Where is your hijab, sister?
Nov 28th, 2014 | Personal Experiences | Comment
“Where is your hijab, Sister?” called out humorously a young Pakistani man to a voluptuous Muslim woman who entered the common area of a fetid refugee slum. A twenty-two year old lady dashed joyfully past in a beige singlet sustained by two thin shoulder straps. Her flowery skirt was short and breezy. In her arms was a two month baby born outside of wedlock. Many rules had been broken.
Our Pakistani friend was joking. He too has greatly enjoyed the freedoms of a modern city such as Hong Kong: drinking, dating, social media and diverse entertainment a world away from the restrictions that control many aspects of social life in his homeland. Cultural emancipation, social freedom and independence contribute to shaping protection-related decisions for refugees.
“You know, hundreds of helpers become refugees” Ambar said. “Some hate too long working hours, hard job and very small rooms. And the madam always controlling them. Some don’t get a day off on weekend and others don’t get paid their full salary. It’s not what the girls expected coming here.
More women approached Vision First this year than before. 49 of the past 300 registrations were former Foreign Domestic Helpers, many with little babies under the age of one. Our friend explained, “They are young and see refugee ladies being more free than them. They don’t understand our problems because they only compare their hard life with refugees’ easy life.”
Immigration turns down many asylum claims stating that “your written significance does not give a general indication of your reason … that relate to an act falling within the meaning of torture, BOR 3 and/or persecution risk.” Vision First provides services to protection claimants irrespective of applicable grounds we are not called to assess. We are reminded of the basic legal principle that every individual has the right to seek asylum.
We are concerned nonetheless that restrictive employment terms are enabling a survival game leading down the path of asylum, a game for which many forces are at play and abuse is only in the mind of those who superficially cast judgments over women deprived of their humanity to be labelled impersonal workers.
It is commonly known that the main reason why terminated maids do not return home is debt. They take heavy loans to work in HK and are rightly afraid of the consequence of failing to repay creditors. The government should consider effective policy changes, such as increasing the 14 days visa granted to terminate maids to find new employers. There should also be a government program to broaden the network beyond the limited connections of the importing agency, while also curbing exploitation, abuse and cheating on salaries and benefits. Bad employers and agents play a major part in this drama. Further, the emotional burden paid by women forced to endure long years in solitude should be evaluated and addressed.
Every former domestic helper has her own story and unique circumstances that push her towards the asylum sphere which need to be attentively assessed in proper asylum hearings. While they are responsible for their actions, indeed they are not always at fault. A few examples: there are two persons behind pregnancies, but single moms are often left with the baby; some employers exploit maids like slaves: one had hers cooking at home day and night for his restaurant; another took hers to work in Shenzhen; a maid was fired because her English was not good enough to teach the kids; another maid was only given a couple of buns a day; many don’t have a bedroom and are forced to sleep on the kitchen floor …
Caught between oppressive conditions at work and unmanageable debt at home, it is no surprise that hundreds, if not thousands, of domestic workers seek the temporary freedom of asylum to avoid insurmountable problems. Instead they should be better assisted and supported, educated about choices and informed about alternatives before they abandon the path to legal employment in Hong Kong.
One cannot expect that young ladies, often with little formal education, can master unassisted the complexities of a modern city, a city that needs to stop pushing the more vulnerable populations into ever grimmer and more daunting situations. It might wiser and less expensive to address local causes of asylum claims than through millions at a questionable screening process.
Refugees pledge to tirelessly work together as a community
Nov 24th, 2014 | Personal Experiences | Comment
By Refugee Union staff writer
After the historic registration of the refugee union as a society, refugees celebrated the event with pomp and color. They were very confident and optimistic. The few I talked to expressed their feelings with confidence. One refugee from Pakistan said “I am very happy today that the Hong Kong Police registered our Union. The police is very helpful, now we can use the Refugee Union to fight for all refugees without fear. We have a strong Union to push the government for changes.”
After the dust settled the Union called for its first meeting a week ago, attendance was strong, the determination to face the future with confidence, resilience of their attitude and hope was commendable despite the odds and challenges that lay ahead of them. A Bangladesh Refugee who has been in Hong Kong for more than 5 years commended Vision First for their role to awaken and inspire refugees to wake up and fight for their rights. He said, “Vision First taught us to stand up and fight for our human rights, they showed us how to push this government to change this inhuman and degrading refugee system in Hong Kong . We wrote petitions, went for protests and we saw some results. Food and rent was improved but that’s not enough, we still live like beggars on the street “.
Another refugee interjected and said “We will never get tired, we have nothing else to do, this is future and only hope, fight and fight and fight until the Security Bureau respects our rights as human beings.” The mood was somehow tense as every refugee wanted to put forward their ideas and contributions. I watched with bated breath as the jostling for space to speak played out, this was not the Refugee Union of yesterday, the members were fully charged to confront and address their problems.
Skilled and highly motivated they expressed their frustrations with the government, from lack of information about USM to their living conditions that each speaker had problems with. They lamented the attitude and lack of seriousness by the government to respond to their cries.
A refugee from Africa shot up and said, “Remember that the government did not choose to implement this system. It was forced to do so by the Court of final Appeal ruling in 2013. That’s why they carry out this exercise the way the Hong Kong Immigration does it. This put their unwillingness in play. It’s a system that is intentionally designed and perfected to achieve their goal. And their goal is to reject all our claims! Perhaps accept 1 in one-thousand!”
Everybody went quiet as they tried to digest that comment. Eventually an African woman spoke up, “I am not surprised that the government has not yet responded to complaints and issues raised by the claimants or NGOs who seek information regarding the USM. They are unwilling to address or even tackle the myriads of challenges that the system was meant to address. For them it’s business as usual”.
For next two hours the refugees resolved to collectively work as a supportive community to improve their welfare as well as try and reach out to the Hong Kong public to demystify the refugee stories out there. Everyone present resolved that there is need to strengthen the society for a stronger Union that will better absorb the shocks for the refugees as they embark on a tumulus journey into the uncertain and unknown future.
Why prisoners can study but not refugees?
Nov 12th, 2014 | Personal Experiences | Comment
I am Liza, a West African refugee aged 42, a single mother with two children and a founding member of the Refugee Union. I came to Hong Kong in 2011 to seek asylum after experiencing persecution in my country due to my political work, but this story is not about me.
I wish to share my thoughts about an informative visit in October 2014 to the Lo Wu Correctional Institute for women. I was very nervous about meeting this African lady that a friend in common had begged me to visit. Frankly I didn’t know what to talk about and even if she wanted to see me.
The inmate I visited is 35 years old and has three children she will not see for several years. It doesn’t matter what crime she committed as she admits having been naïve. She readily shared, “I made a mistake because I needed money to send my children to school. My family could not give me an education and for this I suffered so much. I wished for my children to go to school but I had no money.”
She told me freely the story of her childhood, her parent’s harsh life and the dire circumstances that landed her behind bars in a prison far away from home. She admitted that she acted stupidly to receive ‘big money’ in order to solve hers and her children’s necessities. But it didn’t work out the way she expected. She realizes now that she fell into a trap set by very cunning criminals.
My new friend recounted her story happily, surprisingly without bitterness or obvious regret. She said, “I don’t mind being in jail for such a long period because here I am achieving so greatly during my sentence and I am given opportunities that I never had before outside.” I was perplexed as I surely assumed that freedom is preferable to being in prison, so I asked her why.
She explained, “Here in prison I study various courses every day except on Sunday. For example: business management, human resources, speaking and writing English, computer classes and other social courses. I never had this chance all my life and I am finding that prison is a place for me to acquire some knowledge and improve myself. It’s a blessing in disguise!”
It was then that I learnt that inmates attend daily classes and even have to take exams. Those who succeed they are awarded certificates and graduate to higher levels in their courses. Then if someone fails, they can repeat the course and try again for the exam. Being in prison means they have no distractions and students can apply their time with full attention and learn fast with great support from dedicated teachers.
I learned that each year they attend new courses, depending on individual interests, needs, desires and priorities. The students can pick what they like and receive an education in the subjects that they think will be most useful after they are released. This is a great way for Prison Time to be productive time and for inmates to prepare for a better future and make an effort to turn their lives around.
At the end of our discussion my friend was so pleased because she said she will go out of jail well-equipped with knowledge, skills and techniques to apply nicely in sustaining her life and improve the future of her children. This is something she could not do before. Prison is turning her life around and eventually it will also have a positive impact on her family at large.
As the gates of the Lo Wu prison clanked closed behind me, a question popped into my mind: Why do convicted criminals have a chance to study in prison, while suffering refugees who escaped to safety in Hong Kong are prohibited from studying while forced to wait many years for a decision on asylum claims?
Without money or work how can anyone survive?
Sep 12th, 2014 | Personal Experiences | Comment
Dear Refugee Union –
Thank you for organizing refugees to voice the great problems they face in Hong Kong. Refugees here are in worse position than people really know. They are not getting enough assistance or decent food and ISS giving us just 200 HKD per month. It is just a joke, nothing else! Without money or work how can anyone survive?
Nobody can stay and sleep in their room for 24 hours a day. People need to live their life and without work how can it be possible? I want to discuss about a very serious matter: that the government of Hong Kong does not allow refugees to work it is very unfair. This situation increases the frustration in refugees as they try to get money by wrong ways because nobody can live without money in Hong Kong.
The government can reduce the crimes with the help of allowing refugees to work. Then all refugees will work instead of getting money by wrong ways and the ratio of crimes will be reduced. ISS should support well enough and never let refugees down about their respect and they should be not discriminated against.
Everyone came to Hong Kong because some serious problems in their native countries. Otherwise how can someone leave his country and loved family? Circumstances compel them to leave their families and countries. Otherwise it is hard enough to leave children and parents and sisters and brothers behind without seeing them again. This is a very tough choice to save one’s life.
I am also a refugee and I came here because of serious threats to my life in my country. I have done a MBA in Finance and have done graduate studies in political science and journalism. I was active in politics and took a stand against corruption in the government. Now I live in a refugee slum in Lam Tei, Tuen Mun which is a very bad conditions compared to my life before. I would not leave my family behind and live in these conditions if I did not have real problem.
The only room I can pay for with the money I got from ISS (1500$ rent assistance a month) has no air-condition and is made of iron sheets roof with no ceiling and plywood walls. It is very hot and humid. Sometimes I feel very serious suffocation and got some health problem because of very hot weather. How can I arrange air-condition without money?
How can I face these difficult without cash money? If I do work police will catch me and I would be put in jail for a long time. Then how can I survive? I request the government of Hong Kong to care about refugees and their living conditions. Let them work and reduce the risk of unlawful activities by the refugees. The conditions we suffer are not human and unsuitable to protect people.
Rasool
ISS-HK discriminates against FDH
May 13th, 2014 | Food, Housing, Personal Experiences, VF Report, Welfare | Comment
Case workers at ISS-HK fancy themselves Immigration officers in training. Instead of treating every client as a destitute asylum seeker without money or work rights, case workers tailor services according to nationality. By doing so they fail in their role as contractor for social welfare services.
The SWD instructions to ISS-HK concern “enhancing the humanitarian assistance for non-refoulement claimants” without consideration of nationality and previous immigration status. All protection claimants must be treated equally irrespective of how they arrived, or whether they work visa prior to seeking sanctuary.
Vision First is concerned about the prejudiced treatment of ex-Foreign Domestic Helper by ISS-HK case workers. To support this claim we offer a comparison between two African and two Indonesian ladies living together:
Example A: Two Somali ladies requested ISS-HK pay in full a shared 4000$ room in Kowloon. They state their claim pointing out that nothing cheaper was available, and they were banned from working. They met initial refusal with a promise of a sit-in until their non-negotiable request was met. And they got what they wanted!
Example B: Two Indonesian ladies requested ISS-HK pay in full a shared 3000$ room in a slum. They noted that the room was cheap and each could receive 1500$ rent assistance. Their case worker Tanya Tse refused to provide what they were entitled to. Tanya said, “It’s enough to give you 1400$ each. That is enough. Just sign and go!”
Tanya Tse also arbitrarily reduced the utility allowance from 300$ to 200$ each, despite the SWD clearly stating that, “300$ per month which may be used to meet different utilities charges (i.e. water, gas, electricity, etc.)”
Tanya Tse visited the room in illegal structures and signed an Agreement on Provision of Assistance bearing false information. Both Indonesian ladies were provide with ISS-HK agreements stating, “I confirm my address to be at Letter Box, XXX Shek Tong Tsuen, Au Tau”. Clearly two people cannot live inside a letter box!
Tanya Tse does not abide by the principle: “Treat other people the way you want to be treated.”
Vision First is deeply concerned about food problems at the ISS-HK appointed shops, New Bauddha and Safwan in Yuen Long. The quality problem is a shortcoming of the shops, though we understands that ISS-HK case workers are responsible for the quantity/selection problem. These issues must be addressed by the SWD:
- The rice is contaminated with excrement. A lady said, “The rice is very bad. Sometimes the rice is so smelly. Inside have shit. The rice is no good. When you finish cooking it becomes very smelly. Even if you wash very clean it is no good. All people are saying no good this rice … Everyone complain and asking how to solve this problem … Please ask them to change the rice. We cannot eat it!”
- Food selections are cut short. Milk, milk powder and Milo are not distributed despite being ticked on the order sheets. A lady complained, “If Tanya wants to give, she will give. If she doesn’t want to give, she will not give. It depends what she wants to give. Also, things like eggs and spices she never gives. I think that in one month I get 600$ [worth of foodstuff]. Sometimes she only gives onion too much and expensive food don’t give. Vegetables too much give because it is cheap. Milk, powder milk, Milo don’t give.”
- Cooking oil is insufficient despite what is selected on the forms. A lady explained, “I ask for cooking oil but only receive three small bottles a month. The very small bottles. We write the big one but they give the small one only. They give small one because it costs less money. How can we cook without oil?
- Basic toiletries, including detergent for clothes, must be distributed monthly as SWD pays ISS-HK for such provisions. Many refugee ladies share this complaint, “Sometimes they don’t give us toiletries. The shop doesn’t give every month. They give only one time in two months. The soap is not enough for us. They should give more as we need it to wash our clothes. We only get ONE toilet tissue roll each month. That is not enough for one month. If we cannot work how we buy toilet paper?”
- The food collection should be every 10 days. However, to save money over time, the ISS-HK shops progressively extend the frequency to as many as 15 days. The excuse of public holidays doesn’t hold up when distributing emergency rations to hungry people with no options. Distribution dates should be brought FORWARD, not pushed backward. A lady protested, “It is very bad, so we don’t have enough food and we are hungry. My food is not enough for 5 days. How can it last me for 15 days? They say we collect food every 10 days, but they lie. Now it is always 12 days or longer. And I don’t have any money …”
- These refugee ladies are intimidated by the male staff at the ISS-HK shops. If the ladies complain, the vendors shout back, “This is not your business. You ask your case officers. You are lucky we give you this!”It appears that these vendors believe they are engaged in charitable distribution. They forget that their bosses are paid tens of millions of dollars from the government purse to provide essential assistance to needy people. Would they speak like this to their Chinese customers?
- These refugee ladies get no redress from ISS-HK case workers. One explained, “We complain many times to Tanya and she just says, ‘Next time, next time.’ But [there is] never any change. Tanya doesn’t want us to complain. She said to me, ‘Don’t listen to what other people say. No need to complain too much!’
Fighting for bail against institutional prejudice
Feb 4th, 2014 | Personal Experiences | Comment
My name is Matthew and I am barrister in training doing my pupillage with a top human rights lawyer. The training is tough and challenging and frankly has been very hard work for several months already. I would like to share last week’s court experiences with you. My master and I went to a magistrate’s courts to make a bail application for our client. It was supposed to be a straightforward task and would have been simple had our client been a resident with a similar offense.
Unfortunately, our client was a torture claimant from Pakistan. His immigration status makes matters complicated as asylum seekers are generally treated more harshly and with prejudice by the courts. This gentlemen, like many refugees, entered Hong Kong illegally (which those fleeing persecution have a right to do). After being unlawfully detained for half a year, he was neither released nor sentenced, but held in remand. Before the judge emerged, as is customary, we discussed how to move forward and bail procedures with the prosecution. However, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) prosecutor spoke rudely to my master. The barrister attempted to explain the full picture and invited the prosecutor lady not to oppose bail. It was apparent that she was deaf to both reasonableness and ignorant of our client’s rights.
After my master pushed her in open court, she started to lose her confidence. Wepolitely requested she seek instructions from her supervisor as she was floundering in deep waters. Disappointingly, after she took advice, she reiterated that the DOJ would oppose bail. When the judge invited her to speak, she regrettably stated that she opposed bail without giving reasonable explanations. I was quite surprised asshe is an experienced prosecutor and should not have made any further submissions.
I had a feeling that facing a robust defense, she was personally unwilling to oppose bail. However, civil servants often have no choice but to follow instructions from their senior. After the magistrate heard both sides’ submissions, he agreed with the defense and grant bail to our client. This was a sudden and unexpected victory that only a human rights barrister could have extracted against such pervasive DOJ discrimination against asylum seekers. Refugee rights had won the day!
The client was extremely happy and hugged family and friends after he was released. They were overjoyed as they hadn’t seen each other for six months. The client took me for lunch at a Muslim restaurant to share the joyful occasion. I felt we had done something very meaningful for them. This was a memorable experienced. I believe that public prosecutors should not blindly follow their seniors’ instructions, but think critically and assess the entire legal landscape with an open mind.
This real life court experience encourages me to fight for justice where it is denied by bigotry and discrimination. In our beloved Hong Kong there is a great need for lawyers who will fight tooth and nail for the undertrodden. When you know about social injustice, you may choose to look the other way, but you can never say that you didn’t know.
Vision First helps those who help themselves
Jan 10th, 2014 | Advocacy, Personal Experiences | Comment
Hi to all Refugees –
If some Refugees work illegally – it is the Government’s fault!
If some Refugees become criminals – it is the Government’s fault!
If some Refugees are drug-trafficking – it is also the Government’s fault!
I say it is the Government’s fault, because it is their duty to care for refugees here.
We all know the fact: WE CANNOT WORK and we cannot join a business.
This totally means that Refugees can’t do anything for themselves or their future.
We are stuck between Hong Kong and the Social Welfare Department.
My point is this: if on 13 January we don’t support each other, we will be stuck again!
We will keep suffering and the Government will be even happier to play with us.
Everyone must learn about their rights and come and fight for their rights.
We will fight together! Remember that one hand doesn’t make any sound.
See you at the PROTEST RALLY at the Legislative Council, on Monday 13 January at 10am.
Raymond
VF STARTS 2014 WITH THE LEGCO PROTEST.
VF COMMITS TO HELPING THE PROTESTERS.
IF YOU WANT ASSISTANCE, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
VF HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES.
COME FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS!
Vision First organized refugees for the first LegCo welfare meeting on 22 July 2013
A Home Seeker for eight years
Dec 2nd, 2013 | Media, Personal Experiences | Comment
Raquel Carvalho writes for West HK Stories on 19 November 2013
Ibrahim Adjouma, 43 years old, recalls the sea and the lakes of his hometown, Aného. He talks loudly and excitedly about the big and tasty fishes that he used to eat back in Togo. He hasn’t tasted anything to equal this since he arrived in Hong Kong, on 8th February 2005.
“When you protest, your life is in danger,” he says, explaining why he had to leave Togo, in West Africa. After demonstrations against the 2005 presidential elections, Ibrahim never saw his younger brother again.
However, he didn’t give up until his own life was also in danger. “I’m sure they killed him and they didn’t want any questions. A best friend of mine, who was a high official, called me saying that they had decided together to arrest me, torture or kill me. He said I had to leave the country soon.”
When Ibrahim got his friend’s call, he was in a mosque praying for the days to come. From that time on, he would need more courage than he could ever imagine. He travelled in his friends’ car, crossed a lake by boat, and hid himself in a village lost on the map until he got a passport and a flight ticket in his hands. He would land in Kong Kong, not by option but by fate.
A guesthouse in Chungking Mansions was his roof for a few weeks, but soon he ran out of money. The Star Ferry Pier became his new home for six months until he was arrested. “After four months in detention, because the Hong Kong Government didn’t recognize the asylum seek card certificate, I had to file a torture claim at the Immigration Department,” describes Ibrahim.
While he is still waiting, he holds a document that doesn’t allow him to work in Hong Kong. His wife, Ally, left Togo in 2008, after being threatened by the police, and she is now in the same situation.
According to an article published in the South China Morning Post on December 2012, there were last year 5,200 torture claim cases pending assessment at the Immigration Department.
Although the couple’s two children, Adam and Marian, were born in Hong Kong, they were not granted resident cards. “Their situation is not established. And if they go to school we have to pay fees,” says Ibrahim, worried about the next few years.
Without sources of income, the family relies on support from the International Social Service, which is commissioned by the Hong Kong government, and from charity organizations. “The government gives us 3.600 HK dollars for the rent. But how can we find a flat for this price in Hong Kong? We are now in a temporary shelter and we have to find a house, but we don’t have any money for the deposit.”
To have food on the table is also a daily struggle. “We get about 4.000 dollars per month for the family. But that’s what they write in the paper….We don’t get the cash, we have to go to a store and collect the food. The prices are not fair,” Ibrahim complains.
His greatest wish is to get a piece of the life he once had in Togo, where he was a businessman with a house and a backyard. “I don’t see any future for me. I am already 43. All I want is to change my children’s future.”
click above to play the video
Reflection’s of a volunteer – Kenny
Nov 23rd, 2013 | Personal Experiences | Comment
My name is Kenny and I attend Renaissance College
It was my first time being a volunteer and helping refugees. We saw a lot of refugees from different parts of the world. I learnt about how Vision First works. There were different tasks assigned for us to work on. We were involved as assistants in some of the teaching lessons. There were maths, English and mandarin class. We prepared some worksheets for the refugees to complete.
On Tuesday, we went to visit their slums. They are located somewhere in Kam Sheung Road. It was my first time seeing an actual slum in Hong Kong. I find it very heartbreaking for the refugees to live in these kind of places. There were no proper doors, furniture, floor, roof etc. It didn’t look like a normal house to live in. There were nothing around the slums, they have to walk for a long time to reach transportation.
We were told that the slums are not a safe place to live in as there might be snakes outside. We also went to visit another slum located up the hill. It took a long way before we reached there. Those slums were just a metal cage and there was no electricity. The place was small and there were 8 people living in there.
We also took part in a playgroup on Thursday where we played with the children of the refugees while their mother listened to a presentation about children care. I think it was a great experience volunteering in Vision First and we get to learn more about refugees. There were lots of fun for both of us and the children. I met some new people such as Frank who is a friendly refugee, he also volunteers there. We also gained more experience about what is happening around the world and I find myself very fortunate to be able to live safely in Hong Kong.
Reflection’s of a volunteer – Aran
Nov 23rd, 2013 | Personal Experiences | Comment
My name is Aran and I attend Renaissance College.
It is extraordinary and shocking to know that such living environment exist in Hong Kong. The slums are small and uninhabitable. There is no lighting, making it difficult during night times. The slums we visited are made of pieces of sheet metal, as if they are stapled together in some slack manner.
Pieces have to be installed between the sheets to prevent leaking during raining season. They look vulnerable during thunderstorm season, as it is not safe. Refugees suffer from prejudice from the landlord. The ISS-HK (Contracting organisation responsible for refugee’s food and rent for the government) provides a maximum of $1200 dollars to the landlord at the time when we visited the slums.
However, it is actually insufficient as a refugee we visited is charged $1000 for rent on the rent papers, but in reality charged $1500. Knowing that the ISS has increased the rent support recently, landlords are expected to increase the rent to gain most from the ISS policy.
Food is also arranged through the ISS. There is a so called Food Order Sheet given to the refugees, but the price of the food is blacked out, and it turns out the food price are nearly twice as expensive to the local supermarket. This is the same as diminishing the amount of food refugees get each day by half, which is the same as torturing in an indirect manner.
These refugees are not provided with a Hong Kong identification by the government, which means they are not allowed to work, cannot open a phone line, cannot get internet, and many more limitations. In the minds of many Hong Kong people, the stereotypical refugee has no education and lacks working ability, but in fact, many of them are seeking asylum in Hong Kong because their beliefs are different from the ones the government wants people to have.
Many of them are highly educated people, who have been to higher education institution. They definitely have the ability to work in the Hong Kong society with great contribution. In Hong Kong, they are nobody. They don’t just come to Hong Kong to beg for food; obviously there is a reason why they have to flee their own country. They want to start a new life in this town, and why can’t they do so?
