A magazine produced by asylum seekers and immigrants in Denmark > October 2009 > issue # 76
LIFE AT STAKE:
STRUGGLING ALL THE WAY TO DENMARK P3
POINT OF NO RETURN:
AFGHANISTAN AND THE DILEMMA P8
SUPPORT BASE UNDER THREAT:
ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES: A NEW WAVE
P 13
WITH FINGERS CROSSED:
EXPERIENCING THE FINAL INTERVIEW
P 18
New times | OCTOBER 2009 | issue # 76 | page 1
Positive Images is a new European project lead by the British Red Cross in cooperation with Hellenic Red Cross, Austrian Red Cross and Danish Red Cross. The project will provide knowledge on asylum matters in the migration debate and aims to promote positive attitudes among young people towards asylum seekers and refugees. Furthermore, it seeks to inspire young people to take action on migration issues themselves.
poSitive imageS
Why Denmark?
why inDeeD? This year’s UNDP Human Development Report* focuses on migration. New Times takes up the theme and asks, Why Denmark? We look into the facts and myths about why people come (willingly and unwillingly) to Denmark. You can read about what Danes, asylum seekers and immigrants say about the attractions of Denmark for immigrants. The UNDP report states that migration is not an easy process. Conflicts, natural catastrophes and poverty force people to
waNteD: RepReseNtatiVes! Every year, unaccompanied children and young people come to Denmark to seek asylum. They must be assigned a representative whose task is to support the child during the asylum proceedings and with other personal matters. The representative is a guarantor for the child’s welfare and rights. If you are interested and want to know more, please contact the department’s asylum project for the volunteers, Anne Sander on tel 3070 0026 or email asa@redcross.dk
migrate. New Times looks into the consequences of catastrophes caused by climate change and argues the case for rights to be given to environmental refugees. Many asylum seekers struggle to get to Scandinavia. The UNDP report again: some migrants fall into the hands of people smugglers, which often has terrible consequences. In relation to this, you can read an account of how one asylum seeker was smuggled from Somalia to Denmark. Once in Denmark, asylum seekers have to live in asylum centres while going through the asylum process. New Times looks at the cultural clashes and challenges that this entails and into the violence that often ensues and the reasons for it. In recent months there has been a large influx of young people into Denmark. We look at the situation for young women living in the centres and if you want to know what life is like for young men in the centres, then you can join our New Times photojournalist who followed the daily life of one of them. Enjoy! Team New Times * United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report published 7th October 2009
Editor-in-Chief: Karen-Inger Thorsen Published by: The Danish Red Cross Asylum Department Editorial Office: Danish Red Cross Asylum Department H. C. Ørstedsvej 47 DK-1879 Frederiksberg C Denmark Email: newtimesdk@gmail.com www.newtimes.dk Tel: +45 2334 5887 New Times Coordinator: Patricia Brander DIS-Coordinators: Karim Jabbar and Gladis Herst Editor: Ole Jeppesen
New Times journalist: Anosh, Borys, David, Elisabeth, Fouad, Jan, Jimmy, John, Kaosar, Katz, Legend, Mad, Nabila, Omar, Otman, H. Shirzai, Soul, Wafic, Zenzo, Ziad On job training: Hashan Usgalhewa Trainee: Sarah Madsen Volunteers: Anne Katrine Petersen, Natasa Pokupcic The following students from DIS contributed to writing this edition of New Times: Kayle Thomas Anderson, Katharine Rita Conway, Elizabeth Helen Eckard, Kelly Elizabeth Eisele, Benjamin Edward Goldberg, Holly Louise Gooden, Sarah Macgillivray Gregory, Elizabeth
page 2 | issue # 76 | OCtOBeR 2009 | New times
– raiSing awareneSS in SchoolS
Photo: Mikkel Østergaard
The project will connect with schools all over Europe through educational activities and the participating Red Cross societies will promote experiences and best practices through exchange visits and information sharing. The programme´s activities will include awareness raising sessions in workshops at schools and other educational insitutions. The workshops will be held by groups of asylum seekers and Danish volunteers and will also promote action projects initiated to explore
migration issues related to asylum- and refugee matters. Workshop materials will be developed for the project and will be available online. In Denmark, the activities will start in early spring 2010 and include workshops in five schools in and around Copenhagen. Preparations for the workshops will start in November and December 2009 and schools and volunteers interested in the project are encouraged to participate in developing the project.
Hollingsworth Heller, Jordan Clare Johansen, Asher Harry Kelly-Nacht, Kyle Robert Kissick, Rayan Mackey, Connor Joseph Maloney, Julia Kim Manna, Nicholas John Murro, Anne Elizabeth Nordmeyer, Leslye Penticoff, Lisa Ann Preti, Milan Joseph Sova
If you would like to subscribe to New Times and receive copies by post, please send an email to newtimesdk@gmail.com. There is no charge, subscriptions are free.
Translation and editing: Patricia Brander, Ole Jeppesen, Natasa Pokupcic, Sarah Madsen, Anne Katrine Petersen Layout: Jens Burau, supergreen.dk Printed by: OTMAvistryk Distributed free of charge to: Danish Asylum Centres, Ministries, members of the Danish Parliament, public libraries, asylum and human rights organisations, NGOs, media and individuals in Denmark and abroad. Subscription:
ASIG: ASIG (Asylum Seekers’ Information Group) exists to answer questions about asylum and asylum life. Individuals, teachers, students, journalists – anyone who is interested in asylum matters is welcome to send an enquiry. To book the group for lectures, presentations and discussions on asylum life to take place at your school or place of work. Contact newtimesdk@gmail.com. Support: This issue is supported by the Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs. Print: DIS
take part in positive images Volunteers and schools interested in participating in the project and in developing awareness raising workshops for spring 2010 please contact: Project manager Mette Norling Schmidt, e-mail: mns@redcross.dk
positive images toolkit – view already developed educational resources A local project was held in Glasgow two years ago. A toolkit for the workshops was developed and will serve as inspiration for the European Positive Images. For more information see: www.redcross.org/uk/positiveimages
The opinions expressed are those of the authors and the persons interviewed. DRC cannot be held responsible for any other opinions. All contributions are very welcome from readers and others who take an interest in the issue of asylum and human rights. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit these materials according to editorial and space considerations. This publication is based on the Red Cross principles of humanity, independence, impar- tiality, neutrality, voluntarism, universality and unity. ISSN: 1397 6877
Why Denmark?
Struggling all the way to Denmark Human migration is not a new phenomenon. For centuries people have left their homes because of torture, persecution and injustice and in search of a safer life elsewhere. These days the number one means of transport is money. Lots of money.
Photo: Jens Burau
❚❚By: Omar In the last two decades, endless civil wars and social unrest in many developing countries have resulted in large waves of migrants fleeing their homes to seek more peaceful environments to begin a new life in the more stable and prosperous countries of Western Europe, Australia and North America. But how do the asylum seekers enter Denmark? Based on numerous interviews with asylum seekers this article aims to shed light on the matter. Denmark, as member of the European Union, has strict visa requirements for people from almost every third world country, with few exceptions. Today most asylum seekers in Denmark come to the country by plane, train or car.
The crucial visa Some asylum seekers enter Denmark on a visa to Denmark or one of the European Union countries. How they get a visa differs from person to person. Some get their visa in legal ways, for example because they are taking part in one of the international activities held in Europe several times every year. Others use well-connected human smugglers who use several methods to issue these visas and who charge the cost of the visa to the asylum seeker. It usually exceeds 15,000 US dollars [quite a lot compared with the Afghani minimum wage per month for government and private sector workers which
is approximately 41 US dollars, Ed.]. The asylum seekers sell their valuable assets such as family real estate, farm lands and even businesses in order to pay. The unscrupulous meddlers sometimes vanish with the money after failing to produce the visa. The visas which are the easiest to get are those for Italy, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland. Once the refugees set foot in these countries, they then try to make their way into the European country of their choice by train or car and sometimes by foot. “I haven’t had any choice other than paying whatever I could find to get the hell out of my home country and get into Europe” said one Somali refugee.
A web of paths There are many routes frequently used for people smuggling. Migrants from the Asian region mainly use the route via Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to Russia and from there, via Ukraine, Poland and Germany, eventually ending up in Denmark on a train. It differs from one asylum seeker to another whether or not they were originally destined for Denmark. Some were using Denmark as a transit point to other Scandinavian countries when they were stopped by the Danish law enforcement agencies. “I spent almost two months getting to Denmark. I crossed
many countries including Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Germany before I got to Denmark by train” said a Bhutanese refugee. He told New Times that he had paid 12,000 Euro - roughly about 16.000 US dollars - for the trip. The route from Asian countries via Iran and Turkey and from there, via Balkan states, to Western Europe is also used for smuggling migrants.
Life at stake Others come through the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece using dreadful and un-seaworthy small boats. Many refugees die during these adventurous journeys to the promised paradise. In Greece, which, according to Amnesty International, accepts far fewer asylum applications compared with other EU countries, asylum seekers end up on the streets without a minimum of living necessities. And from there they begin what seems to be the last attempt to get to ‘a real’ European country. People use human smugglers to get fake travel documents to cross immigration check lines at the sea and air ports. Others hide themselves under big lorries that are being shipped to Italy; they keep hiding until the ship arrives at the Italian ports. They clutch to their hiding spot in fear of being spotted by the Italian customs officials. Upon arrival on Italian soil they begin their journey to the Scandinavian countries, of which Denmark is one, usually
by train or smuggled by car. “People don’t believe Greece is a European country, thus no one likes to stay long. They try to get out of there whatever it costs” said a Sudanese asylum seeker.
Long way to Denmark Many asylum seekers come to Denmark through Spain. Here there are thousands of illegal immigrants, most of them from North and sub-Saharan Africa. These hopeful immigrants undertake the hazardous trip to travel from Morocco to southern Spain through the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, where only 21 kilometres separate Europe and Africa. Many people travelling in small, overcrowded boats have drowned attempting to reach Europe, sometimes the trip takes more than 18 hours. “The worst moment of my life was when we crossed the Strait of Gibraltar between Morocco and Spain on an overcrowded rubber boat. Two people died in the stampede and another threw himself into the sea before we were saved by the Spanish Red Cross Ship”, said one survivor from Ghana. Italy and Malta are other important transit points for asylum seekers before they come to Denmark. Every year many refugees sail from the North African shores, especially Libya, using small, rickety and overcrowded boats. Human smugglers in that area never show any mercy to the asylum seekers when load-
ing the boats far beyond capacity, beating or intimidating them if they defy their orders. Every year many of these refugees die during this trip. Once in Italy the migrants take trains and cars until after crossing several countries, they eventually reach Denmark and an uncertain future. All the interviewees asked to remain anonymous but we know their real names
New times | OCTOBER 2009 | issue # 76 | page 3
Why Denmark?
a DreaDful Journey Mohamed Abdi* is a Somali refugee in Denmark. Before he came to Denmark he faced many difficulties of getting out from his war-torn country. He used different smuggling routes with gruesome circumstances. New Times talked to Mr. Abdi about his journey to Europe.
sHORt stORY ❚ By David
❚ By Omar NT: Could you tell us about your journey from Somalia to Denmark? Abdi: “I fled my country because I was persecuted and I feared for my life. After these problems I decided to go out of my country. First I went to Kenya and then to Syria and to Greece via Turkey. It took me about four months to cover all these countries. I used all means of transportation including airplane from Kenya to Syria. After short pause in Syria I begun my journey to Turkey. At first by car. When I got to the border between Syria and Turkey I begun to cross by foot. Most of the rest of the journey was during the night inside the heavy trucks with other refugees and with harsh conditions.” NT: Did you face any problems during your trip? Abdi: “Of course you would face many problems if you are asylum seeker. You encounter more problems when you are using human smugglers to cross from border to border. I had contact with a large network of human smugglers with bands in almost every country; they meddle in every refugee community. They can be dangerous. For example, sometimes they beat you up if you ask them very simple requests such as to use the toilet because they don’t want to make stops for fear of being discovered by the authorities. They sometimes rape the women asylum seekers, because these guys are really just outlaws.” NT: Did you get caught because you were an illegal immigrant? Abdi: “Yes... I was stopped several times in Turkey and in Greece. In Turkey I was caught by the police
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at the border and imprisoned for one month. I was interrogated, scrutinized and intimidated by threats of being deported back to Somalia. Then, I crossed to Greece in a 7 meter long, small, rubber boat overloaded with 24 people. I was frightened because it was my first boat trip and I had heard many stories of people drowned while they tried to reach Greece. It took us about an hour to reach the coast and there I was stopped by the Greek coast guard. They brought us to a detention centre for refugees and there they finger printed me. After two weeks they gave me a paper with permission to stay in Greece for one month and then they released me. They didn’t even tell me what to do with the paper. They just said go!”
Once upon a time, there was a man in a certain African village who had everything and lacked nothing. One day he said to himself: “I’m so bored with this life, I think I will go to another place and see the world”. Then he sold all he had and embarked on a journey that spanned 7 months and 7 days. On his journey he saw so many things that were both strange and new to him. Then he got to Europe and found that things were very different from everything he had seen so far. He asked the first person he met how things are done in Europe. The man, who was German, told him to drink as
NT: Why did you choose Denmark? Abdi: “Denmark is safe place for me, and because it’s better to live in. Furthermore, Denmark is where I can stay without being intimidated by the police or any one else unlike in Turkey and Greece where you never stay long because of the authorities there. In Denmark all the refugees live a dignified life. During my stay in Denmark I never experienced anything bad from the authorities and the people in the street.” NT: How much money did you spend? Abdi: “Let me put it like this: I have spent a lot of money on the human smugglers. If you don’t have money you can not save your life in Somalia. I couldn’t run away from those who were after me – unless I sacrificed my home and other things I had. That was a very bad experience.” *Mohamed Abdi is a pseudonym
much beer as possible. Then he asked another who was British, who told him to join a political party if he wanted to survive and finally, he met a third man, a Dane who told him to go to hell. He didn’t know what this meant and thought it must be a nice place. He then asked a forth man, who happened to be an asylum seeker, where hell is. The man hugged him and told him “welcome for you have finally gotten to your destination. Welcome to hell, my friend”.
language iS the houSe we live in The asylum centers are very lonely and isolated places and not being able to talk with others is frustrating. As young people, we need to make some friends, which is really difficult for a lot of reasons. Here I can state: cultural differences and misunderstandings in the centres and only few opportunities to meet young Danes outside. ❚ Opinion by Borys The everyday life of an asylum seeker here in Denmark is an ordeal for several reasons. Especially hard is the transition from ones home culture to the very different lifestyle as a resident in this country. It is difficult to live in the centers and having to communicate with people from all around the world, while at the same time attempting to gain insight into what it takes to be a “Dane”. When talking with (or attempting to talk with) other asylum seekers, I have found that knowing Danish is often indispensable. There are many who don’t speak either English or French and who have therefore tried to learn Danish. At the same time being able
to speak Danish is important if you want to be welcomed or even accepted in the wider society. The ability to communicate is ever-important for making friends, learning, integrating, and simply living.
life in the centreS The people who live in the asylum centers are from backgrounds that are culturally very different,making living amongst each other hard enough. Most speak different languages with the ability to say a handful of words or phrases in English or Danish. They also may carry their own prejudices against one another which can cause confrontation, but most attempt to come together in order to live civilly (easier said than done).
In practice, gaining insight into the lifestyles of your “center-mates” is easier than learning the Danish culture for at least you share a common goal of getting “positive”, that is becoming a resident. For many asylum seekers looking out from the centres, we get a feeling that many Danes are unwilling to accept the immigrant population, causing even another barrier to becoming part of society at large.
in DaniSh, pleaSe! To live in Denmark, one is expected to know the language, and an inability to do so will make the transition process from your home culture to a Danish “way-of-life” difficult, to say the least. Danish language is extremely
difficult to learn, and it’s more difficult when you don’t have other language basics like in French or English. The Danish Red Cross have Danish classes for young people below the age of 23. Above that age, Danish lessons are not provided, unless you have an external “praktik”; that’s the law. This means that young asylum seekers over 23 have a huge problem. When it comes to interaction with Danes, they often ask, “how did you get here?” or “how does it feel to be here?” Others ask, “how can we help you?” or “why did you have to leave your country?” When Danes ask asylum seekers about their lives it shows that they are interested in us and about what really is happening in our everyday lives.
However, sometimes asylum seekers don’t feel comfortable with Danes asking such questions because they are worried that the Dane may be working with the police or just trying to annoy them because they don’t want foreigners here. If we were able to communicate better, then our house might be built on rock instead of on sand.
legal letterS My asylum case has been rejected. I don’t want to go back home to Afghanistan for fear of persecution? What will happen to me if I’m deported, do the police hand me over to the authorities on arrival? Do the Danish police then check up that I have not been arrested or maltreated? The Danish police does not necessarily have to hand you over to the local authorities if you are deported. If you are escorted by police officers from Denmark to your home country and you don’t make any trouble during the flight home, the police will typically give you your travel documents (passport etc.) and let you go through passport control on your own. However, if you don’t have any travel documents other than a temporary laissez-passer the police will have to hand you over to the authorities upon arrival. The Danish police does not check whether you have been maltreated or arrested upon arrival, since they do not have any authority outside Denmark
I am a rejected asylum seeker. I am thinking about going home. Can I then come back to Denmark in a couple of months and make a new asylum application? If you have been in your home country after a rejection of your asylum case, you technically have the possibility to come back later on and file a new asylum application. However, if you haven’t experienced any persecution in your home country since the last time the Danish Immigration authorities handled your case, you will most likely receive yet another rejection. Is it true that if I have a child with a Danish citizen I can have automatic residency? No. The Danish Immigration authorities will assess whether you, your spouse and your child can live in your home country instead of living in Denmark, if you apply for family reunification based on your child. If the assessment is that you and your family can continue your family life in your home country, Den-
mark is not obliged to give you a residence permit. If you are not married or romantically involved with the other parent of the child the immigration authorities will look into how much contact you have with your child. If you don’t see the child very often the immigration authorities can determine that it will not be a problem if you are being send back to your home country. It is important to underline that having a child in Denmark is only one of the factors in a case of e.g. family reunification and not necessarily a decisive factor. I am newly arrived and preparing for my interview with the immigration service. I would like to take a Dictaphone into the interview so that if my case goes to appeal, I have a full record of what I said. Is there a rule that says I may not record the proceedings? There is no rule to prevent you from taping your interview. However the entire interview is automatically written down and approved by you after the session. If you tape your inter-
view you must be aware that your lawyer seldom has the time and is not getting paid to listen to it during an appeal case so it might not be a useful remedy in the long run. In all circumstances it would be a good idea to inform the official from the Immigration Service if you plan to tape the interview so he/she is aware. I am a woman asylum seeker. My case is very personal and I would like to have a female translator and female officials from the immigration service when I go to the interview. Do I have the right to ask that there are no men present? You always have the right to ask for a female translator and official. If you are appointed a translator that you don’t trust or otherwise have a problem with him/her, you are also entitled to ask for a new translator.
ASK US Have you any questions? Write to: New Times c/o Red Cross House H. C. Ørstedsvej 47, 1879 Frederiksberg C Or email us at: newtimesdk@gmail.com Please feel free to ask your questions anonymously. You can also contact: Dansk Flygtningehjælp Legal Counselling Unit Asylum Department Borgergade 10 Postbox 53 1002 København K www.drc.dk Email: advice@drc.dk Free Legal Counselling for asylum seekers every Wednesday from 13:00 - 15:00 You need to present your questions in Danish or English.
New times | OCtOBeR 2009 | issue # 76 | page 5
Why Denmark?
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK Why do refugees choose to come to Denmark? Looking into the depth of the matter New Times posed the key question to a group of people we randomly found. The results were so amazing.
Paths of exile by MAD
page 6 | issue # 76 | OCTOBER 2009 | New times
❚❚By Katz From the interviews we got the feeling that many Danes believe that the refugees in Denmark are here because of the international image that Denmark has: Denmark is a welfare state, it is ranked as having the world’s highest level of income equality and it has the best business climate in the world according to the US business magazine Forbes. From 2006 to 2008, sur-
veys ranked Denmark as ‘the happiest place in the world’, based on standards of health, welfare, and education. The 2009 global peace index survey ranks Denmark as the second most peaceful country in the world, after New Zealand. Denmark was also ranked as the least corrupt country in the world in 2008 sharing a top position with Sweden and New Zealand. All this is apparently child’s
knowledge for the Danes. And therefore implicit for everyone else too - or is it? New Times asked some Danes:
Why do you think refugees come to Denmark? ANNA, 24, PSYCHOLOGY STUDENT: “Probably because they know that our system works in a way that everyone is secure of some money and some place to live, you’re offered food and shelter if you’re homeless and out of work. Also, at the moment there is almost no unemployment so it’s quite easy to get a job.” METTE, 38, MEDICAL DOCTOR: When asked the same question Mette said: “Because they have problems in their own country and I think its because they know that Denmark is a beautiful country.” FRANK, 64, PENSIONER: “I think the people come to Denmark because they are aware that its a welfare state with almost every need paid for by the government. The system works so well and could be one of the best in the world today.” NIELS PETER, 42, COMPUTER EXPERT: “I think people come to Denmark because they know about our social security and so they think it’s safe to come and live in Denmark or may be they do also have problems in their countries.....well I don’t know.” KAREN, 29, STUDENT, COPENHAGEN UNIVERSITY: “I think people come to Denmark because it’s not safe for them in their countries, and also because Denmark is a very calm country, with a good system in terms of social security. We have got free education and one of the best education system in the world where students can actually criticize their teacher’s opinion with no fear, we have free medical attention for all. It’s a good system so that’s why people come to Denmark, they want to feel safe. Though I know it isn’t easy to come here either.”
Can’t be that bad? Denmark today is home to 23,401 refugees according to the UNHCR. This is about two percent of the Danish population of 5,447,084. A relatively good share compared to some of the other neighbouring countries. Norway is home to 36,101 refugees in a population of 4,681,100 which is 0.77 percent, France: 160,017 refugees in a population of 60,713,926 which is 0.26 percent. Sweden: 77,038 refugees in a population of 9,059,651 which is 0.85 percent, Germany: 582,700 refugees in a population of 82,220,000 which is 0.71 percent. Nevertheless, it’s still interesting to know the reasons as
to why the two percent chose to come to Denmark. The refugees/asylum seekers New Times interviewed had a very divergent opinion when asked “Why did you choose to come to Denmark? What did you know about Denmark before you came here? Were you aware of the Danish social security?”
Thousands of reasons OMAR ABDUL, 26, FROM IRAQ: “We have problems in our country and it wasn’t safe to live there, so I came to Europe. I had no idea that I would end up here. I thought maybe I was going to Sweden but I am now in Denmark, because the border control guards arrested me before I crossed into Sweden.” When asked about what he knew about Denmark before he left his country, Omar said: “Nothing much, maybe milk products – but that’s not why I came. We had enough milk in Iraq”. Omar was not aware of the Danish social security. It was something he was still trying to understand and he said: “Maybe it works best for people with permanent residence, not for me now”. THOMISLAV, 36, FROM CROATIA: “There are thousands of reasons why refugees come to Denmark. This includes economic, political and social reasons. The first thing I knew about Denmark before I came was Legoland - and yes, I was aware of the Danish social security before I came here.” MWESIGWA RONALD, 30, FROM UGANDA: “I came because it was the only country I could easily get a visa to at that time. I had problems in my own country; that’s why I had to flee. Danida is what I knew about Denmark before I left my country. It is something to do with Danish foreign aid in my country.” When New Times asked which country he would choose to live in if he had have an option to live elsewhere, he had this to say: “Maybe England or USA because I am finding it a big problem to learn the Danish language.” When asked if he was aware of the Danish social security and if prior knowledge about it played part in his choice of coming to Denmark, Ronald had this to say: “I think its a good system - I mean, free education and free medical help. It is something I learnt about after I came here.”
Wrong terminus BENARD KOFFI, 28, FROM GHANA: Is seeking asylum though it wasn’t his intention to seek it in Denmark. He
said his intention was to go to Norway where he has part of his family. “I came through Spain and I was to go through France, Germany, Denmark and then to Norway, but the Danish train control handed me over to the police when I was found without proper train tickets. I ended up in the Sandholm closed camp, where I have spent almost six months and I just came out ten days ago.” When asked what he knew about Denmark before he left his country he said: “Not so much, I knew that there are a lot of dairy products, maybe it’s the largest producer of dairy products in the world. You see, Denmark is not a very noisy country in terms of excitement like sports, music, you wouldn’t compare it to Britain, Germany or even Sweden. It is more of a closed society”. About the Danish social security he said: “I am not so much aware of what it is… But like they say, you cross the bridge when you get to it so in that case I will learn about it with time or when I am may be granted asylum. That is not what I am thinking about right now, though it sounds good.”
Fateful fingerprints SAMIR AKABAR, 30, FROM AFGHANISTAN: “I am in Denmark because my finger prints were registered in Denmark, but my target was to go Sweden. I was caught here before I could cross into Sweden and I ended up seeking for asylum here.” When asked why Denmark wasn’t his choice of asylum country he said: “Well, I consider this country to be so racist. It is not easy to get asylum.” He also said what he knew about Denmark before he came: “I knew that evil cartoon of the prophet Muhammed (p.b.u.h) which caused chaos in our country.” On the question about Denmark’s social security he said: “Yes, I now know something about it though not so well. But I think all countries in the first world have the same level as Denmark and there could be even better countries than Denmark. Many, like Norway, England, Sweden.” When asked if he wasn’t happy about being in Denmark now, he said: “Well, I am half happy and half unhappy. Like Denmark is not so bad as I thought it to be, it’s good, but I am so lonely here. It is not easy to live as an asylum seeker. Sometimes you feel so depressed, but I have no choice for now.”
New times | OCTOBER 2009 | issue # 76 | page 7
Why Denmark?
Afghanistan and the Dilemma Where can we flee to? Where is there a country with peace, democracy, education and life for all far away from the explosions and war? Unfortunately, there is no room there for many of us.
❚❚By H. Shirzai I come from Afghanistan, a landlocked war-torn country located in the heart of Asia, bordered by Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and China. It has an important geostrategic location and because of that, it has traditionally been a target for invaders. The long-term war has affected education, the economy and in short all pillars of Governmental and social sections of the country. According to the 2009 UN report, the population of Afghanistan is estimated to be almost 28,150,000 and more than half of the people just struggle to survive. Afghanistan is considered one of the poorest countries in the world. One of the main problems in Afghanistan - and therefore an important reason for fleeing - is the instability in the country which is largely caused by the limitations in the educational system. Education is available to very few, it is not standardized and there are limited resources, therefore levels of literacy and numeracy are very low. The international community is trying to bring changes to the education system and to transform individuals’ lives and thereby remove the major barrier to development and stability in Afghanistan. But, alas, with little success.
Educational experiences With a focus on these issues New Times met and interviewed a number of Afghan asylum seekers living in asylum centres in Denmark. “I knocked on every door in Afghanistan to study abroad and obtain a scholarship, but my application was turned down by all the international organizations and embassies due to restrictions on issuing visas to Afghan people,” a man aged 24 from Shamali in the north of Afghanistan stated. Another young Afghan from eastern Afghanistan added: ”I come from a village in Kunar where I have never seen or heard of a school in the area. We have no access to education and are almost always marginalised.” Others are being mocked by their own family and friends simply for considering getting an education. A boy now living in Sandholm centre said: “I am 21 years old and I have not been to school in my home country. When I was about nineteen, I realized that I should go to school, but my family and friends start to tease and laugh at me, telling me it is too late now. I was discouraged and forgot about going to school. But I must give thanks to the Red Cross in Denmark for the inspiration; they said I can study here at any age and that it is never too late to learn. Now I believe I can make it and I will let my parents and friends know that they were wrong. Therefore I advise my people back home to go for it.” A woman aged almost 40 from Maidan Wardak (a region in central eastern Afghanistan) stated: “As a woman and despite my eagerness I was not allowed to go to school and it is still against the law and considered to be against the family honour to attend school. The so-called ban on going to school or the mosque for female children over the age of seven or eight in the Afghanistan provinces has passed down as a tradition from our ancestors, however I now know that both men and women have the right to schooling even after the age of seven or eight. I hope all Afghan women would realize that and not have to rely or act on the past tradition.”
Misplaced efforts It seems that the international efforts are designed for another reality. About the schools that are built, a teenager stated: “Many children like me contribute in feeding their family by working on the street, washing cars, selling water etc. to earn a little money in order to barely keep their heads above water. We hardly ever find time to attend school in this digital world.” Other efforts involve providing school books. The reality is that
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these have had to be withdrawn almost immediately because they do not meet the religious and cultural norms of the society. Time after time the books are edited and reissued, but still more changes are needed. New International Universities are invited to Afghanistan and funded with new curricula to support the education system - but they target only a few rich people, while majority of the young are left out in the dark. A young man told New Times: ‘’I could not afford paying my fees even with my family’s support, though I had a dream of my degree completion in the AUAF [American University of Afghanistan, Ed.]. How can they ask Afghan people to pay more than 2500 USD for a semester? The normal individual monthly salary is just 120 USD!”
A risky dream Many young Afghanis who have learnt some English and computer skills in Pakistan are looking for a job in an international organization or to travel abroad to obtain a higher degree. But again, only illegal travelling is possible for the majority of people due to visa limitations for Afghan students. They are not even welcomed in the embassies in Afghanistan to hand over their applications because of tight security. Working for an international organisation is a risk too. Those people are mostly targeted by the Taliban, once spotted. Moreover, the education trauma in Afghanistan, particularly for women who live in provinces, is worsening. According to the Taliban philosophy, children, youths, men and women are not allowed to attend school. The consequence is that people are kept ignorant and are easy to deceive through many means; mainly the first weapon is ‘religion’. Therefore, schools are torn down. People not obeying and those who are defying the Taliban’s ban on going to school are tortured. School girls are attacked by spraying acid in their faces while going or coming back from school. What happens to those girls and people; what is their fate? And how do people try to save themselves? Obey or take the risk to be educated? A 25 year old man told New Times: “I wish I was not literate and mostly important I wish I hadn’t learned English and computer and then worked for coalition forces. That way I could have been with my family without being threatened to death.” Another added: “I was keen to work as an interpreter but later on I learned that I was on the wrong path. Which side must I decide to join in order to survive? Neither! Because death is on both sides! To run away was the only solution.”
That’s why For many people from the middle classes - the poor cannot afford it - taking the risky road to Europe seems like a solution that secures education and a life far away from suicide and explosions. Many young people are trying to get to Europe by any means. As Sabour, an adult Afghan living in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, said: “We think everything is cosy and all your dreams come true when you are in Europe; no explosions or suicide bombers. We are scared to death everyday both at home and when out in the town, counting the moment to be a victim of the International Forces through a misdirected air strike or by being shot at while mistakenly driving near them.” Ajmal Jabarkhil living in Jalalabad in the eastern part Afghanistan added: “People are having a luxury life when living in Europe, no problem, no tension and no stress. They are actually living a good life, access to education, freedom, health service and mostly important not being obsessed with how to supply daily food for their family, while we in Afghanistan are fighting to keep the wolf from the door in a situation that is out of control.”
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Combating climate change - the role of the asylum seeker
Climate change is the most important challenge facing the world today; our very survival depends on acting now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Already now we are experiencing more violent weather patterns, flooding and droughts causing millions to migrate as their homes and means of livelihood are destroyed. Conflicts over land and resources will lead to wars and more asylum seekers. ❚❚By David The most important and the greatest cause of the climate change has been identified as Man, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in 2007. Man has polluted the atmosphere with chemicals and harmful greenhouse gases through emissions given out from cars, planes, machineries, homes, agriculture, and industry which in turn are making temperatures higher (global warming). The experts say that if this trend continues, the earth in the future will be on brink of serious danger of flooding, droughts, starvation, diseases and other catastrophes depending on the region where you live. Having said the above,it is also important to note that there are critics who believe that global warming is not man made and that nature can clean itself. Dr. S. Fred Singer, an atmospheric physicist of the George Mason University, believes that global warning has been going on for ages and its consequences over time is inconsequential. He believes that the attention on global warming is motivated by politics to enable the rich nations achieve more wealth and power.
Better safe than sorry But the big question is can the sceptics be really be taken for their word? And, if so, do we give up all plans and just watch nature take its course? What is certain is that it’s a big problem and what if the sceptics are wrong and we just don’t do anything to reduce or stop the trend? Then the world will not only have been in a dangerously risky situation environmentally, but the world economy will be down by 20 % a total of 1.9 Trillion US Dollars by 2100 according to the Natural Resource Defence Council. The IPCC experts believe we have very little time to act, so it has to be now.
Asylum seekers can do their bit The role of the asylum seeker in solving or reducing climate change dangers is very simple
and direct. First there they must be aware of the problem, its dangers and solutions. Information is so important and notices in strategic locations like the kitchen and the halls to remind people to switch off lights, turn off water taps and to dispose wastes properly would be a good first step. As individuals we can do our own bit by disposing of electrical appliances and batteries properly, make sure we don’t spill water, save electricity by not leaving lights and all appliances on all the time, use only environmentally friendly food. We can not do all these alone and will need the help of the Red Cross.
Reducing our carbon footprint New Times carried out a survey in the Red Cross House in Frederiksberg to see how ’green’ the house is. It was quite simple, we walked around and looked to see if lights were left on and if things were being recycled. We have identified many things that could be done better: – The arrangements for supplying separate bins for rubbish, glass, metals, plastic, bottles and paper are non existent; at the moment all the rubbish is put together in the same big bins. – Most of the loos are single flush which uses more water, though some places have dual flush. The house was refurbished recently and it is surprising that all the loos weren’t fitted with dual flush. – The house gets very overheated. Sometimes radiators are left on or turned high. New Times suggests that the central temperature in the building is reduced and that there are notices to ask people to turn off the radiators after the last class of the day. – Going up and down in the elevator. We suggest that people take the stairs; it saves energy and is healthier anyway. – Old newspapers should be recycled. On every floor, there are so much paper being used and dumped. Unused or damaged paper from printers and photocopiers and extra copies of teaching hand-outs should be sorted and when possible the
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reverse side used for notes or drafts. New Times suggests that each floor has its own paper recycling point where paper can be placed in a tray for re-use and in a bin for recycling. We tried it out at New Times, and it doesn’t take too long to get used to the system. – New Times found many classrooms with their lights switched on and the worst offender was the net cafe where the computers were left on after everyone had gone home. Every asylum seeker who uses the net cafe should try to remember to shut right down and switch the monitors off. On standby, computers use electricity!
In the centres New Times hopes that residents in each of the centres will accept the challenge to make a survey similar to the one we did in the Frederiksberg house and then make suggestions for how to be greener. This challenge is also extended to the Red Cross staff: please review the operational vehicles used to see how fuel efficient they are and possibly cut down on using the vehicles as far as possible. Also check the buildings for good insulation and repair or refit where possible. These actions executed will go in a long way to save water and electricity bills as well as limit the climate change problems. How about a competition and prizes awarded to the most climate conscious centre to encourage making the centres very much more eco-friendly?
10:10 campaign The 10:10 campaign wants everyone everywhere to reduce their consumption of energy by 10% in the year 1010. It was launched on October 8th 2009 in London and already on that day 25,000 individuals, 1000 businesses including Microsoft and hundreds of schools, hospitals and other organisa-
tions had signed up. Look at the website and find inspiration in individuals’ personal promices. Let’s see all of us asylum seekers and the Red Cross signing up too. www.1010uk.org
Environmental Refugees: a new wave At present the international community does not acknowledge the potential for “Environmental Refugees”, but there are plenty of reasons why politicians should make it a central issue now.
❚❚By Kaosar Ahmed “I was born in a village in Munshigonj in Bangladesh. As a child I went swimming and fishing in the river Padma with my friends. At that time the river was about 5 km away from our house and we spent some nice times on its calm waters. But this is all a part of history now. These last few years the river has become very aggressive and has swallowed the whole area including our village and my home. So we became homeless and had to move to the capital, Dhaka.” The story of 75 year-old Abdur Rahman Mollah is far from unique. It is just one of the many told by millions who are finally speaking out about the difficult decision to migrate as a result of environmental change due to climate change. According to the UNDP 2008 report, “Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the 21st
citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they have contributed least to the problem.”
Recognising environmental refugees Until now, New Zealand is the only country to take the challenge of environmental refugees seriously. It has accepted responsibility for 11,000 climate migrants from the low-lying Pacific island of Tuvalu as sea level rise continues to threaten their security. Despite Denmark’s proactive record on addressing climate change issues, the government prefers to focus on adaptation strategies in the affected countries rather than offering shelter to those who are displaced. New Times talked to Mr. Karsten Lauritzen, the Danish Liberal Party (Venstre) spokesperson on immigration about his party’s stand on this issue: “The present refugee convention shouldn’t change or be broader. It’s enough to protect the ones who are suffering. Instead of taking some of the refugees from areas affected by climate change, it’s a better idea to increase the aid of those areas for adaptation. Although environmental refugees are not recognized by the UN, Denmark has given refugee status to some people from affected areas on grounds of the case for survival. But it’s a very small number of people and a very specific case”. Other governments such as Bangladesh are calling for action. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina stated that her delegates at the COP15 conference in December “will make a strong call for the social, cultural and economic rehabilitation of climate-induced displaced migrants.”
Worse than war
Century. Failure to respond to that challenge will stall and then reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable
As it stands, according to the International Red Cross, environmental disasters attributed primarily to climate change are now a bigger cause of population displacement than war and persecution: in 1995, the total number of traditional refugees was 27 million, whereas the number of environmental migrants was 25 million (Myers, N. and Kent, J. (1995). The current internationally-accepted definition of refugees fails to protect communities that run the risk of displacement due to environmental disaster. Many people view the legal definition of a refugee to be outdated.
estation, frequent flood, storm, increase salination of water and other environmental problems, together with associated problems of population pressures and profound poverty.” (United Nations University) Under the current UN definition of a refugee environmental refugees do not have the same legal standing in international courts and cannot seek asylum based upon environmental factors. Neither do they have access to the same financial grants, food, tools, shelter, schools, and health clinics.
Present situation There are environmental refugees all over the world. In 2005, half of Bhola Island in Bangladesh became permanently flooded, leaving 500,000 people homeless. In China, the Gobi desert is expanding at more than 10,000 square kilometres per year, threatening many villages. Oxford-based expert Norman Myers says that Morocco, Tunisia and Libya each lose over 1,000 square kilometres of productive land annually to desertification. In Egypt, half of all croplands are irrigated by increasingly saline water, while in Turkey 160.000 square kilometres of farmlands are affected by soil erosion. In the United States, Louisiana now loses roughly 65 square kilometres per year to erosion by the sea, while in Alaska 213 communities are threatened by tides that creep roughly 3 meters further inland each year.
Forced to move “There used to be lots of fruits on our trees, but now they don’t bear any at all. In the lakes there used to be fish, but now they are all gone. There were cows in the fields, but not anymore. Now there’s no milk either. None of our crops and vegetables grow very well. Nothing seems to grow any more. It’s tough to live under such conditions. So, we are thinking that we’ll move to Khulna,” says 60 year old Ahammad Ali from district of Satkhira, Bangladesh. He is one example out of thousands from Bangladesh, who are going to be “environmental refugees” in the nearest future. Recent scientific evidence suggests that millions more like Ahammad will be displaced.
Legal definition Article 1 of the Geneva Convention. A refugee is someone who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.
The future Dr. Norman Myers, a visiting fellow at Oxford University, “sea level rise and agricultural distribution caused by climate changes may create 150 million migrants by 2050.” According to the recent research, by 2050 Bangladesh will have more than 20 million environmental refugees. If the sea level rises 1 meter from the present level, Bangladesh will lose 18% of its total land area. Egypt will lose between 12 and 15 percent of its arable land. Given Egypt’s predicted population for 2050, it is anticipated that sea level rise will displace more than 14 million people. Other delta areas at risk include Indonesia, Thailand, Pakistan, Mozambique, Gambia, Senegal, and Suriname. A number of island states are also at risk, such as the Maldives, Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Marshalls plus dozens of states in the Caribbean. Around 1 million people are likely to have to evacuate permanently and as many as 46 to 50 million may find their lives “critically affected”.
50 million in 2010 50 million people worldwide will be displaced by 2010 because of serious environmental changes. (Larry West, About.com).
No legal recognition Today, there is no standard definition of an environmental refugee, but they are generally recognized as “people who have been forced to leave their traditional habitat temporarily or permanently because of a marked environmental disruption like: drought, soil erosion, desertification, defor-
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Why Are Asylum Seekers Violent?
❚❚By Legend New Times made interviews with asylum seekers who both have and have not been involved in cases of violence in the different asylum centres. We realized that most cases involved people from different races, religions and cultures fighting over seemingly trivial things. Because of different backgrounds, preferences and simply a single individuals exposure to the outside world apart from their country, race becomes a very important factor when accommodating asylum seekers. This is an issue the Red Cross tries to address when people are moved from the receiving centres. The only draw-back of grouping individuals from the same ethnic group together is that they start to form gangs and tend to be intolerant of the minority groups. An example of this is centre Sigerslev, where the majority of people living there are from Iran and Afghanistan who tend to be intolerant of minority groups like Africans.
Case Violence can start simply between two individuals, as was the case between a Somali and an Iranian. According to a member of the Red Cross Staff in February:
“...an Iranian man approached a Somali in the internet café, and ordered him to handover the computer console he was using. He said; ‘Hey you black, get off that computer’. He intended to offend and at the same time frighten the Somali man, who however, simply ignored him. A fight ensued and one of the parties pulled out a knife.” Luckily the Red Cross staff member was there to stop the two from inflicting life threatening injuries to each other. As a result of this fight, one of the parties was sent to ’closedcamp’ (equivalent to prison).
Gang Culture Another result of grouping large numbers of people of the same nationality together is the formation of gangs. People from the same country tend to come together and interact socially with each other, which consequently leads to the formation of a gang. This ‘gang culture’ always has dire consequences, especially if there are two rival gangs. The use of the available facilities at the centres such as a snooker table or gym equipment becomes impossible when a gang member is there. As a result, there have been numerous occasions where two gangs start to fight and indeed individuals from Chechnya and Iran
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fight on a regular basis. Sometimes it is difficult to ascertain the cause of the fighting as was the case with an incident in Sigerslev . An observer, Ali, said to The New Times: ”All I heard where snippets of Danish mixed with English, Arabic and Russian before the bout erupted. There was an assortment of weaponry used, ranging from cue sticks from the pool table to flower-pots and shoes.” This fight has no apparent cause but it was clear there where two main gangs fighting, the others where just unlucky bystanders.
Results From Research After studying a few other cases of violence we found a similar trend, that is the fights where mainly about race, ethnicity, gangs and religion with the centre facilities only being used as scapegoats or opportunities to make trouble. We decided to take our investigations deeper and ask, “why do people in asylum centres fight over seemingly trivial things like computers and gym equipment?” Race indeed plays a big part, but even if you didn’t like someone’s race, be it on the street, you would not go and attack them. With this in mind we decided there was a deeper cause of vio-
Violence between asylum seekers in their centres is generally hidden from the public eye and rarely receives coverage. This article serves to bring to light a few cases of violence and their root causes. It will also suggest some reforms which the Red Cross and the Danish Immigration Service could implement to curb the number of cases of violence.
lence which we called ‘frustration displacement’, which is when an individual looks for a scapegoat to take out his frustrations on. Everyone who spends time in an asylum centre starts to have slight mental episodes, and with some individuals it is quite severe even to the extent they need to get psychological help. Some of these mental episodes start to affect your behaviour and due to the different people from different countries and different religions you meet and are forced to live with, you start to toughen up. You shed your skin, and even if it’s a brief interlude in your life, it does happen. You start to defend yourself even when it’s not called for. This, coupled with the frustrations about the time it takes to get your replies from the Immigration Service becomes unbearable. This causes an individual to suffer from ‘frustration displacement’, where upon they may take their frustrations out on the nearest unfortunate bystander. Benjamin tells: “There was a man in the asylum centre who treated me badly on a couple occasions and insulted me because of our racial differences. We never saw eye to eye and tried as best we could to avoid each other. However after his asylum case got accepted and he got a ‘positive’ and was allowed to stay in Denmark, he was instantly friendly and pleasant. I congratulated him with a smirk on my face, but he seemed to look beyond that and accepted my congratulations and gave me hug. This is when I got convinced that his previous bad behaviour had been due to frustration, anger and stress related to his case. I am of the opinion that many cases of violence have the same cause,” he says.
What Can Be Done Reforms on how the Immigration Service and Red Cross could curb the number of violent
incidents. First and foremost stiffer punishment for the perpetrators of violence should be instilled, i.e. take violent people to closed camp the first time they misbehave. This could be a deterrent to violent behaviour among the remaining population. Second, background checks on individuals should be made or at least attempted so as not to mix instigators of violence with non-instigators. There should also be even grouping of individuals and races in centres so as to avoid the large gangs from forming. Many asylum seekers come from societies where violence is the normal way of life to solve problems and disagreements. Due to this Anger Management Courses should be given to asylum seekers as a way to help them develop social skills which do not involve violence towards others.
The Sigerslev Initiative Awareness campaigns like one held recently in Centre Sigerslev where different races met up with local community leaders and centre staff and interacted with each other can be of enormous help. The aim of the initiative was to break down the barriers between asylum seekers and the Danish community around the centre and also very importantly to break down the barriers between the asylum seekers themselves. What should be understood is that people who are seeking asylum in Denmark have already been through tough experiences and to have violent incidents such as the ones mentioned above, is unnecessary and preventable. With increased awareness of frustration displacement and race relations in the centres, we can make the centres a better place for all people of all ethnicities and religions.
Every year asylum seekers come from many different countries including Iraq, Iran, Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, Zambia and Ethiopia. All these different people have to live together while their cases are being considered. This means that sometimes the asylum centres are filled with tension.
Culture clash in the asylum world ❚❚By Soul The mingling of cultures together in the centres, especially living together in their shared rooms, has an effect on their attitudes towards one another. Peoples’ race, religion, the food they eat, the music they listen to, their dress code and personal habits influence their view on life and the way they understand others. For some people violence is a lifestyle. Among asylum seekers linguistic differences, differences in culture, lifestyle, religion and beliefs as well as racial tensions can lead to violence. When communication breaks down, anger is easily provoked. This can lead to further misunderstandings between the asylum seekers. Let me quickly share my own experience before I proceed: There was a communication breakdown between myself and my Togolese room mate. I wanted him to help me with some Danish that I am trying to learn. He suddenly took offence; he’s been traumatised and his reactions have become a part of his lifestyle. His behaviour can be amazing to the extent that he has become notorious for it. He turned the room upside down, threw his plates of food on the floor, banged the doors several times as if he was insane, but before he realised it I had fled. He later explained to the Red Cross worker that he was stressed. They took him to another room to sleep for the night to avoid further problems. When he came back to the room the next morning he apologised saying: “I feel excruciatingly pained about the trauma of being 14 years in Denmark as an asylum
seeker. I get depressed and sometimes things just provoke me.”
Internal misunderstandings Mohammad describes his experience: “My room mates are Iraqi, Kurdish and a Somali. My Somali room mate was playing music while the rest of us were lying ready to sleep in our beds. I was enjoying the music, but the others couldn’t because they were unable to understand the lyrics and were feeling disturbed. They asked him to stop playing but he wouldn’t. I got tired of the situation and had to get up to mediate”. Ahmish, an asylum seeker from India, explained how cooking his favourite dish smelled strange to an Ethiopian: “It seemed irritating to the Ethiopian and he complained in a rude manner about my cooking. He sounded as though he was trying to humiliate me and my culture doesn’t permit insults. If I didn’t control my mood at that time it could have been otherwise; but I found my patience and ignored him.” However, such situations can sometimes lead to provocation and can result in pandemonium in the centre, which if escalated would have to be checked by the police. In Sandholm, the asylum seekers’ reception centre, asylum seekers must eat at given times in a cafeteria instead of cooking their own food. This has caused many problems because people often have disagreements, especially when people of different races are queuing together. People often favour people of their own race, and will be rude to others, especially when
people try to jump the queue. I asked Omid, an Iranian about how he feels about the situation of eating together with others at the cafeteria. He said: “It’s very good eating here, because I don’t need to worry myself to buy or cook food by myself, they serve here, I am comfortable with it”. However some other people, for instance, most of the female asylum seekers in the centre when interviewed agreed that they would prefer to cook their own food.
Generosity is needed Religion is another major influence on the lifestyle and culture of the asylum seekers. Heshmat Hajizadeh, a Kurdish Muslim, made a comment about his beliefs as a Muslim. He said and I quote: “I believe I should be generous and not violent, and I see everyone as being equal regardless of their religion. I believe in the person, and therefore I get along with everyone”. Asylum seekers who are less understanding of other religions may have more difficulty getting along with others. The asylum seekers meet with people of many different religions, but some will choose to associate just with others of their own religion and keep to their own beliefs and doctrines. This means that they don’t get well with others who have different religious beliefs and it can cause tensions. Some asylum seekers change their religion, but this occurs rarely and only under very special circumstances Asylum seekers are a very varied group but despite the problems they face the majority
learn to live together and adapt through the use of the resources offered: recreational activities, education, food and shelter. I had a chat with Samir from Afghanistan; he described his relationship at the centre where he lives saying: “At the beginning I found it difficult, but later on, I got along with others in the centre as I got to know them better. We got talking having met at the billiards room, kitchen, and the Internet café in the centre. Another reason why I get along with them is because I’m interested in learning more about their culture and sharing problems”.
An asylum culture Ones culture is an important part of every person’s identity and everyone naturally feels most “at home” with likeminded people. It takes a certain sort of courage and resourcefulness to be open to the challenges of meeting with “others” or “those who are different”. Asylum seekers have no choice in the matter; they have to face the challenges every day. In addition, the situation of being an asylum seeker and the effect of the asylum system with the shared sleeping arrangements, long waiting times and daily lives controlled by the rules laid down by the politicians changes people’s habits and lifestyle. Asylum seekers could be said to have a very special culture – an asylum culture.
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Grandparents in the political game You can often see the Grandparents for Asylum outside the asylum centres, on the town hall square or outside the Parliament demonstrating for a better life for asylum seekers. New Times interviewed Anne Marie, a member of the Grandparents organisation and Jørgen Chemnitz, leader of the Danish Red Cross Asylum Department about the grandparents’ role and room to manoeuvre. ❚❚By Nabila and Elizabeth Bedsteforældre For Asyl, or Grandparents for Asylum is a network that started about three years ago outside the entrance of Sandholm Centre. Since then they also work outside Avnstrup and Kongelunden Centres. It is an open network for Danish grandparents who want to help asylum seekers, so it is not possible to say actually how many people are involved. However, one of the members estimated that there are about 100 to 150 members outside Sandholm on any given sunday. The grandparents’ network supports asylum seekers by inviting them to go on trips to summer camps or to town, and sometimes they invite asylum seekers to their homes to have a cup of coffee together. They
especially like to help the children. For example, during the holiday season they helped families get out of the centers. Anne Marie, a member of the group, said: “We had some money from a foundation and decided to buy bus tickets for every family with children during the summer holiday, so they could get out of the centers.” Sometimes they also babysit if the parents are busy going to school or taking courses at the Red Cross Center in Frederiksberg.
More latitude needed In spite of all the ongoing activities, the network feels somewhat restricted and would like to be able to do more: ”There isn’t really much we
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can do, because we have to respect that it’s the Red Cross’ responsibility to run the centres. For example, if we want to take all of the asylum seekers on a trip, we must have an authorization from the Red Cross,” said Anne Marie Apparently this is a simple misunderstanding. According to Jørgen Chemnitz, head of Danish Red Cross Asylum Department: “They don’t need any authorization from the Red Cross. If they make an arrangement for a trip and make posters to advertise it, we are even happy to put them up in the centres. However, if they want to take children out of the centres, of course they need an authorization from the parents. That’s all we, the Red Cross, ask them to respect. When the Red Cross
youth clubs want to take the children out of the camps for some activity, they of course must obey that same rule. If the Grandparents want to take the whole camp to Tivoli or to a restaurant, they are very welcome to do that. And it does happen occasionally, for example when they arranged a holiday trip. We thought that was a great idea and helped to arrange it, and we paid for the transport. So we worked together.” ”Of course, if the Red Cross is involved in activities, the Red Cross is also responsible. That is why all our staff are trained professionals and officially qualified to be working e.g. with children. The Grandparents on the other hand do not have to come with any official qualifications, which is quite okay because they fill a different
role. They are there for personal reasons, to be friends with the asylum seekers. They are not bound by the rules that the Red Cross staff have to follow, but it also means that whatever they do without the involvement of the Red Cross is at their and the asylum seekers’ own responsibility. That is also why it is so important, that they respect the wishes of the asylum seekers and always ask permission from the parents if they want to take the children out of the centres,” Jørgen Chemnitz underlined.
Red Cross’ limitations The Grandparents try to fill out gaps in the daily life of the asylum seekers. Sometimes they feel that they are working alone: “The Red Cross cannot do
grandparents for asylum
what women want
The mission of the group is to provide support for those seeking asylum in Denmark. They also hope to influence opinion about asylum seeking in Denmark. The grandparents disagree with the current policy on immigration and asylum and are working towards greater acceptance of asylum seekers and to see a change in the asylum laws. In addition to advocating for political reform by holding demonstrations throughout the city, the members of Grandparents for Asylum are also involved within the asylum centers themselves. www.bedsteforaeldreforasyl.dk
much, because they have a contract with the government - they run the centres and they are not allowed to go into politics,” Anne Marie said. Jørgen Chemnitz says that it is true as regards the fact that the Red Cross can not go into individual asylum cases: ”It’s a decision made 25 years ago. The Red Cross does not go into the political side of things, because that would violate the trust of the asylum seekers. They need to know that no confidential information passes between the Red Cross and the Immigration Service or the police. Whatever information people tell to the Red Cross staff, that information is confidential. In some special cases, when there are special health issues or family problems that are worsened by the way the case is being processed, or if the person has been in the system for many years, the Red Cross can get involved and make an appeal to the authorities to speed things up. But this only happens in consultation with the asylum seeker concerned – we only pass on what he/she wants us to,” he said.
reD croSS unlimiteD But would it be possible in future to initiate a closer cooperation between the Grandparents and the Red Cross? Are Red Cross staff members for instance allowed to join groups like Grandparents for Asylum, while they are still Red Cross employees? Jørgen Chemnitz nodded: ”Red Cross staff can do whatever they want in their free time, whether it’s politics, activism or you name it. But until 4pm, while they’re still officially on duty, they have to be professional. If they feel strongly about an issue – and many of our staff do! – they can write to the media and give interviews, but always as a private person and not as a spokesperson for the Red Cross,” he said. Jørgen Chemnitz approves of the Grandparents’ work and
- young women living in the centreS In April 2009, I moved to the women centre in Kongelunden. My heart was filled with compassion and pain, thoughtful with the cause of living. It made me wonder: What are the needs and aspirations of these young women seeking asylum in Denmark? welcomes them alongside the other volunteers in Red Cross: ”Yes, in fact they are volunteers. And in general we appreciate the volunteers’ efforts greatly. Volunteering is one of the Red Cross’ main principles. In our asylum centres, we have about 400 volunteers who help out, and the total number of volunteers in all the Red Cross branches is somewhere between 18,000 and 20,000 people,” said Chemnitz.
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coherence When asked, Anne Marie delivered a clear agenda for the future work in Grandparents for Asylum: ”The asylum seekers have to be able to live outside the asylum centers and continue their education. They should not have to wait for an answer to their case for many years,” she stated. This is a message that fits in with the official attitude of Red Cross. The problem is, that this is not always common knowledge to all: “It is unfortunate that there are a lot of rumours – for example some people think that it is the Red Cross that decides who gets to live where. It is the government authorities, who make that decision. We try our best to remind the authorities of the asylum seekers best interests. For instance, if they want to move a family back to Sandholm, and there are special humanitarian reasons, why this would be disruptive for the family’s well-being, like a member of the family being very ill or handicapped, we let the decision-makers know that we don’t think it’s a good idea. These cases are exceptions and we can’t make that request for everyone, but we try the best we can and the authorities do listen to us,“ explained Jørgen Chemnitz.
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All of the young women surveyed had a great desire to be understood. Young asylum seekers expressed that they wished Danish young people were interested in their lives. Young asylum seekers identified the negative media news coverage as a source of stress; many remarked on how it fuelled the hostility towards them, labelled as asylum seekers or refugees. Young asylum seekers do not like to reveal to Danish young people that they are asylum seekers; often telling strangers they are students. The majority of young people (40% woman and 10% children) wanted to meet and make friends with Danish young people, but they said they didn’t know how. Many young people cited feelings of boredom and isolation in their audio and written diaries. The young people often felt that this isolation was a result of the government regulations forbidding asylum seekers to work. All the young people questioned, aspired to succeed in learning Danish with regard to education and employment opportunities, however the majority were unaware of what services/courses were available to them, how to access them or they felt stigmatised and feared the negative reaction they might receive. As a result of this, some young people would work in unskilled jobs as a means to survive. All young people surveyed, wanted to mix with other young asylum seekers but not always necessarily from their country of origins. Many young women were unable to access courses due to the lack of provision for their children. Some women wanted female classes. More than half of the women surveyed by questionnaires or in focus groups had children or were pregnant.
❚ By elisabeth Is it possible to develop a greater understanding of the barriers the women face? How do the service providers respond (or fail to respond) to their needs? To dive deep into this matter, New Times collected data from 40 female asylum seekers aged between 18 and 35 years from many parts of the world, from a variety of social classes, sexual orientations and religions. Some young people are here alone, others are with members of their family. The aim of this research was to gain a qualitative insight into the experiences of young people seeking asylum, it was not intended to be a quantitative survey. New Times has undertaken this piece of research, in partnership with Shipshape – a group for young people seeking asylum. Through questionnaires, face to face meetings with staff or young people’s participation in focus group discussions we were able to make the following conclusions. Read the full report at www.newtimes.dk
Photo: Mikkel Østergaard
New times | OCtOBeR 2009 | issue # 76 | page 17
“Immigration Service interview coming up”
Experiencing The Final Interview Experiencing the final interview and receiving the envelope with the letter from the Immigration Service will change your whole state of mind.
❚❚By Zenzo You feel nervous. You feel scared. You immediately think of what might happen if you get “negative”, because 90% of the people in the camp talk about getting ‘negative’. Now, I thought of the percentage of people that actually get ‘positive’ and imagined I was a part of that group of privileged people. Positive thinking! Sleepless nights, analyzing and browsing the first interviews papers. Even when I did try to sleep, I never really fell asleep. The next couple of days I spent in a dream-like state not really paying attention to my surroundings. Instead, I was continually revising my interview summary and information on my case.
The Countdown The big day arrived. After going to bed at 6 pm, I had only two hours of sleep. When I woke up it was 6 am the next day. I actually can’t remember if I took a shower that morning. The bus ride was uneventful, but the train was something else. I missed my stop in Allerød and I had to catch the train back from Hillerød. I consequently almost missed the bus to Sandholm. The hardest part was waiting for the interviewers to come and fetch me from the office building. I hardly noticed the people around me and I do not think they noticed me either, because we bumped into each other a couple of times not recognizing one another. I felt sick, my stomach was in knots and
page 18 | issue # 76 | OCTOBER 2009 | New times
I had already gone to the bathroom at least four times.
Action! My name was called. We walked to the interview room. My legs felt like rubber and I could not keep up with the official’s pace. Therefore I trailed behind him up to the office. The interview started. “Please take a seat.” My hands and my feet were sweaty, although it was not hot. Actually, it was just another cool day in Denmark. “Would you like coffee, tea, or water?” “Yes, sir.” “Hot?” “Oh, water? OK.” I was nervous... Introductions, names, where I come from, and my age were the first questions. They carried on firing questions and the most frustrating thing was the repetition of one question within five to ten minutes. My lips dried up. Sometimes I had nothing to say.
Reaction… Then, several breaks were made, 5 to 10 minutes. It was like I was being criminally investigated by the police, but it was just an interview. Four hours went by and I thought it was finished, but to my surprise it was a break for lunch. I could not eat anything I felt fed up with questions. The meal looked as large as my whole weekly food. We came back from lunch and more questions were fired at me. Five and a half hours
passed. I could only remember to keep up with time. Then, the stress relieving question came: “Where would you want to live? “I beg your pardon?” “Which city would you like to live in Denmark?” I got stuck, because my head was packed. I eased up, and only remembered the capital Copenhagen. To my surprise a big “No” was given as an answer. “No, not Copenhagen. Somewhere else.” I remembered Hillerød or Lyngby: “Maybe Hillerød?” “But we would suggest the place near the hospital, so that you can always visit your doctor. Yes, because you are under treatment.” I felt quenched as I took a glass of cool water. After having been tormented by the centre life, this is the most horrifying experience for every asylum seeker in Denmark. Six hours of personal questioning is not funny. I only felt relieved after the interview and I longed for my results which would take four more weeks according to the authorities. For now all I can do is wait.
“Immigration Service interview coming up”
Important rules of thumb Life as an asylum seeker is hard enough as it is without the daunting task of facing the immigration interviews.
❚❚By Legend As hard and difficult as it may be to concentrate, one must always try to keep a level head. You must find your “centre of balance” so to speak so as to attain the desired result during and after the interview. This may be hard to do considering the strenuous conditions of the interview, which may take up to six hours. Before the interview you must try to get enough sleep as this will be a determining factor on how sharp your brain is when processing, understanding and answering questions. Have a good square meal the night before the interview and a good breakfast, drink water during the interview and ask to have a break if you need it.
Calm down It can never be good to work yourself up before the interview so it’s necessary to relax, be it music you listen to, meditation or even prayer, do it if it makes you feel stronger. When going for the interview you must be prepared to answer questions which may seem personal or outright silly, but it is of utmost importance that you answer all the questions truthfully and take them seriously as all these questions and answers are being written down. Remember what you wrote in the form filling as there must be consistency in your story and no contradictions. The most important thing is to be convincing and consistent, so answer shortly, clearly and truthfully.
Sometimes you can feel confused and even angry because it seems that the Immigration Service is asking you the same question several times over. They may also ask you to describe the railway station or some other building in your home town. It can seem strange, but they want to check you are telling the truth.
Strictly confidential Although some of these questions may be personal and may seem offensive one must always remember that the Danish Police and Immigration Service are not corrupt (so you should not try to bribe them). Nor are they violent and that they follow strict rules on confidentiality. You should also not fear them as this may cause you not to answer questions in a nonconfident manner. The things you tell them will be kept secret and they are not allowed to contact your home country. When answering Immigration Service’s questions, you should not take heed of the “help” or model answers you may have received from either people in the centre or from someone who may have helped you in your travel. Advice like this will usually harm you more than help you!
Nothing but the truth Two points which must always be stressed are to tell the truth all the way and remember what you said. If you are not absolutely sure about places and dates say so in the beginning so
that it does not seem as if you are lying if you change them along the way. If you have been raped, tortured or abused in anyway you have to mention it from the start, even if its very difficult for you to talk about. (You must also remember that there are counsellors to help you cope with difficult mental situations. Ask in the clinic in your centre). If for any reason you forget to mention something during your interview you should write to the Immigration Service correcting your statements and the sooner you perform this task the better, it will be to your advantage.
Basic rights As an asylum seeker you are entitled to some rights when having your interview. Although they can delay the processing of your case a little they do not dictate the ultimate outcome. If you are a female, and you are more comfortable with a female interviewer and or translator, it is your right to request one if it will make you more comfortable, especially if you have to tell about sexual abuse. But you must request this in good time before the interview. You may also ask to have a person with you for support, but only do this if you really need them, and it would be better if you would bring somebody who you trust and knows about the asylum system. If the translator does not speak your language clearly, it is your right to ask for another one with whom you are able
to communicate more easily and who will translate exactly what you mean to say. You are also entitled to have a copy of the information you gave during the interview. You can get this through a photocopy of the translator’s transcripts or a tape recording of your own of the interview. Make sure you get any errors corrected before signing the papers at the end of the interview. Before the interview you can also ask for a copy of the forms you filled, this is a good idea as you may not be able to remember exactly what you wrote many months earlier. Although you can record the interview, you should consider whether to do so carefully as it might give the impression that you do not have much faith in the interviewers or the system as a whole. If you have been tortured you may ask to be examined by an Amnesty International doctor, who is specialized with torture victims. They would be better suited to deal with your wounds, both physical and mental. Although this has to be requested by yourself or your lawyer.
FACTS Some examples of the main questions you are asked by Immigration Service are: ❚❚ How did you leave your country? ❚❚ What will happen if you go back? ❚❚ Who is after you? ❚❚ Are you a member of a political group in you home country? ❚❚ Where is your family now?
Further information ASIG - the Asylum Seeker’s Information Group, tel: 23345887 or newtimesdk@gmail.com is always available to help with information and advice, both at: H C Ørstedsvej, 47, 1809 Frederiksberg C and in the centres. Refugees Underground, www.flygtningeunderjorden.dk working with asylum lawyers have produced a leaflet for new asylum seekers. It is on their website in 8 languages. Dansk Flygtningehjælp, the Danish Refugee Council hold free advice sessions every Wednesday from 13.00 to 15.00. Borgergade 10, Postbox 53, 1002 København K. www.flygtning.dk For information about the procedures of asylum seeking you can look at the Immigration Service web site on http://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-US/. We welcome any comments about the information in this article and also invite anyone who has additional information to contact New Times at teamnewtimes@gmail.com
New times | OCTOBER 2009 | issue # 76 | page 19
CREATIVE PAGE We bring you examples of asylum seekers’ creativity and imagination.
The Cradle Of The Earth
THE D-HAMMER AND THE I-ANVIL
I am writing about homeland About a nation and land I write Gather fire moments by the fantasy hand Arrange the stories and witnesses Make it a book … a scripture For the sleepy God to read To carve In the existing time memory A crime Lasting thousands and thousands of years,
The D-hammer said ”I am stronger” The I-anvil said ”I am a stick and sharper” The D-hammer said ”with one punch you go” The I-anvil said ”and with my sharp end I pierce you so” Down went the argument Boiling both in a garment Strength and sharpness Reality sets in, its faces Big voices against the sharp voices Dogs barking mice squeaking The ring is set The gong is fed The D-hammer sets a blow The I-anvil only bows The D-hammer wins The I-anvil sins Cheers die out The lights go out Never was peace between the two Now the D-hammer waits for the next victim
I ‘m writing my history Decades of a nation I write And release the forbidden Hymns Chant them harshly That which raze the dens of the guards And after – tired – whisper: By your mountains and the lily lips By your looms that weave my barren poems And by your passing martyrs I will write By your burned village wood smell By your Kurdish olive grove And by your cotton gardens I‘ll write By your plains and mounds By your avenging waterfalls And by your snow I‘ll write and write and write Then I‘ll chant my poems waving And smoke quarrelling my memory Trying to annihilate the distance from Sandholm to you I‘ll shout and scream I‘ll smash the sky’s columns I‘ll send my prophets To plant in the east poems, to live To complete Zara’s morals And our vanished kingdoms faiths, I am writing about my self About the wandering stork I write Walking in city streets Like a poet written on him That he has no home Walking … And on my shoulders dangling The feet of the killing loneliness.. Walking, without Knowing If I will reach to your ground one day... Who am I … Who will I be? A passing refugee Or distracted writer? I don’t know I still don’t know. Jan Pêt Khorto Sandholm 21/6/2009
page 20 | issue # 76 | OCTOBER 2009 | New times
By Katz, dedicated to the Iraqi asylum seekers that the Danes sent back home.