UUI, Alm.del - 2007-08 (2. samling) - Bilag 94: Henvendelse af 28/4-08 fra SOS mod Racisme vedr. "asylområdet"

Fra: Anne NielsenOrganisation: SOS mod RacismeAdresse: Nørre Allé 7Postnr: 2200 København NEMail: [email protected]Telefon: (normalt er kontoret ikke bemandet)Må offentliggøres på hjemmesiden: JaVigtige problemer på asylområdet i Danmark I anledning af UUIs studietur til CenterSandholm og Center Gribskov d. 28. april, fremsender jeg herved tre vigtige oplægtil UUI. Oplæggene har at gøre med besøget fra Europa-Parlamentets komité, LIBEog LIBEs møde med NGOer d. 10. april 2008 i Europahuset, København. Det drejersig om:- En appel fra seks foreninger til LIBE om at sende en delegation til Danmark for atundersøge asylansøgernes forhold, 12. juli 2006 (dansk, den engelske oversættelsefindes på vores hjemmeside)- En redegørelse fra Dansk Flygtningehjælp om manglende overensstemmelsemellem dansk lovgivning og praksis på asylområdet og internationale og europæiskestandarder og forpligtelser (engelsk)- Et notat af Bente Rich om bekymring over psykisk sygdom blandt asylansøgere iasylcentrene (engelsk)De allerfleste af de øvrige oplæg, som er videregivet til Europa-Parlamentets komitéfra diverse NGOer kan ses på vores hjemmeside: http://www.sosmodracisme.dkunder menupunktet: EU besøger danske asylcentre. Der er indlæg fra mødet omvigtige tal på asylområdet, om børnenes uddannelse, om deportationer til hjemlandet,om overtrædelse af Dublin2-konventionen ved deportering af uledsagede børn, somkan være ofre for trafficking. Desuden et høringssvar fra Amnesti-Nu til EU omfælles asylpolitik, et indlæg fra Amnesty International, et indlæg om”motivationsfremmende foranstaltninger” og nedværdigende behandling. Tilsammengiver oplæggene et godt billede af nogle af de vigtigste problemer for asylansøgere iDanmark i dag. På hjemmesiden er der også referater fra deltagende NGO’er og linkstil omtalen af delegationsbesøget på Europa-Parlamentets hjemmeside, inkl. en 5minutters film fra besøget og et link til Informations interview med nogledelegationsmedlemmer. Dersom nogle af UUIs medlemmer ønsker det, sender jegogså gerne en kopi af den omtalte film af Maria MacDalland: Black at Heart, omasylansøgere i Avnstrup.

Endelig har jeg indsat min velkomsttale til delegationen nedenfor, da denopsummerer nogle vigtige problemer på asylområdet. Jeg håber, at henvendelsen tilUUI kan medvirke til, at den aktuelle praksis og lovgivning ændres, så Danmark igenvil give asylansøgere en menneskelig behandling.Med venlig hilsen, Anne Nielsen, Formand for SOS mod RacismeWellcome speech by Anne Nielsen, Chairman, SOS Against Racism, Denmark Aschairman for one of the six organisations that sent you an appeal two years ago, Ishould like to express a wholeheartedly welcome to all the members of the LIBEdelegation to Denmark. Thank you for coming! Wellcome also to NGO’s, andexperts and to the two asylum seekers tonight! In 2006 we thought: The Danishgovernment does not listen to us, but may be it will listen to the European Union. Weare fully aware that with few exceptions we do not share asylum regulatives of theEU. But we hope that the LIBE will not let it unmentioned, when LIBE findsDenmark neglects basic human rights for asylum seekers. We think that human rightsare central in the European Union, not least the European Convention of HumanRights, and the UN Convention of Refugees. Human rights may be seen as somebasic rules that fulfill essential needs for human beings, and that regulate relationsbetween society and all kinds of people, dignifying human beings. Non-discrimination is an essential part of every human rights convention. Respect forhuman rights may be compared with a ligthed candle in a mine, if there is nooxygene the flame will die out. Where human rights are not respected for people ofall kinds, there is a place for suffering, conflicts, unrest - and maybe war, the humansociety dies out and is replaced by an inhuman society. We wish that even if youhave not much time here, you will get a thorough impression of the asylum system inDenmark. We think, you will learn from your visit, that even if the asylum centresare lead by a humanitarian organisation, Red Cross, Denmark, the asylum system isnot a humanitarian system, but a system that breakes down human health and dignity.The break down is fortified by inhuman pressures laid upon rejected asylum seekerswho cannot be forcibly repatriated because of war and persecution in their country.These pressures are intended to make them sign a contract that they will leavevoluntarily. These ”motivational incentives” are continued, even if the politicans andthe police and other administration know that they do not work: rejected asylumseekers dare not return to the country they fled from because of war, ethnic cleansingor persecution. And to what should they go back after 8 years in asylum centres inDenmark? We know that housing standards in Centre Sandholm and CenterKongelunden are probably better than in Malta or the Canarian Islands, and someother asylum centres in Europe. Our biggest problem in Denmark is that asylumseekers spend many years in Danish asylum centres, without elementary humanrights and without knowing, where their future will be. Some have been here morethan 10 years, and in many different centres. They are marginalised from most otheraspects of life than eating and sleeping. ”We eat and we sleep like animals”- one ofthe asylum seekers said in a film from Centre Avnstrup: Black at heart. But eveneating and sleeping is not easy in an asylum centre with many stressed people, withpoor facilities, and sometimes being in the middle of a battlemark, since Sandholm is

often disturbed by military exercises next to it, and Kongelunden by planes toKastrup Airport. Adult asylum seekers are not allowed to take any paid work, andthey are badly punished if they work illegally. This situation is stupid, since at themoment we need more labour and have very little unemployment, and we import lotsof skilled and unskilled workers from Poland, Litauia, and Sweden. Educated peoplein the centres cannot use their professional skills and their professional knowledgeand skills may get outdated with time. Many children have poor academic skills,even if their parents are well educated, because the education they get in the centreschools does not meet normal standards. This is worsened by the stresses of thechildren and by children being moved around from centre to centre, beginning innew classes, new schools, learning new teachers to know, using new school books.Some children have lived in more than 10 different centres. Many parents becomementally ill and depressed and loose their abilities to parent their children, sometimesthe child must become a parent for them. We know from a survey that a third of thechildren have severe problems and need help from a child psychiatrist orpsychologist, but will not get that help. The asylum system is not just. The refugeeboard is compared to a court by the government, but it does not fulfill the commonjuridical standards for a court. Often there will be a lack of information, and theasylum seeker will have very limited chances to present his case plausibly. There isno principle of neutrality, of openness, no lay persons are heard, and seldom use ofwittnesses. Before we sent the appeal in July 2006 - and of course also after this - wehave sent appeals, asked people to sign petitions, in individual cases, in collectivecases, we have contacted politicians and journalists, made manifestations and publicmeetings. We have sent press releases, written columns and notes and letters to theeditors. Books have been written, so has documentary films and a theatre play:Sandholm. There has been exhibitions of fotos and letters by children from theasylum centres. Some asylum seekers have made hunger strikes. At the elections forparliament in November, asylum seekers’ children’s situation was a big issue, but theelections did not result in any major changes. The government together with itssupporting nationalist party: Danish Peoples Party think, that in order to avoidspontaneous asylum seekers coming to Denmark, we must treat these people as badas possible. Asylum seekers have become hostages for our xenophobic policy. I hopethat everyone of you will agree that it is inhuman to hold people in asylum centres ina constant stress, punished with motivational incentives, and without basic humanrights for 6, 8 or 10 years. And the number of asylum seekers each year is for thegovernment and its supporting party one of the most important results: the fewer thebetter. In 2002 there were 6000 asylum seekers, in 2007 only about 1000 new asylumseekers came to Denmark, or 650 aside from the interpretors who helped the Danisharmy in Iraq. Participating in the attack and occupation of Iraq, we are co-responsiblefor creation of the catasthrophy with 4 billion refugees from Iraq. During World War2, many Germans did not know how bad the situation was in the concentrationcamps. The same we cannot say about the Danish government, nor the Danishpeople. They know that the way people are treated make them suffer, make themmentally ill, kills hope in their lives. We must stop this maltreatment now, and giveasylum seekers a decent and secure life now in Denmark, at least those who havespent years here.

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