A magazine produced by asylum seekers and immigrants in Denmark > December 2009 > issue # 77
WHILE YOU WAIT:
PAINT YOUR DAY!
STAY STRONG! P4
MEET MAD, JAN & JIMMY:
ARTISTS AMONG US P 6 / P 12 / P 15
DOUBLE FESTIVITIES IN AFGHANISTAN:
NEW YEAR / NOWROZ P 10
INTRODUCING MR. D.N. MARK:
WHEN GIANTS MEET P 11
New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 1
Paint your day!
A nest of creativity
Have Your Say: Contributions Welcome!
As he makes his way through the room he greets the others with a silent “hello”. He finds an empty chair in front of a computer, removes the keyboard and places his white sheets of paper on the table. With a pencil in one hand and the other hand at his cheek, he begins to draw. It is as if he has gone away – away to a place where he can relax. A place where there are no enemies, but only his pencil and the world they create together. The scene is taken from a random day at New Times, but it could have been from any day of the year. When you walk into the editorial office it is striking how much creativity bubbles in the corners. Some of it never leaves the desk. Some of it never leaves the mind. But in this edition we made as much room for creativity as we could.
The New Times editorial office is situated in the Red Cross House in Frederiksberg. Here a team of asylum seekers and ex-asylum seekers living on Zealand work to cover asylum, immigration and human rights issues. Nevertheless, we always welcome contributions to the paper and the webpage, www.newtimes.dk from asylum seekers whereever they live. For example, in this this issue we have a story from Cyprien who is currently living in Brovst asylum center. Furthermore on the webpage you can read articles, stories, and poems from residents of Sigerslev center who have recently produced their own newspaper, ID Zone, for people living in the center. Exasylum seekers and other immigrants are also very welcome to send contributions to us.
Creativity comes from the inside but is often related to something happening in your surroundings, whether in Sandholm or in Iraq. An anthropologist noticed that it was a tradition amongst Iraqis to be able to recite poetry – either your own or published. As they had escaped the regime in Iraq, writing their own poetry became a way of documenting, what had happened to them – in a very emotional way. No matter what the reason for being creative is, it takes a lot of courage to put your creativity out there. We hope you enjoy the works of the asylum seekers in this special edition – and we wish you a happy New Year!
Team New Times
If you would like to submit your articles, stories, poems, photos and drawings to New Times send them to us at newtimesdk@gmail.com or by post to New Times, Red Cross House in Frederiksberg, H C Ørstedsvej, 47, 1879 Frederiksberg. We look forward to hearing from you.
Driving through Denmark? New Times needs distribution help all around the country. Jelling, Kolding, Faaborg or Pandrup? New Times magazine wants to spread the message throughout Denmark. Although this is a noble wish, it creates a small problem: Using the postal service is very expensive these days! New Times comes out four times a year and if you could take around 25 copies from Copenhagen to any smaller city or cities in Denmark, we would be very grateful. We also need distributors who can put the magazine in local libraries and perhaps one or two other places, for instance cafes, where people would see it. If you can help out with any of this, don’t hesitate to contact New Times at newtimesdk@gmail.com Thanks!
Photo: Freefoto.com
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
New Times journalists: Anosh, Borys, David, Elisabeth, Fouad, Jan, Jimmy, John, Kaosar, Katz, Legend, Mad, Nabila, Omar, Otman, Samir, Solomon, Wafic, Zenzo, Ziad and Cyprien in Brovst On job training: Hashan Usgalhewa Trainee: Sarah Madsen Volunteers: Anne Katrine Petersen, Natasa Pokupcic, Michael Keller, Cassie Bohlken, Leoné Nowell
Editor: Ole Jeppesen
page 2 | issue # 77 | December 2009 | New times
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: 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.
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. 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
Migration generates talent Many people who live in exile try to find a way to release the stress. Some work or study, some pursue creative activities. Some start a new type of life exploring talents stimulated by their difficult situation. ❚❚By Jan Lazgin, a Kurdish asylum seeker from Syria, is one of those who found a new talent after he arrived in Denmark. “I tried to find something to release the anger, fear, tiredness”. He started drawing in pencil on any kind of paper in the beginning. “When one of the staff in my centre noticed my papers, he liked them and said that he would bring me some painting materials. After some days he brought me some brushes and some colours, and I started painting,” he said. Lazgin is 34 years old and has been in Denmark for seven months. When I asked him about his feelings when he came to Denmark, he said: “I left my country because any country that doesn’t respect you as a human being and tries in many ways to kill the purity and peace in your heart is simply not mine. When I arrived here, I had a feeling of fear but with the help and care of the Red Cross staff, I feel like I am in the right place and I really feel the peace here. After they moved me to Sigerslev Centre from Sandholm, I looked for an activity to bring the pain out, and painting was the closest to me,” he said. How did you learn to paint? “I hadn’t attended any art school before, it’s just something that came out, with no planning to start it.”
some of the feelings you might have. But how does painting specifically help Lazgin? “It’s not easy to live in a camp and to be far from your family and the friends you grew up with. I was forced to leave my home running from arrest and injustice and the painting gave me some relief - it’s like throwing the pain on the white paper, and playing with colours to create a silent life on it. I spend most of my time in the painting room, trying to let the bad feelings out and to forget the situation I am in now.” I asked him about his inspiration and what the paintings are about. “I came from an Eastern Kurdish society, I grew up in the villages and the farms there. When I stand in front of the white paper, I remember those faces, lands, colours - I am drawing my memories.” What is your next step, the New Year, the future? “Unfortunately, some days ago I got a ‘negative’, meaning that my case was rejected. So because of that, I don’t know what will happen to me in the next few months, and how my situation will be - it’s unknown.” To end off, he said: “I hope - if I can – to have a course in art in the future, to make my new talent become professional.”
The colour of pain Expressing yourself through creativity seems to help release
New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 3
Stop It Now By Fouad Stop it now It’s only the innocent who get hurt in war The soldiers It’s their job They get paid to die The politicians They should be dead anyway For letting it get this far Stop it now Before either of you miss another target And hit more civilians Or will you admit Civilians are always targets And your excuses are as dead as your enemies And you are just as bad As you say the other side is
Photo: Freefoto.com
Communication made easier This story may sound funny and ridiculous. Maybe it is only credible in the eyes of those who lived the asylum life - especially at its very beginning, when you have just arrived and one hardly knows what to do next. Maybe. Read on and see for yourself. ❚❚By Cyprien It was one of those Thursdays when every asylum seeker goes shopping and me just passing by to get back to my bicycle I had left at the ”parkering” lot when I realized that I needed some detergent. Inside the supermarket there was a freshly-arrived lady who did not speak any of the natural languages ever known or heard of before. She apparently needed to buy something but had failed to find it on the shelves. After several minutes of wandering about, she made that courageous move to go to the ”kassedame” and talk to her. Apparently the problem was still there since they did not understand each other. As a last resort, the lady came up with another skillfull explanatory approach as she wanted to buy a chicken but did not know how to call it in English or in Danish. She had no intention of ”letting it go” and buying something else. She really wanted to buy that chicken. Without any warning to the already astounded onlookers, we all
heard her singing a very clear and loud ”cock-a-doodle-doo”. I quickly turned around only to note there was no cock anywhere but a very beautiful woman. Her tenacity to help reduce the communication gap between people from different cultural backgrounds, recalled me Dominic Dunne, when he wrote in his novel, An Inconvenient Woman: ”Never die in a country for which you do not speak the language”. I paid for my detergent and left the shop but I owe respect to that woman who actually mentored me in dealing with communication problems should they arise. I hope she will never forget ”kylling” even in the next life.
page 4 | issue # 77 | DECEMBER 2009 | New times
So stop it now Before you run out of targets And have to include yourselves Among the carnage
During the weeks of waiting:
STAY STRONG!
The interview is over, you go back home, you feel down and nervous. Now you face the waiting time. ❚❚By Zenzo
Basic human needs
The time waiting for an answer to your asylum application is a difficult time. What is the remedy for those going about their daily life with deep thoughts and feeling down? As we all know, the feelings are always with panic, sleepless nights, fear - just to mention a few. I have been waiting for too long after my interview and it is not easy. You will feel lonely, homesick, but home is unsafe, the situation will not allow you to go back home. You don’t feel like talking but you will be forced to because there are people around you. You feel like being alone, but you live with four people in a room. It is a wise idea to see a psychologist, get some advice and counselling, or later on medication. The moment you feel down is the moment you feel you don’t want to talk or when you find yourself getting frustrated. You feel like being by yourself and perhaps you get angry. Just knowing that the inside of your brain is working round and round.
Get out, put on your jogging shorts or track suits and take a long jog. It will relax your mind. If possible take off with your iPod, play some techno music, or any favourite music. Take a long walk alone or with a friend, that will give you fresh feelings and you will relax. God is there for us all during our times, he will be there all the time. Pray every day if possible – if you believe. Don’t stay alone all the time in a room. Go out, make friends of all races and learn their culture. Get committed to school activities, learn something that will help you in the future, wherever that may be. The moment you get busy with e.g. sports, school, a social life, that will push aside your waiting time and you will feel better. We all know being an asylum seeker is not easy, but we still hope for a better future and we have good friends around us. We can be strong, why not?
Songs of Unity
Music can be defined as the art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm and timbre. ❚❚By Solomon The act of playing music started in ancient times as our forefathers gathered together and maintained their dignity playing and listening to music. In the Bible we read about the lights of King David, a king who entranced the world (even the kings) with pieces of inspirational music. Even when he committed sins, he still pleased God through the language of music. Today his music is written in the Bible as the Book of Psalms which means the Songs of David. Playing music is enchanting, listening to it is redeeming. Many have found their peace and freedom of mind listening to their desired music. The “thumb” behind music is incomparable as music makes the world go round. Some say music is their life, while some say it’s the language they speak. It gives a redefined meaning to the lives of many.
After being banned by the Georgian State government because of his participation and respect for the human rights of the blacks living in Georgia, he cancelled a concert meant for the important personalities of Georgia. While they waited to hear him sing he changed his noble mind on his way to the venue - and did not show up. Later he sang the song titled “Georgia On My Mind” as a unifying song that reunited him and the U.S. State of Georgia. Swedish songwriter Thomas G:son wrote and sang a song with the Danish title “En Bro Mellem Mennesker” which means building a bridge between people. The song impacted the minds of generous hearted people. The message describes unity in faith, beliefs, harmony and peace for all. In a nutshell music is life and without music the world would be in shambles.
Try listen to all these songs yourself and you will know what I mean: Michael Jackson: “Heal The World”, “They Don’t Really Care About Us”, “We Are The World” Ray Charles: “Georgia On my Mind” Thomas G:son: “En Bro Mellem Mennesker” Woody Guthrie: “This Land Is Your Land”
The Genius Ray Charles - with nicknames Brother Ray and The Genius - is a good example of someone who could redefine meaning through music. His music impacts people whose situations seem hopeless and those who have less opportunities in life. Ray Charles was a blind man whose life seemed crippled and meaningless with less opportunity because he was blind. But suddenly he was lifted up by the virtue of music. He learned to play as a young child before he became blind and when he grew up he was able to find a life playing wonderful music which took over the world.
The answer is music Music is a virtue. Without music life would be miserable. The world would be sad and people perpetually angry. Happiness would be far from people and the hope of unity would be dead and buried. To some people, no matter what you say they don’t pay attention until you play music that suits their hearts and condition. Then they will want to listen to you. Many songs have been created and played as a result of love and unity. For instance, ‘We are the world’ by Michael Jackson was sung along with many people and great artists who understood that music is a drive for change. The world took on the anthem which became a common song for unity to make the world a better place for us to live in.
Thinking about Georgia However, the music should be played in order to take a message across to the listeners. It should explain the reasons for playing it. This is why some music can stand out. Ray Charles is a good example.
New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 5
Artist portrait / Mad
Mad About Painting “Painting and the caricature for me are ways to express my opinions and feelings about the people and life”, says Mad, an artist and asylum seeker in Denmark.
Caravane du Sahara
❚❚By Nabila Mad is a Berber (Amazigh people) and originates from North Africa. He started painting when he was only 10. Mad is now 59 years old, and his passion for art is still the same. A self taught painter and a cartoonist, Mad especially likes the Impressionist painters, such as Monet and Renoir: “When I was young, I copied famous paintings and this is how I studied the techniques. I find inspiration in everyday life problems. It is difficult to paint and work when I am depressed or stressed out as I am right now. Then, the inspiration comes difficultly. Sometimes I work for 4 or 5 days, but sometimes many days pass by and I do nothing. I try to use the asylum life as an inspiration, but only in caricatures. It is easier to express life problems using caricatures. This is how I explain my sensibility towards life.”
Keeping going
ings in various media: acrylic oil, Chinese ink and watercolours. He is also actively looking for a little gallery that will show his work in the future. When asked if it is difficult to be an asylum seeker and an artist, Mad explains: “It is difficult to be an asylum seeker, because I am not a young man anymore. It is expensive for me to get artists’ materials and keep on painting. New Times helps me get materials. Also, the staff from the centre in Kongelunden helped me get paint and brushes when I needed them.” Mad is a fervent believer in freedom and true democracy. The reason for coming to Denmark was the press censorship in his own country, namely censure of his caricatures. Mad tells us how he left many of his paintings in his country: “I left 30 paintings behind, many of them were destroyed. All I have left are the photographs of them.”
Mad has been working at New Times as an illustrator for seven months and his caricatures were displayed at the Danish Red Cross event on the World Refugee Day. Currently he is working hard preparing for the next year’s exhibition of his paint-
Femme Kabyle aux bijoux
page 6 | issue # 77 | December 2009 | New times
G 20
Book review:
Afvist: Asylansøgere i Danmark
(Rejected: Asylum seekers in Denmark)
New Times had a read through the Grandparents for Asylum’s recent book “Afvist” [“Rejected”, Ed.] - here are our thoughts on this grim, yet deeply moving read.
❚❚By Sarah “Afvist” is a collection of twenty personal accounts of people who came to Denmark for a variety of reasons, most fleeing from war and persecution. Twenty fates, whose lives (and the lives of their loved ones) have become irrevocably marked by their experiences of the Danish asylum system. The stories, narrated by the asylum seekers themselves, serve as a backdrop to a critical view of the asylum system. While not passing judgment on the Refugee Board’s decisions directly, the disapproving view on the system becomes very clear, as all the personal stories are examples of the horrible damage that can be done to
people seeking asylum, during their wrestle with a system described as made of “stay away-mechanisms”. After each personal account, “Afvist” gives the reader bite-sized introductions to different aspects of the asylum system, such as the Dublin Convention, statelessness, unaccompanied minor asylum seekers and imprisonment, and touches on some of the more harmful side effects of the regulations, such as the breaking up of families etc.
Digging deeper The last section of the book delves more deeply into the legal and the human rights aspects of Denmark’s asylum policies and practices with very interesting
and insightful contributions from Michala Clante Bendixen (from Refugees Underground), Law Professor Jens VedstedHansen, and journalist Knud Vilby, among others. Being a “Bedsteforældre for Asyl” project, the foreword of “Afvist” gives a short introduction to their work and agenda, as well as a short outline of the current asylum situation in Denmark, with the number of annual arrivals, countries of origin etc. A “Further reading” list is also provided including links to the Danish Refugee Council, Refugees Underground and the Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs for anyone who wishes to dig deeper into asylum and integration matters or perhaps even become active in working for / with asylum seekers.
Tough reading “Afvist” is a captivating read, the narration simple, the tone sober, the chapters short and easily manageable. That, however, does not make “Afvist” an easy read. The tragic personal stories, contrasted by the apparent cynicism of the system, are chilling to say the least. They are the stories of confusion, frustration, and hopelessness, of families torn mercilessly apart, of individuals robbed of their dignity while caught in the kafka-esque webs of bureaucracy. I had to put the book down on several occasions and swallow hard to collect myself before reading on. The book thus serves two purposes: first, to reach the reader and evoke empathy with the asylum seekers on a deep emotional level, by putting actual names and faces on the tragedies behind the brief reports that we usually see on the news. Second, to inform the reader about the factual workings of the system. The first purpose is definitely served: the emotions instilled in me while reading alternated between disbelief, shame, nausea, and anger. These are deeply moving stories that got under my skin and I will not forget them.
Details matter The second part, while factually correct, at times I found could have done well with a little more nuance. It would have been nice to see the authors dig a little deeper into why things are the way they are, instead of falling back on the standard argument that the system is only designed to scare people off. Some decisions that may seem odd or restrictional to the public eye could actually have been made out of consideration for the asylum seekers’ special needs for protection. For example, a critical point is made that asylum seekers have no direct access to the Danish health care system and initially have to rely on the on-site doctors and nurses provided by the Red Cross in the asylum centers - at no point is it even suggested that the Red Cross’ medical personnel may actually be better qualified to deal with asylum seekers’ special needs than the local general practitioner, duty doctor or the staff at a regular clinic would be.
A good starting point It’s the lack of attention to details like these that often make the difference to whether you can win an argument or not. I feel that this is especially important here, since the aim of the book is clearly to provide a sound and thorough counter-argument to those in the public debate who claim that the system is working just the way it’s supposed to, or that it may even be too lenient. If you wish to challenge that view and want to be taken seriously in your criticism, you need to know not only where the system fails, but also where it actually works. That being said, “Afvist” still provides an excellent introduction to the theme of asylum seekers and refugees from a humanitarian point of view, and to the Danish policies on the subject. I therefore highly recommend this book to anyone who is even a little bit interested in this highly relevant social and political issue.
Still need a Christmas present? AFVIST Asylansøgere i Danmark (Rejected: Asylum seekers in Denmark) 2009 edited by Eline Mørch Jensen published by Tiderne Skifter 184 pages paperback available in Danish from www.tiderneskifter.dk for 130 DKK.
New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 7
Reflections on 2009
– The runner-up gets the Nobel Peace Prize
– We’re climate refugees, get us out of here! page 8 | issue # 77 | December 2009 | New times
– It’s not always enough to participate - sometimes you have to win
– What about the other 364 days? New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 9
neW yeAr / noWroZ In Afghanistan New Year is called Nowroz (New Day) and Sal-e-Now (New Year) in Dari Language. It marks the first day of the spring and the beginning of the year. ❚ By H. shirzai It occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. People celebrate it with a special kind of drink called ’’Haft Miwa’’ (comprised of seven different kinds of fruits and nuts) usually served in the morning when people wake up. Some family members stand in front of the door offering Haft Miwa to friends and neighbours. On that day, people usually serve lunch and dinner with lots of vegetarian food on the table. A special and grand ceremony is held on the tomb of ’’Sakhe-Sahib’’ every year in Mazare-Sharif. Thousands of people gather from different parts of the country to participate in the flag-hoisting ceremony on the tomb which is believed to be the shrine of Hazrat Ali, the sonin-law of prophet Mohammad (Peace be Upon Him). Hotels and rental houses are fully booked, many foreigners and reporters come from around the world to attend the flag-raising ceremony.
DAncing in tHe street The New Year ceremony is well celebrated in Kabul and Mazare-Sharif. People in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif tune in to music and dance on the streets the night of the New Year. The rest of the country cannot be compared with Kabul and Mazar; the second cities, Jalalabad and Herat stay somehow calm and
page 10 | issue # 77 | DeCemBeR 2009 | New times
have a normal day. Different concerts are held in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif. The Government arranges free entertainment for the people in Kabul, where you find many people from many different nations. New Year in Afghanistan is not only a celebration but a demonstration of brotherhood and unity between nations too.
neW yeAr tWice A yeAr In reality, Afghanistan benefits from two New Years, the normal New Year and the Western New Year. The latter is celebrated by some Afghans who keep low profiles* and celebrate somehow in their house or in some international or military organizations, of course not openly. While the Christian foreigners and International people are getting together in a church somewhere in the middle of Kabul, the armies celebrate in their bases. A visit from a chaplain is of key importance for the armies and every base expects one. That is not an easy job to undertake for the headquarters. All movements, even for a single man, always requires tight security and a convoy, which is not without risk. Some bases are located in the “hot zone” and most of the time only air transportation is approved. It is beyond question, to stroll around the cities particularly in the provinces on your own without a convoy of armoured vehicles.
sAcreD key role The people in the bases get angry if the Chaplain can’t visit, which may happen for logistical or security reasons and then they select one of their people to say prayers for them. One can see a kind of hope, desire and longing for their families back home and you can see them looking at the photos of their dear ones and wishing them happy New Year on the phone, some with tears in their eyes and some with smiles but still wet eyes. Now as an asylum seeker I realize the feeling of loneliness, and the desire to be home with dear ones celebrating New Year. Not only loneliness, but a feeling of somehow loss and hope, dark and light, good and bad are what strikes me. Despite that fact, you have your dear ones in your memory and the first thing you do is to wish them a happy celebration and New Year. * Abdul Rahman Christianity – a dangerous choice: Abdul Rahman, a convert to Christianity, was found with a Bible in February 2006. This almost caused his death referring to Afghan law - and supported by many Islamic countries. In other words: Staying in Afghanistan was for him a certain death. He was released after international efforts and pressure on the Government. Finally, the Italian Government gave him asylum in Italy.
A sweet dish for new year / nowroz Samanak is a sweet paste made from germinated wheat, which is boiled. Ladies get together to make it. They sit around the samanak pot on the fire all night and until morning singing songs. They serve the samanak in the morning.
kite flying Kite flying is a traditional Afghan custom, particularly among children and youth. They play it more often in Kabul. The sky is full of colourful kites and people fly them everywhere in the city, particularly in the hills of Tapai Malang Jan. It was banned by Taliban as an un-Islamic activity.
clothes Almost all people wear Afghan tradition clothes. Men wear light-coloured pyjamas. Women wear a long colourful dresses with a full skirt.
A buskashi This is a game of daring and courage; a traditional Afghan horse-riding sport played in the Northern Provinces to celebrate Nowroz. It is played on an open plain with a decapitated calf placed in the centre of the field before the judges. The object of the game is to ride with the carcass around some specific points before dropping the calf back in the centre while the other horse riders try to snatch away the calf and make the run themselves.
strictly prohibited Nowroz was banned by the Taliban calling it an un-Islamic festival and therefore they put a ban on it during their regime from 1996-2001.
MR. D.N. MARK, PART 1:
“WHEN GIANTS MEET”
❚❚Short story by Katz Mr. Denis Nelson Mark, his name was too long and all members who were from that general area found it hard to pronounce. To make easier to pronounce Mr. Noren, Mr. Sweeten, Mr. Jermain, Mr. Finnsand they all agreed to shorten his name to Mr. D.N. Mark. At first this upset Mark because he had a long history with his name. The length of his name had a lot of personal meaning to Mark; he took pride in his full name. This is why: On the day of his baptism three elders wanted to be Mark’s godfather and this caused a conflict. In order to settle the conflict they all agreed to share the obligation by naming him after their own names, Denis, Nelson, and Mark. On that very day, he also received gifts that brought much wealth and pride to him. One of the gifts given to Mark was a pasture of land, more than what he would actually use. The men at the general assembly all had many estates and a lot of pasture land. This was why they would all sit together on one common table. They all had a common problem as well and that was that there were many animals that were coming from distant estates that wanted to graze on their lands. As the general assembly began, they all sat down with large cups of beer at a large wooden table, the room was dark because the host of this particular assembly was Mr. D.N. Mark who was rather a very close-fisted gentleman who opted not to use too much lighting, or central heating. He would rather have the meeting held in a cold, petroleum lamp lit room. He was a short chubby hairy fellow who spoke with a hoarse voice. As a custom at the beginning of each meeting a creed was always said in honour of the host. So they all stood and Mr. D.N. Mark stood up and spoke: “There is a lovely estate, it stands with broad beaches near the salty eastern beach, it winds itself in hills, valleys, I call it by my names Denis Nelson Mark and now D.N. Mark .” They all then took their seats and the meeting was set to begin. Mr. Sweeten was chosen to be secretary of the assembly. The agenda for the meeting consisted of focusing on their problem of animals from far off that were coming to graze on their estates. Mr. Jermain stood up and said:
“Gentlemen, we are all faced with this problem that doesn’t look like ending even in the near future. We shall need to classify these animals into groups and know which sort of animals are allowed to graze. Those that do not meet our set requirements will have to be sent back the way they came.” Mr. D.N. Mark also suggested that, “we need to isolate these animals from our own because they may carry diseases that may become a problem to our own animals, more so we wouldn’t wish these animals to mate with ours so we need to isolate them and keep by themselves and under strict supervision”. There after Mr. Finnsand disagreed with Mr. D.N. Mark and said “Maybe we should allow these animals and welcome them and allow them to intermingle with our own animals, besides we have got enough land that is even more than what we can use. To this Mr. Noren stood up and said “I do agree with you Mr. Finnsand, we have all this vast wealth and at times we have what is just too much for our animals to finish. Why not allow these animals to stay with us no matter how many they are that come. They bring will more wealth to us in the long run.” “No!” said Mr. D.N. Mark. “Some of these animals might overtake our farmlands and our own may become the minority, so we do need strict laws against these animals that are coming to our estates”. “What sort of laws should we set up then?” asked Mr. Sweeten. “Good question,” responded Mr. D.N. Mark, “we should only allow animals that seem to have been wounded or ill fed by their owners and there should be physical proof. They should also have ear tags that would identity of their original estates and proof of being mistreated by their owners.” Mr. Jermain suggested: “And if they have proof of physical mistreatment but lack ear tags, then we can not have them because we will not be able to know whether the mistreatment was self inflicted or it was done by their owners.” The laws that were proposed were warmly welcomed by all the members and a toast was made and they all drank beer to their new law. Mr. Sweeten handed out a copy of the set laws to each of the members and then adjourned the assembly. As the men went on back to their individual estates Mr. D.N. Mark was left alone in the conference room still looking at the laws. It seemed as though he was not so satisfied with everything - maybe because he felt that more animals were coming in to his estate more than it was with the rest of the members… What happened next? Follow up of this story in our next issue!
New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 11
Artist portrait / Jan Pêt Khorto
The eternal scribbler If there is a charismatic asylum seeker in the real sense, then Jan Pêt Khorto is one. Born Mohammad N. Ahmad in Aleppo City in the North of Syria.
❚❚By David A Kurd of high education, Jan studied Mass Media in Syria where he couldn’t complete his degree because he was expelled for political activities and his poetry that the Government found offensive. He has been here in Denmark as an asylum seeker for five months now. He is presently editor-in-chief of ID ZONE, a newspaper dealing with issues of asylum seekers in Centre Sigerslev. He is also a member of Dansk Pen (Danish Association of Writers). He is not new in this business as, at the age of 18, he established a newspaper back in Syria in Arabic. He was also founder of “Koma Beje”, a group whose target was to publish a magazine about the Kurds in Arabic. However, the newspaper never saw the light of day because of members being arrested and detained. Apart from this, Jan is a fine poet and has published 2 books of poems in Arabic called “It’s just never ending words” and “The puzzles”. A third one, which he wrote in Denmark, will be published soon. Presently he is working on a novel. A cultural man, he has produced some theatre plays like, “Dead can dance” and is also actively involved in the New Times newspaper in Copenhagen.
Life experienced When asked how this young man became such a fine poet, journalist, writer, play producer, he answered: “I am not trained in any institution for these talents, rather I was inspired by the life style,
social and political situations of the Kurds living in Syria, and also by their problems in the four parts of Kurdistan. I get horrible feelings everyday hearing about killings, arrests, tortures, marginalization and forced displacement. These things have a deep impact on me”, he said. He wrote the first poem when he was 15 and since then his inspirations have been the situations around him. He had many plans and had hoped to achieve a lot through communicating to the people the idea of love and peace and injustice in the world, but now he is trying to harmonize with his new environment, i.e. Denmark, in terms of the culture, lifestyle and the weather.
New challenges Asked how he is coping with his new life in Denmark, he said: “I like the lifestyle because the system is working perfectly, i.e. the social system, and there are lots of opportunities to improve oneself if you really look for it in the right places.” In his free time, when not on his busy and hard schedule, he is an ardent reader and painter and listens to classical music to help him relax. Asked what he feels about the Danish women, he replied: “I like the Scandinavian women so much that they inspired me to write my latest poem. I don’t believe that the women here are as cold as people believe!” Asked what he doesn’t like about Denmark so far, he answered: “I find the health care system in Denmark not so good because of long waiting time - and I don’t like the divided
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society; the gap between the religions, especially between the Muslims and Christians. I believe that human morals and beliefs should be respected, and I believe in integrating humans together irrespective of race, colour and religion.” “Overall, though,” he continues, “I feel very well here in Denmark because I have been given the chance to do what I like doing”.
Go for it He has got no regret so far in his life and advises people who already are, or are aspiring to be in this line of work, to feel free and have the will to be what they want to be. Through and through he thinks he still has a long way to go and when asked about his goal in the future, he said: “In the nearest future, I hope to improve on things I like so much, such as writing and researching, and I would like to study film-making here in Denmark or Germany. It all depends on what happens with my asylum case, but above all I want to be a world-acclaimed humanity poet”.
Confusions
Groan By Jan Pêt Khorto He waved the day he was going rebelling to the mountain, kissed me on my forehead surrounded me with his arms to implant in my back the finger’s pain over the years. We were alone killing time making time’s hands drunk writing singing together he heard me in an instant an old symphony the forefathers were involved in, inspired the fingers became a prophet, playing on the strings a song for Shivan called in Kurdish “Havale bar giranim” Followed by “Welat”, by “Ciwan Haco” to thunder the sky upon us a bridge of tears. Under olive trees, we were singing in the land which my father inherited from a spiteful father we drew a dream on red dust carved our names on an old trunk to keep the memory of something missing. Told me secretly to write characters on the chest of a crazy man to write the story of spite to a kind mother to write a history of the land for people who know only the language of the graves. He stands as a blatant fool “Here I am. Hey land! Here I am. Hey sky! I am a bird accepting to be slaughtered to be humble I am denying my body, for an unbelieving soul here I am releasing the groan of the Ink from my fingers to write an epic of blood and tyranny. This I am, who are you?” He put the tambur on his shoulder then he said “I hand you my pen If I don’t come back write to my mother about me and tell her that I found myself...” and started walking singing loudly “Ey Reqip Her” to leave me silent and alone, with no words.
By Jan Pêt Khorto Unknown Inspiration Came Sneaking Slowly Through my imagination Chanting thrill Hymns About the Unbelievable Princess Who lives in the Land of Pirates Which burned my Lands With all her Crazy Kindness That which Gathered my Sprinkled Splinters.
Shivan Perwer - Kurdish singer. “Havale bar giranim” - a song for Shivan meaning the friend with the heavy load. “Welat” - a song for Jiwan meaning homeland. “Ciwan Haco” - Kurdish singer (Jiwan Hajo). “Ey Reqip Her” - the National Song of the Kurds.
New times with Novo Nordisk Back in September, New Times reporter Akram tagged along when Novo Nordisk executives invited a group of asylum seekers for a day of broadening horizons. ❚❚By Akram In September 2009, sixteen young managers from Novo Nordisk met with a group of asylum seekers, spending a full ten-hour day together learning about each other’s life. The day started at the Red Cross House on H.C. Ørstedsvej, with an exercise where the young managers from Novo Nordisk had brought photos from their early childhood and then the asylum seekers had to say which picture belonged to whom. It was a nice trick to get the talking started between the asylum seekers and Novo Nordisk participants. By the time the group left for the asylum centre Sjælsmark by bus, the participants were already friends and were looking forward to knowing more about each other. After lunch and a tour around the centre, the next stop was the conference hotel “Kollekolle” where the Novo Nordisk participants where staying. Here, some of the asylum seekers opened up about their situation and felt lighter when they found kind hearts that were bleeding with them and sharing their pain. By the end of the day all the participants shook hands and some exchanged emails and then the asylum seekers went back to the unknown future waiting for them in their centres.
A DAY OFF It was clear to everyone how wonderful it was for the asylum seekers to meet a group of people like the managers from Novo Nordisk, and for a few hours feel a kind of brotherhood with new friends. Asmahan,
one of the participating asylum seekers, said: “It was full of information and enjoyment, that day we spent with the members from Novo Nordisk. We had the chance to talk about ourselves, as well as the luck to find good listeners in the Novo Nordisk managers. It was useful and lovely experience. Now we have a lot of new friends.” “The feeling of equality and the hospitality affected me a lot,” Hairar, another asylum seeker, remarked. “In those ten hours,” she continued, “I could get myself out the daily routine and feel like myself with people that I really enjoyed being with. When I left Iraq, I hoped to start a new life, find a job and enjoy the security, but in these eight months that I have been staying in the centres, I have been depressed by the daily routine. This was a break for me, I could finally feel that I am equal with nonasylum seekers in Denmark.”
DEEP IMPRESSIONS But not only the asylum seekers will keep a fond memory of this day. When asked about the reactions of the Novo Nordisk participants, Ove lit up in a big smile: “All of the feedback from our managers was positive. I would like to thank the asylum seekers from the bottom of my heart, they welcomed us into their world and life. They lit something somewhere in our hearts, I don’t know what it is, but we are so grateful for that. In one of the feedback notes was written: This experience gave me something I could not get before and I will carry it with me the rest of my entire life.” Indeed, the meeting with the asylum seekers made a deep impression on this group of Danes, who had never before been exposed to the realities of asylum life. “In Sjælsmark centre, it was almost too much for me to handle,” Ove confessed. “The asylum seekers who are staying there know the centre will shut down in a few months, but they just arrived from war and don’t know where they will have to go next, but they keep their composure.”
He also expressed his joy over the participants from both sides staying in touch after the event: “I know many of them exchange emails. I personally have received 2 CVs and tried to help with writing them and then to pass them on. With this economic crisis it is difficult to find jobs, I really wish I could help more.”
WORTH REPEATING
“We really wanted to bring out the idea of diversity and the interest in social activities in our managers. We wanted to meet some other groups in society and make something together that’s not only about money.” Henrik Hjort, Novo Nordisk
It was the first project of this kind for both the Red Cross and Novo Nordisk. But the success of the day means that it may not be the last. “At the moment a lot of people are coming to Denmark to apply for asylum. We have to find new centres, new classes, new teachers, etc. I’d love to continue with projects like these, but we are so busy at the moment in Red Cross.” Birgitte Steno, leader of the Red Cross School department, explained. “But the cooperation with Novo Nordisk was very good and I would certainly accept more offers from them”. In fact, the day went so well that wishes have been expressed to extend the project to other companies as well: “The government here in Denmark wants all the companies to try and take social responsibility. Maybe we should try to contact some other companies or maybe Novo Nordisk could help us with this, they have their own connections too.” Asked whether they think there is a possibility for other future activities with asylum seekers, both Ove and Henrik agreed: “Yes, we would love to meet the asylum seekers again. In fact, we are in talks with the Red Cross about this, but it will take a little time to find the best way of doing it. We are looking forward to it hopefully happening within the next six months.”
New times | December 2009 | issue # 77 | page 13
Asylum seekers often carry around a million unanswered questions. Below are some of them – and more important, the answers that New Times has rooted out.
Photo: Freefoto.com
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND NOT SO FREQUENTLY FOUND ANSWERS ❚❚By David Q: My case has been decided and I was given ‘positive’. How do I get my family to Denmark? A: Once you have been granted asylum and have received your Danish residence permit, you are allowed to apply for family reunification for your spouse (or registered partner) as well as for your children who are under the age of 15. The application for reunification is available on-line along with the rules regarding the process, which can be complicated. For reunification with a spouse, the Danish Government must recognize the marriage as legal, be able to verify that it was entered into voluntarily by both partners, and must not believe that the marriage was made for the sole purpose of gaining entry into Denmark. To verify this, they take into consideration the age of the partners, when and where they were married, how long the spouses lived together, whether or not there are any children, among many other factors. The Danish Government also requires that if the spouse moves to Denmark, he/she must reside with their partner, and the household must meet certain size and quality requirements. If the Danish Government grants the application for reunification, the spouse will be issued a temporary residence permit that will need to be renewed periodically once the spouse has moved to Denmark. If you separate or divorce within 7 years, your spouse will lose their residence permit. Reunification with children can also be attained through submitting an application to the Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs. There are various conditions: the children must be under the age of 15 and must not have started their own families in their home country. The Danish Government puts a lot of effort into ensuring that it is in the best interest of the child to be moved to Denmark. They look at whether or not the child has been abused, and if the parents have the proper accommodation
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in Denmark and can care for the child. Children are also granted temporary residence permits, which must be renewed and extended, subject to your meeting the requirements. It can take several months to a year for your application to be processed. Q: What categories of people can be deported? In some countries, old people and sick people are exempted. What is the situation in Denmark? A: Once a case has received a final rejection, there are no other avenues of appeal open, and the applicant must leave the country immediately. The government permits the applicant a little time to prepare for departure. In cases where the applicant is extremely ill, in a late stage of pregnancy, or has recently given birth, the authorities will allow a reasonable amount of time until the applicant must leave the country. However, all of these exemptions are temporary, and eventually the government will require you to leave the country. There are no exemptions from deportation, unless you are granted a humanitarian residence permit from the Ministry of Refugee, Immigration, and Integration Affairs. These permits are granted only in extreme cases when there are significant humanitarian reasons to do so. These situations might include serious physical or psychological illness, or if your home nation is unsafe for your children. You can apply to the Ministry for a humanitarian permit, which is usually granted for 6 months or a year and has to be renewed. Q: Is it possible for an asylum seeker to marry a foreign- or EU-national in Denmark? A: In theory, it should be possible for an asylum seeker to marry a Danish or EU citizen while in Denmark. However, the risk is that the Danish Government might categorize this marriage as
a ‘pro forma marriage’. This means that, in terms of attaining a residence permit through your Danish or EU partner, the government believes that the marriage was formed for the sole purpose of gaining residence in Denmark, and the application will be refused. Once married, you have to apply for family reunification and the government is very cautious about this. They take into consideration the length of the marriage, how long the spouses have known each other, whether or not the spouses can communicate in the same language, whether the spouses have ever lived together at a shared address, how well the parties knew each other before marrying, and whether the spouses have any children together. The Ministry will also consider whether or not you and your spouse could not live together in your country. Therefore, if you wish to marry an EU or Foreign National in Denmark, you must be careful, because this may not ensure that you can attain a residence permit to stay in Denmark. Q: What does it mean if my case is declared ‘Manifestly Unfounded?’ What happens after a case has been thus declared? A: A case which is declared ‘manifestly unfounded’ means that, in the eyes of the Danish Immigration Service, there is no information indicating that you have been or could be persecuted in your home country, i.e. you have no claim to seek asylum. These cases are then sent to the Danish Refugee Council for consideration. If the Refugee Council agrees that the case is manifestly unfounded, then the application will be rejected, and you will be required to leave Denmark. If the Refugee Council disagrees with the Immigration Service’s assessment, the case will go before the Refugee Board. Once cases designated as manifestly unfounded have received a final rejection from the Refugee Board, or Immigration Service, the applicant will be required to leave Denmark immediately. Source: www.nyidanmark.dk
Artist portrait / Jimmy
Art on time Flick through the pages of this magazine, then you will surely see Jimmy’s extremely detailed and satirical cartoons.
❚❚By Legend He possesses an eye for art in all its forms and takes meticulous care in the production of his drawings. By looking at Jimmy’s drawings, you would think he has attended the most renowned art schools and has a degree in the subject, but Jimmy’s history is quite different. Almost twenty-five years ago, between the ages of four and five, Jimmy was still in his home country of Burundi when
he picked up the pencil to draw for the first time. At five years of age most of us draw pictures which are considered cute in their childish detail of objects which we wish to copy and reproduce on paper, but Jimmy was and still is a special case. He is determined to make accurate reproductions and show great details in his work: “I like to express myself in my work, my thoughts and feelings and opinions, and since this is how I express myself I like to make accurate representations of my feelings,” he says.
Self-taught brilliance His childhood is akin to that of the famous Pablo Picasso in terms of the age when he started to draw and the time of his first recognized masterpiece, but, the similarities end there! Jimmy never attended any Art School, nor did he learn by copying the works of other artists nor did he get his talent from a member of either his close or extended family. Draw-
ing has more of an innate nature to Jimmy and this is shown simply by how long it takes him to create a work of art. In just about half an hour I saw Jimmy create a work of art which was worth publishing into the newspaper! “Its very easy for me to draw, its like second nature you know, a part of me!” Jimmy is simply a person who loves art, he can draw anything that ranges from portraits to cartoons, even reproduce photographs of people in an artistic fashion. He gets his inspiration from everyday experiences, politics, social issues, he even takes trips to the museum to see works by his “fellow” artists. He wishes to continue his drawing and maybe pursue a career in art and maybe even begin to teach children and adults how to draw: “I want to make a career of art,maybe teach, both kids and adults... also expand my skills as learning is a never ending process...”
Make money – not peace
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New times | DECEMBER 2009 | issue # 77 | page 15
sibel 1. “i would like to quit smoking and to be more interested in school and do all my homework.”
vox pop
2. “i think i just want to be more ambitious more than anything else. i am not the kind of person that expects things much from myself - i just do them. i don’t plan much. i want to change this behaviour.”
By Anosh and Michael
new times put on the new year’s hat and went for a walk in the narrow streets of the Danish capital. We met a lot of people and we asked them the following questions:
3. “i think that the system ought to be changed a bit.”
1. What will your new year’s resolutions for 2010 be?
Anna 1. “i think everyone would say peace on earth. to be a tidier person in the coming year: mentally and physically.”
2. What are your hopes for the new year for yourself?
2. “that i keep my job! i lost my job in the spring because the company went bust and i am at this company now and i hope i keep it.”
3. What are your hopes for the new year for Denmark?
3. “that the government becomes more lenient towards different people, people from different origins.”
troels 1. “i want to work less - fewer hours. one of your most valuable resources time is to spend that on myself and my fami and i want ly and personal education.”
phillip 1. “stop partying so much and focus more on my studies.”
2. “to be able to travel more and work fewer hours.”
2. “my hope for myself is to get my diploma from biomedical school.”
3. “i think i would like to see some of against foreigners eroded. it’s not that the hate problem in Denmark but there’s still big a some problems. i would like to sort that out, or hopefully that it will be sorted out.”
3. “i hope that politicians are going to make it easier for foreigners to come in. i want them to be more open for students. for exchange students it is quite difficult to come to Denmark. And i want them to focus on this.”
samuel 1. “i want to practice more sports and stay fit. i want to swim, play football, and keep strong.” 2. “i wish to have a peaceful year.” 3. “i wish that Denmark has a good year and that the financial crisis finally ends. Also, Denmark should do a mass amnesty!”
Aria 1. “i want to start kickboxing and kung-fu and quit smoking.” 2. “i hope i receive positive. i would like to be a translator: specifically, Danish, english, pashtu, and Dari.” 3. “i would like Denmark to help with literacy programs for immigrants and refugees.”
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Atina 1. “i would like to do more activities. to feel fresh again - i think i will play volleyball.” 2. “i want to continue my education. in iran, i studied commercial management and i want to do a masters here related to this.” 3. “Well, i would want to see more signs in english in public spaces and in transportation. Also, i wish people were friendlier when i ask for directions in english. When i ask, they respond in Danish and i don’t understand. so i hope Denmark becomes more open to other languages.”