amount.
What do you do now? I work in an electric board manufacturer. A job I got because of my experience (not from Denmark) but from earlier experience and study. I work 12 hours per day because I am very late in my life, and I want to have enough money to help my family. If the situation changes for the worse I want to be able to do something. Is it safe for you in Iraq? I am living now in Sulaimaniya, a city in the north east of Iraq. This city is relatively safe like Erbil and Dohuk but the situation in the rest of Iraq is very bad.
FACTS ❚ The last repatriation cash offer scheme in Denmark was running from 2007-2009. This scheme was - unlike the present one - only offered to Iraqis. ❚ At that time there were an estimated 500 rejected Iraqi asylum seekers. Out of them about 30 joined the cash offer scheme and returned home. ❚ Like now, it was the International Organization for Migration that was responsible for handling the money.
NEW TIMES | MARCH 2013 | ISSUE # 85 | PAGE 3
REFUGEE SINCE CHILDHOOD 26-years-old Noor Nabi from Myanmar belongs to one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. He has been running most of his life. Now he is seeking protection in Denmark. ❚ By Sonny Noor’s tragedy started when he was 13 years old. Soldiers from the Myanmar Government Border Security Force (NASAKA) brutally killed his father who was a member of the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) which is an armed group fighting for the freedom of Rohingyas in Myanmar. The soldiers didn’t give the body back and Noor’s family could not find it, so they were not able to bury his father. Noor’s mother was pregnant at that time and was in shock. She stopped talking and eating for two days. Two days after the murder the soldiers came back to their home and threatened Noor and his mother. They told them to leave. Noor’s mother tried to
protest but she then got stabbed in front of Noor’s eyes. “She died in terrible pain”, Noor recalls. Noor managed to flee from the scene and hid in the house of a neighbour. The soldiers were looking for him. The next day some of the neighbours in the village gave him enough money so he could flee to nearby Bangladesh. He went to the border by foot and swam across the river that divides the two countries.
BANGLADESH
Noor did not know anyone in Bangladesh, so he lived on the street and survived by working in a street food shop. After a year he managed to get a job as an odd job man in a house. “At that time I had no fear of death by the soldiers, but I was
still a refugee in Bangladesh with no future, no access to doctors, no possibility of education or anything”, he says. After struggling for several years he managed to save enough money to flee from Bangladesh.
HOPE FOR PROTECTION
He now hopes for protection in Denmark, and dreams of getting a chance to do something with his life apart from fleeing. He would like to become a shopkeeper. But it is hard for him to imagine his status in life changing from being a refugee. “When I was in Burma (Myanmar) my mother told me that we are Burmese like all the others, but still the Rohingya people are treated as criminals in their own country. When I went to Bangladesh, I was a
refugee and I am still seeking refuge in Denmark. I hope that one day I will get my identity back.”
WAITING TIME
Noor passes his waiting time in Denmark with reading something everyday. He has always been very keen on reading and whenever he gets time he reads books, whether they are academic, poetry, fiction or whatever. The internet in the asylum centre gives him an opportunity to read books online, and he is now attending a Danish language class in a Red Cross school.
Photo:Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany FACTS: The Rohingya are a tribe living in Myanmar, but not recognised by the state. According to the UN, the Rohingya people are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. As of 2012, 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar, 300,000 live in Bangladesh
Rejected: Since writing of this article Noor Nabi has been rejected asylum in Denmark. He is now trying to have his case reopened.
PAGE 4 | ISSUE # 85 | MARCH 2013 | NEW TIMES
THE VOLUNTEERS Quite a few asylum seekers in Denmark spend several hours a week doing voluntary work. They work in cafĂŠs, help translate for other asylum seekers, do research for NGOs or contribute to society in other ways. And helping like this is a surprisingly good idea according to various studies. Meet three of these volunteers on the following pages.
NEW TIMES | MARCH 2013 | ISSUE # 85 | PAGE 5
VOLUNTEERING FOR CHANGE AT AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL The human rights activist Nakiganda Hasifah from Uganda is an asylum seeker who wants to make a difference in the world. She has just started as a volunteer at Amnesty International, Denmark. ❚ By Sonny 23-years-old Nakiganda Hasifah comes from Uganda. And she is a lesbian. This is very dangerous in Uganda, where same-sex relationships are punishable by prison of up to 14 years, and where Parliament (at the time of writing) are discussing introducing the death penalty for homosexuals. As a human rights activist advocating equal rights for lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender people (LGBT) in Uganda she met fierce opposition in her community. She was jailed twice and had to flee to save her life. Now she is in Denmark as an asylum seeker, but she is not sitting in her room in her centre like other women might tend to do. She has found a way to raise her voice for her peoples’ rights at Amnesty International in Copenhagen.
DREAM WILL COME TRUE
“I feel very happy and proud of being a part of Amnesty,” she says. “And it is not only because I can now keep fighting for the rights of LGBT people, but also, because it’s not everyone who can manage to penetrate the European system of jobs. I feel my chances for getting a job are booming every day over here, and I believe my dream will come true, because my dream is to make a difference all over the world and not only in Uganda”, she says. She is delighted to do volunteer work at Amnesty Inter-
national because she feels respected in the organisation.
RESPECTFUL ATMOSPHERE
“I know homosexuality is illegal in some countries in Africa and even in Europe there is discrimination. If I can contribute to change the atmosphere into a more respectful atmosphere, as I am experiencing here at the office at Amnesty, then I have made a huge difference. Already the Amnesty International has given me an important task so I feel empowered and that I can be useful to others”, she explains.
CREDIBILITY
Nakiganda Hasifah’s boss, the project manager on Discrimination, Helle Jacobsen, sees Nakiganda as a good player to have on the team. “It is a great pleasure to work with Nakiganda, because she is a human rights defender who has experienced human rights violations herself. It is really important for Amnesty’s work and credibility that we work together with people on the ground like her”, Helle Jacobsen says.
FACTS: Nakiganda Hasifah’s volunteer job at the Amnesty International is to work on LGBT issues and prides mostly in Europe under the umbrella of Amnesty’s campaigns. She will in particular be involved in Amnesty’s work on the Copenhagen Pride (a march for equality, freedom of speech and assembly for LGBT people) and a workshop at Amnesty’s annual general meeting focusing on discrimination in Africa and Europe.
Photo: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany
PAGE 6 | ISSUE # 85 | MARCH 2013 | NEW TIMES
“I FEEL THAT I AM DOING SOMETHING GOOD”
55-year-old Agha Mobeen works as a volunteer for a multicultural organization in Copenhagen. ❚ By: Matthew Walthius What kind of volunteer work do you do? I work with CPH Volunteers. It is a multicultural organization which orchestrates volunteer work to make city events happen in Copenhagen. Can you describe a normal day with them? Every time we do a different job, depending on what they need. They often organize the work via email. Most recently I handed out flyers to people on a walking street for fashion week. Many people were very
responsive and talked with me about it. It is convenient work because it is often on weekdays after 5pm so if I have things to do during the day, I am usually done in time for the volunteer work. How big is the organization? It is around 5,000 volunteers and increasing. It is great to work for this organization because there are many people from Denmark and many people from around the world involved. It is great to meet and talk with people from everywhere. We had a Multicultural Dinner Party for volunteers recently and many cooked food from their home countries. Why do you volunteer? Why do you work with this organization? I like to keep myself busy with positive activities. Even if I have nothing to do, I like to fill my time doing something. I much prefer if these activities
can be positive for myself, other people, and society. I was searching online for positive activities and I found CPH Volunteers. I want to contribute to the society as I can. Because I am an asylum seeker and not a normal citizen, for instance, I am not allowed to earn any money, it sometimes can be hard. I try to do what I can and make my presence known. I am Pakistani and unfortunately because of a few people, Pakistan has a bad reputation. I want to show that most Pakistanis are good, nice people. Doing volunteer work and contributing to society makes me feel very satisfied. I feel that I am doing something good for people. I think it is good for people to do things that are selfless. Would you recommend other refugees to volunteer or work with CPH Volunteers? Yes! It keeps you busy and
you can know that you have passed your time in a good way. If you are interested in finding more out about CPH Volunteers, go to www.cphvolunteers. dk (This story is written by one of New Times’ volunteers, Matthew Walthius, 20, from America. He is in Denmark on an exchange programme, studying Sociology at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad)
FACTS: Cph Volunteers assist in preparing Copenhagen for big international events and thereby boost Copenhagen as a vibrant and exciting city. The organisation does not support events of entirely commercial nature, nor do they support campaigns with exclusively political or humanitarian purposes. Volunteers at Cph Volunteers meet a lot of nice and interesting people and also gain many useful qualifications, for instance, managing stressful and busy situations, gaining experience with public relations and service and improving communication and language skills.
Photo: Yolanda
NEW TIMES | MARCH 2013 | ISSUE # 85 | PAGE 7
“IT DOES NO GOOD TO JUST SIT AND CRY” 33-year-old Sara is helping people almost every day through her voluntary work. A great side effect is that she also gets much more out of her room and away from the bad thoughts. ❚ By: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany “It is better for me to help other people than to sit in my room all day. That only makes me think bad thoughts. And it does no good to just sit and cry”, says Sara, a 33-year-old asylum seeker from Turkey who resides in Centre Sandholm. Sara spends more than eleven hours each week doing voluntary work at different places. One of the things that she does is to help other asylum seekers with translation.
Danish, so it is possible for me to help people when they need help to understand letters from the Danish authorities or if they need a translator to go with them to the doctor, the police or visits to the Danish Refugee Council”, she explains.
GOING WITH PEOPLE
“I know many languages, also
She also works as a volunteer in two different cafés: Café Mix in Sandholm, and another Café (Bygning 81) in Sandholm. And she works in the culture house, “Trampolinhuset” as a translator and also helps out in the kitchen and talks with
people about their problems. The motivation for her to work as a volunteer comes from her own gratitude towards people who have helped her when she was in need.
GIVING BACK
“I have had a hard life. At some times I have been in desperate need for help, and at these times I have received help from people. Especially here in Denmark people have gone to extraordinary lengths to help me. They have protected and visited me. And even bought me small presents. I am extremely grateful to the people who helped me through this tough time. They gave me some time with peace of mind so I was able to see a future. By doing voluntary work I just try to give something back”, she explains.
BENEFITS
By doing voluntary work Sara also benefits. She enjoys being in contact with many different people - and her voluntary work is providing her with a lot of opportunities to do just that. “Now I know so many people. When I walk outside in the centre or in the city, many greet me and say ‘Hi Sara’. That is an amazing feeling”, she smiles.
FACTS: Where does she translate? Sara helps people in many different situations. She goes with them if they need to talk to people in the Red Cross Office, in the Job Center in Centre Sandholm, at the Immigration Service, at the police, in the kindergarten, at the doctor, at the dentist, at the optician or at the hospital when they need blood samples taken in Hillerød Hospital.
FACTS Not only a translator ❚ Many people from other asylum centers call Sara to ask for advice about their asylum case. ❚ In January Sara was voted onto the resident board in Sandholm with 29% of the votes.
Photo: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany
PAGE 8 | ISSUE # 85 | MARCH 2013 | NEW TIMES
VOLUNTEERING FOR SOCIAL INCLUSION
A project funded by the European Union and run by the Danish and British Red Cross seeks to explore the importance of voluntary work in the lives of young asylum seekers. ❚❚By: Yolanda and Nakiganda “Volunteer work provides an excellent platform for social inclusion”, explains advisor Mette Schmidt from the Danish Red Cross, one of the main architects behind the project, “Volunteering for Social Inclusion”. The project seeks to explore the importance of voluntary work in the lives of young, unaccompanied asylum seekers (17-25 years old), and young refugees who recently have been granted asylum in Denmark.
MORE VULNERABLE
The reason for focusing on this limited group does not mean that the findings of the pro-
ject cannot be applied to older asylum seekers, it can. The reason is that the young asylum seekers are more vulnerable to social isolation than other asylum seekers. “The unaccompanied minors know no one in Denmark, often not even when they are given residence, so they find it difficult to live in their kommune. They don’t have social networks and they’re isolated. But if they join volunteer networks it will be easier for them to be included in the community,” Mette Schmidt says.
DON’T WAIT
Asylum seekers should not wait for their responses from
the Immigration Service before starting to participate in voluntary work. “Integration starts at day one, and their early experiences as asylum seekers have a major impact on their ability to integrate as refugees and later as citizens”, Mette Schmidt says. Doing voluntary work is an extraordinary way of meeting people.
The project is running through the year 2013 and the results from the findings in both Denmark and Britain will be published at the end of year. Read more about the project at www.newtimes.dk. Search for “VSI”.
COMMON GOAL
“Activities revolving around the achievement of a common goal as opposed to social patronclient activities provide for greater reciprocity and equality between the parties involved”, adds the advisor, Mette Schmidt.
REPORT: VOLUNTEERING EMPOWERS ASYLUM SEEKERS ❚❚By: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany A substantial report that summarises the learnings from both Hungary, France and England in the years from 2004 to 2007 concludes, among many other things, that asylum seekers are empowered through their voluntary jobs. The report shows that asylum seekers are empowered because voluntary work:
❚❚ builds confidence ❚❚ gives people access to information and networks ❚❚ helps build new skills and strengthens existing ones ❚❚ strengthens language and communication skills ❚❚ provides insight into the host country’s culture and society ❚❚ gives people experience of organisations and work cultures ❚❚ can enable people to build
their own community organisations ❚❚ can help them find practical solutions to other difficulties they face ❚❚ can provide structure and purpose ❚❚ can help build overcome isolation, and enable asylum seekers and members of the host community to work side by side and learn from each other, enhancing social cohesion
(From the report: ‘Asylum seekers and volunteering in Europe, Islington Training Network/EASI DP’).
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED All over Denmark people will be very grateful for an extra pair of hands. But it can be difficult finding where your help is needed if you do not know where to look. Here are a few tips on how to find your next voluntary job. 1. If you are an asylum seeker the best way to start is to contact the asylum centre’s volunteer coordinator. They know about all the different
kind of places where you can go and make a difference with organisations such as Red Cross, Danish Refugee Council, Roskilde Festival and many more. 2. Contact the local volunteer centre (Frivilligcenter) and ask them for help finding a place that needs you. (You can find a map with the centers here: http://www.frise. dk/frivilligcentre/find-ditfrivilligcenter
3. Contact the culture house, Trampolinhuset in Copenhagen. Telephone: 32 20 02 25 Email: info@trampolinehouse.dk. They have a long list of interesting activities you can help out with.
NEW TIMES | MARCH 2013 | ISSUE # 85 | PAGE 9
VOX POP by Rohit & Rana TEAM N EW TIM ES WE NT OUT ONTO TH E STR E ETS OF COPE N HAG E N AN D ASKE D PASSE RS BY:
job as a volunteer? 1. Have you ever done a 2. What have you done? rk as a volunteer? 3. Why do you like to wo
volunteer work ten agen. 1) Yes, I have done organisation as an ion Andrew Glew, 39, Copenh vat ser con nt me an environ years ago. 2) I worked in anisation and regional people. 3) I like to work et people from different interpreter between the org like to help people and me I e aus bec eer unt vol a as cultural backgrounds.
volunteer work 11 agan. 1) Yes, I have done ration DagsvĂŚrk Ope Niels Pugholm, 29, Copenh as an organisation called years ago. 2) I worked in from Eastern Europe who were homeless due to ple peo for d rke wo eer because it gives where I to do something as a volunt some reason. 3) I just likesense of satisfaction. me my true identity and
PAGE 10 | ISSUE # 85 | MARCH 2013 | NEW TIMES
eer work for a long . 1) Yes, I have done volunt Jane, 54, Store Heddingea guide in an organization that helps physically time. 2) I have worked as people here in Denmark. I am the mother of a and mentally handicapped I really understand the meaning of genuine help e very handicapped son andI just like the idea of working as volunteer, becaus for this kind of person. 3)ed in it, and we work just with our own will and there is no money involv y need help. help people who  genuinel
work almost four Yes, I have done volunteer coach for more than 1) n. aga enh Cop , 28 , rt spo Torben d iversity. 2) I worked as a years ago at Roskilde Un rk as a volunteer because I can help people in nee wo to like a year. 3) I just olved in it. and there is no money inv
A WOMAN WITH COURAGE Confidence, courage and surprises surrounds Zahra Soleimani. Meet an asylum seeker from Iran who stands out
Photo: Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany
❚ By: Joel “My name is Zahra Soleimani, can I write it for you?” She casually pulls over my notebook and scribbles her name. I can tell it’s going to be an interesting conversation. I first met Zahra in the advanced English language class at the Red Cross school at Forum in Copenhagen; a class of asylum seekers from over seven different countries. It was her first day of school but she introduced herself with sheer confidence and a big smile. After class she said she was heading over to the Trampoline house, but none of us actually knew where it was, or what it was.
BITING COLD
We braved the 16:00 darkness, biting cold and rush hour bicycles for about twenty minutes. We thankfully found the Trampoline house without any GPS directions, and it had nothing to do with a real trampoline. Zahra later reminded me that she was our GPS. We walked into the cozy, dimly-lit space that feels like most cafes I have been to in Copenhagen. Quiet, with voices mostly reduced to whispers from the few people sitting on sofas in various corners of the room. We chose a small table in the middle of the room. The whispers seemed even more distant. At this moment it felt like we
were being watched. I stopped caring when I noticed that Zahra didn’t seem to care. She is excited to talk and I am keen to make the interview.
LIFE IN IRAN
Unlike her mother, who has six siblings, 28-year-old Zahra was born and raised in Tehran, the capital city of Iran, as the only child in the family. “My father decided that if he had a boy it would be Amir, and if he had a girl it would be Zahra,” she says with a bright smile. Being a single child in the family, she fought loneliness by getting a squirrel. Yes, she owned a squirrel! “He was my boy, my son,” she tells me. Loneliness finally set in again one day when she came home and found her boy gone. “I lost my boy,” she says sadly, but then she laughs at the look on my face; I have been mesmerized from the moment she said she owned a squirrel.
TWO CHARACTERS
“I believe I have two characters,” she says in the midst of laughter. “For instance I loved onions in my food when I was younger, not anymore.” She believes that her multiple characters have enabled her do so many different things despite her young age. For instance she played the piano from the age of nine. She studied graphic design at the Allameh Ghotbe Ravardi Col-
lege in Tehran where she did both watercolor and oil painting from the age of sixteen until she was twenty four.
DIFFERENT THINGS
“I have loved doing different things in my life and have always gotten to a point where I have to pick up something entirely new. I would do something for a while and then say now what? Now it is getting boring and time to move on,” she says. On top of her arsenal of talents, she did a couple of jobs back in Iran ranging from restaurant jobs, teaching roller skating, teaching Maths to managing a sports centre. The job she loved the most though was working as a tour guide in Turkey. She went to all the places that tourists paid a lot to go to and it was fulfilling every day.
DENMARK
“When I was a kid I knew nothing about Denmark except for a candy we had in Iran called ‘Denmarky.’ I thought Denmark was a big cookie and that people lived on it,” she says. She came to Denmark for the first time to teach children Persian. Denmark was a shock to her in a number of ways. For instance, having to ride a bicycle in bike lanes and learning all the signs that riders used. She once ran into a rider who indicated the stop sign but she didn’t know what it had meant.
She fell off the bike and injured her hand, leaving marks in her palm. “There is a difference between the way bicycles are used in Iran and Denmark. In Denmark bicycles are used for going to work, shopping and literally everything, while in Iran cycling is more of a hobby,” Zahra says. She lived in Denmark, teaching for a while until the time she decided to travel to Iran to visit her parents and it was then that things fell apart.
ASYLUM SYSTEM
She had converted to Christianity when she lived in Denmark and attended the Protestant church. When she returned to Iran on a family visit, this didn’t go down well with her immediate society. This led to a couple of problems that forced her to flee back to Denmark, but now as an asylum seeker. “I didn’t choose this. I didn’t choose this life of an asylum seeker. This is like a dream,” Zahra says in a low but firm and energetic tone. She always looks very confident and I can’t deny feeling an incredible energy and courage that she radiates. Time spent as an asylum seeker can be a very challenging for anyone who is used to thinking and making decisions about their own daily life.
bility to study how to be a chef. “I have done many things in my life, I want to do something very practical now. Something with my hands,” she says. She currently lives at the Red Cross centre in Vipperød. She has a roommate who is seldom in the room, which she likes because it gives her the possibility to be messy. She says, “Sometimes I just love to be messy.” Zahra is taking advanced English lessons while she waits for a verdict on her asylum case. She is also currently in search of a place where she can study or train to be a chef.
You can read this story in Farsi on our website. Translated by our intern, Leila Farajpour. Scan this QR code with your smartphone and you will be directed to the website. Otherwise visit our website www.newtimes. dk and search for the story under “articles”.
FUTURE
Zahra would like to become a chef. She is looking for a possi-
NEW TIMES | MARCH 2013 | ISSUE # 85 | PAGE 11
DUMPSTER DIVING IN DENMARK In a cross cultural project a group of American students and New Times journalists have ventured into some corners of Denmark that are rarely visited. Here you can read about the experience of the group that went dumpster diving together with two Danes ❚ By: Chloe Anderson, Sameer Ahmad, Colleen Mahaffie and Sara Matasick
FACTS It’s legal Dumpster diving in Denmark is legal as long as certain rules are followed. For example, the container must not be locked or else opening the dumpster would be trespassing. Dumpster diving occurs in many cities around the world, but it is not legal everywhere.
“Now we have to be quiet so we don’t disturb people or alert them we’re here” Nina said as we neared a large blue dumpster sitting under a street lamp in a deserted parking lot. It was a cold Wednesday night and we were going dumpster diving for the first time. Our new Danish friends, Inger and Nina were taking us on our first expedition. Both these women teach biology during the day and dumpster dive by night. They aim to save money and the environment by taking edible food thrown away by grocery stores.
Inger and Nina checking for locks on the dumpster. One of the doors to the dumpster was locked, but the side door was not and we began our digging. Had the dumpster been locked we would not have forced entry.
Before we went dumpster diving, some of our friends from the United States thought it was unusual that we would go. We usually think of homeless people dumpster diving, not financially stable teachers. After dumpster diving in Copenhagen, we realized that the types of people that dumpster dive are different all around the world. From an American perspective, we learned a lot about dumpster diving. We all know it takes place in big cities, but it’s generally perceived as something that only homeless or financially poor people participate in. Going dumpster diving with Inger and Nina certainly helped us learn many
different reasons for dumpster diving, such as the benefits it has financially and ecologically. Sameer Ahmad: “From an Afghan citizen prospective, dumpster diving in Denmark or elsewhere is not a bad phenomenon especially at a time when people are facing growing financial and ecological problems in different corners of the world. Certain safety procedures should also be in place to avoid potential health problems that could become costly at some point”.
Inger and Nina make sure to check that each package is sealed before they keep it, because some stores throw chlorine onto food waste to scare away divers and rats. Some shop employees tend to be hostile towards dumpster divers because they would rather sell their food than have it collected.
Nina checks a package of mozzarella for the expiration date. She claims people are “too controlled by expiration dates”, and is more lenient with the deadlines in her own life. Even if a package is “expired” by a couple of days, Nina and Inger can judge for themselves whether the food is still edible. They use their senses instead of dates to determine if the food is fresh enough.
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THE PROJECT This article and photo story is one of the stories from the project “Denmark seen with foreign eyes” which is joint project between Danish Institute for Study Abroad and New Times. The other articles describe visits to Christiania, cooperative living in Albertslund, fastelavn (Danish carnival) in Ungdomshuset (the Youth House), the Red Light District in Copenhagen, the peace guard in front of the Parliament and a hunt for the Danish phenomenon, Hygge. See the other stories on our website www.newtimes.dk.
Inger points to a sign on the dumpster stating that the contents are “combustible waste”, meaning the contents could be burned and then put into a landfill. By practicing what they call “food rescue”, Inger and Nina hope to reduce landfills and subsequently save forest areas. Although their individual impact may be minimal, the message is clear: less waste would have a trickle-down effect that could save the environment on many levels.
Inger and Nina take mainly vegetables or fruits since they are vegetarians. They also have fairly regular spots they go to, but would prefer not to disclose them. During our experience, they retrieved lots of mushrooms, broccoli, carrots and some lettuce. This night was a “good night” of diving for Inger and Nina. Other people who dumpster dive may collect meat as well, but they have to be extra careful with packaging and freshness. Because Dumpster Diving is done in a public setting, it is highly possible that more than one person will be in the same location. When conducting our interview we found that there are a few unwritten rules of this process, the main one being noise levels. It is polite to keep quiet and not disturb the people living in the neighborhood around the container. It is also important to take only what you need so you do not waste the food, and to clean up after yourself.
Along with the etiquette behind the act of dumpster diving, everyone must understand that others do it for similar reasons. It is important that divers share the food so there is enough to go around. The point is to reuse the resources, so taking more than you can actually use would be a waste. After we were finished looking for food, Inger and Nina split it up evenly so they both had some to take home. This way, everybody leaves happy.
Food items that have been collected by dumpster divers—ready to be cooked.
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SING AND DANCE IN COPENHAGEN ❚❚By Robin Ahrenkiel El-Tanany A music workshop is starting up at the Red Cross School in Copenhagen. The workshop is welcoming all the school’s asylum seekers with an interest in music. “You don’t have to be a good singer to join the workshop. You just need the interest in being together with other people and having fun”, Cæcilie Keller, the facilitator of the workshop explains. The music will be of Danish, English and - quite often - South African origin. Cæcilie Keller has a big interest in South African music and will share that interest with the participants of the workshop.
SOUTH AFRICA
Some of the participants from the first music workshop by Cæcilie Keller
Cæcilie Keller is singing in the Danish choir, Baobab Singers, that sings South African songs and one of the biggest moments in her life was when she was invited to sing with the group at the famous Desmond Tuto’s 80th birthday in South Africa.
“I love to teach South African songs, because they are very melodic and have easily recognizable patterns. But I also hope that new participants will introduce me and the rest of the group to songs from other cultures during the workshop. I have already learned songs from Afghanistan and Russia, so I look forward to learn more”, she says.
FACTS When Wednesdays 10.30-11.30 and 12.30-15.00 (first Wednesday is 27th February) Where Red Cross School near Forum, Copenhagen. Rosenørns Alle 31. 3rd floor. Follow the signs. Who Every student at the school with an interest in music. No other qualifications needed. Price Free
FROM SANDHOLM TO OWN APARTMENT After four years of life in Sandholm, everything looks and smells different for Lume Ulliri.
❚❚By: Yolanda “I feel as if I died and now live again” said Lume. Lume Ulliri, 42, and her twelve-year-old son Dori and eight-year-old daughter Ida, came from Albania and have lived in Sandholm Centre in Denmark for four years. For the last several months they have been living in an apartment in Birkerød - a town north of Copenhagen. Their apartment is on the ground floor of a duplex called Villa “Chicago,” with another family of asylum seekers living above them, on the first floor. Lume with her two children Dori and Ida in their new home. (Photo: Yolanda) “Many things changed in just one day. For years I lived in Sandholm and I was very excited the day that we moved here. As we entered the apartment, I felt as if I was entering a new life.”
town of Blovstrød, where they have gone for three years. They go by bus, a few stations. I continue with my praktikum (internship) and learn Danish in Sandholm.” “What is also important,”
THE SCHOOL AND PRACTICE
While it is a new life, some things remain the same. “The children still go to Danish school in the nearby
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Lume says, “is that the children have their own room and can invite their friends over as they have been invited. Now, my children are less shy and don’t feel different.”
THE SMALL THINGS THAT MEAN SO MUCH
Lume’s family can now eat their breakfast on a real dining room table, a breakfast which Lume made in a real kitchen. Dori and Ida can learn their school lessons in their room and nobody will disturb them by screaming, knocking on the door, or entering the room without invitation. There is no more fear that anyone, especially the children, will get caught up in the fighting, and that every scream could be the scream of your child. With a smile on her face, Lume says, “Now, we enjoy the little things, that sometimes mean so much, such as waking up in a real bed and drinking the first morning coffee while looking out the window at the street and garden.”
SHARING DAILY LIFE
You can share a little piece of this life if your friends who live outside the camp invite you to visit them. Lume did this, and shared with me and my daughter those “little” but very valuable things. A smell and taste of ordinary life.
Who can live outside the asylum centers? It is not anyone who can move out from the centers. The possibility is mostly for families with children, who have stayed in Denmark for more than 18 months after being rejected asylum. The 18 months rule will be reduced to 12 months if the proposed asylum law by the government will pass through parliament.
ASK A LAWYER
We sent your questions to the lawyers at the Danish Refugee Council. Here are their replies.
1 1
How many times can I have my case re-opened with new information? When is the final rejection final? Hi, You can always ask for your case to be reopened. But the authorities will only reopen the case if new and important information provides reason to believe that you now meet the criteria for asylum.
2
I entered Denmark with illegal documents and I am seeking asylum. If my parents send me my Afghan passport, can I use it to get a travel visa to United States? And could I be prosecuted here in Denmark for coming with illegal documents?
2
Hi, I don’t know the procedures and criteria for obtaining a travel visa to the United States. You need to contact the American authorities
to learn more about this. Under certain circumstances you could be prosecuted for using false documents. If you are granted asylum according to Udlændingelovens § 7, 1, and if you applied for asylum immediately when you came to Denmark and if you came directly from a country where you were in danger you will not be prosecuted. In other situations it will depend on the specific circumstances.
3
I am a 22 year old South African, pregnant by a Danish guy but we broke up and now I am thinking of coming to Denmark since my family is forcing me to get married with a 60 year old man with five wives already. They want to get cows in exchange of me in a way. Now I don’t have a place to stay. I sometimes sleep in a shelter or under the bridge with some friends, but a Danish woman told me she is going to
help me to come to Denmark. My question is; can I seek asylum in Denmark or will I be deported back home after I have given birth to the baby? Your advice will be highly appreciated
3
Hi, If you are in Denmark you can apply for asylum. If the Danish authorities find that you are in risk of either persecution, torture or inhuman or degrading treatment in South Africa you will be granted asylum. If asylum is rejected you will be deported if you do not leave voluntarily. I need to inform you that very few persons from South Africa has been granted asylum in Denmark in recent years, and that many asylum seekers are rejected because the Danish authorities believe that they can get the protection they need in the country of origin.
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WRITE TO:
YOU CAN ALSO CONTACT:
New Times, Red Cross House Rosenørnsallé 31, 4th floor 1970 Frederiksberg
Dansk Flygtningehjælp Legal Counseling Unit Asylum Department Borgergade 10 Postbox 53 1002 København K
or email us at newtimesdk@gmail.com
www.drc.dk Email: advice@drc.dk
Please feel free to ask your questions anonymously.
Free Legal Counseling for asylum seekers every Wednesday from 10:00 - 13:00 You need to present your questions in Danish or English
GET BALANCED WITH YOGA By doing yoga for fifteen days, you can reduce stress and gain new energy. ❚❚By: Rohit The lives of asylum seekers are full of uncertainties, hopelessness, upheavals and stress. Consequntly, asylum seekers become prone to mental stress, depression, insomnia, and anguished behaviour. Our motivation for writing this article is to spread awareness about yoga among asylum seekers. This is because as yoga is a combination of exercises, meditation and a prescribed life style and it can be a key factor in reducing mental stress.
INESTIMABLE WISDOM
The word yoga is the English version of the word ‘yog,’which means ‘balance’ in an ancient Indian lingo, ‘Sanskrit.’ Yoga is an inestimable wisdom developed thousands of years ago by the ‘vedic’ culture in India.Yoga is not merely a set of physical exercises, but is everywhere in our everyday life. It includes physical exercises, meditaion, and a daily lifestyle.
EASE MENTAL STRESS
As we know, ‘a healthy brain exists in a healthy body.’ Since yoga is combination of both physical exercise and meditation it can play major role in keeping our brain intact. Therefore yoga is extremely benefi-
cial to those trying to overcome various mental disorders. Yoga is quite an easy process to adopt in routine life. One can start to practice yoga at any age with easy and comfortable exercises. ‘Suryapranaam’ is one of these spectacular exercises, which is highly recomended by yoga experts. It will help you to start your day full of zeal and excitement, and keep your attention and presence of mind intact throughout the day.
SURYAPRANAAM
‘Suryapraanam’ means ‘morning obedience to the sun.’ It is always recomended in yoga that one should rise as early as possible in the morning, at least before sunrise. To perform ‘suryapraanam,’ one should rise and be refreshed before sunrise. It is highly beneficial to be in a place where you can see the the dawning sun, but if this is not possible, any finely clean and ventilated place where you can
have a glimpse of the morning sunrays is adequate. To perform‘suryapranaam,’ follow these simple steps: 1. Sit on the ground facing towards the dawning sun, with both legs folded and keeping feet over opposite thighs. 2. Keep your spinal cord straight and precisely vertical to the ground. 3. Keep your hands on your knees, palms facing upward. The index finger should be touching the thumb. 4. Look at the emerging fresh, orange coloured sun with absolute thankfulness and gratitude. 5. Close your eyes very slowly, keeping this image of the dawning sun at the centre of the mind. Remove all kinds of thoughts from the mind absolutely, and fill your mind with immense gratefulness for the sun. Take long deep breaths very slowly. Just dedicate yourself to the sun for another fifteen minutes.
THE BALANCE According to yoga, our anatomic body is composed of five fundamental elements: water, earth, fire, air, and space. The balance between these fundamental elements is incredibly accurate and delicate in proportion. The purpose of yoga is to keep this balance maintained. As long as our body is in a state of balance with these five fundamental elements, we are healthy, joyful, and blissful. On the other hand, whenever there is even a little unbalance, we are unhealthy, uneasy, and sad.
highly beneficial, and can reduce mental stress, insomnia, depression,and frustration. ‘Suryapranaam’ is highly recommended by yoga experts and can help you start the day with great excitement, charm, and will keep your mind intact. Anyone can feel the differnce in his or her mental status and general behaviour in just fifteen days by following ‘suryapranaam’ sincerely.
This exercise or process is
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DRAWING COMPETITION! We need a great front page for the sports programme for the Asylum Cup 2013 and so are holding a drawing competition. The Asylum Cup is a multicultural sports event (first time was summer of 2012) for our residents where the different asylum centers compete in football, volleyball, cricket, basket ball and running. The duration of the event is three days and the Asylum Cup 2013 takes place from 5th – 7th of June in Auderød. The theme of the drawing competition is ‘asylum sport’ . The design can be in pencil, pen or paint on paper, or a com-
puter graphic, or a combination of both. The jury, Bo Andersen (Sigerslev) and Lotte Hindsberg (Auderød) will select the three best drawings, which will be rewarded with cool sportsbags. Deadline: The drawing is to be handed in at the office in your own centre no later than 1st May. The jury would like every resident to join and give their personal interpretation of the Asylum Cup 2013.
Photo: Vahid
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