Save Refugees In Hong Kong

17/08/2016

Special News= HaHa
Refugee Protest in TuenMun Immigration Jail, was Pakistan And India National Day,

Concern over asylum seekers sit-in

More trouble is brewing at Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre where scores of asylum seekers staged a sit-in protest over two nights prompting officers to use pepper spray, an immigration officer said.

The center is a detention facility for immigration offenders, aged 18 and above who are awaiting repatriation, removal or deportation.

An Immigration Department spokesman yesterday said around 100 inmates refused to go back to their bedrooms at the required time on Sunday and demanded the department issue immigration recognizance forms.

The immigration recognizance form, also known as a temporary identification document, allows holders to stay in Hong Kong.
The sit-in prompted center supervisors to deploy staff to "maintain order and stay alert," the spokesman said. Around 60 went back to their rooms that night, while the remaining 40 continued the sit-in.

"Two of them were emotional which made the staff release small doses of pepper spray after issuing several warnings, to stop them from hurting themselves and other detained people's safety," the spokesman said.

The spokesman added that all of the protesters went back to their rooms peacefully on Monday night. Immigration Service Officers Association executive committee member Ngai S*k- shui said: "It may be an individual case, but if more negative information is spreading to the detainees at the center, other similar incidents may follow."

Ngai said the center serves as a "midway" for asylum seekers and it could take a week to a month for them to obtain the immigration recognizance forms. As of March 2, there were 11,160 non-refoulement claims pending screening.

"There are always new claimants. And it requires a lot of manpower," he added.

But Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor director Law Yuk-kai criticized the department for using force "without reasonable grounds." Law said the force used could not be justified only because the asylum seekers were being "emotional."

"They are just making guesses [that the two asylum seekers would hurt someone]. They could have just separated those who were emotional instead of using pepper spray, which is serious force," he said.

"They should not use the pepper spray until the two make actions trying to hurt others or when the situation is urgent enough that leaves the officers without any choice," he said.


http://www.thestandard.com.hk/section-news.php?id=172904


http://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20160816/bkn-20160816001845815-0816_00822_001.html

More trouble is brewing at Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre where scores of asylum seekers staged a sit-in protest over two nights prompting officers to use pepper spray, an immigration officer said...

17/06/2016

আমি সব সদস্য এবং আমাদের বন্ধু, মা, বাচ্চাদের তুন মুন ইসলামিক স্কুল ( MTR. Exit - B ) ২০/০৬/২০১৬, দুপুৱ ২ টায় আসছে বিশ্ব শরণার্থী দিবসে যোগদানের জন্য আমন্ত্রণ জানাচ্ছি .আমরা পরিবার ও বাচ্চাদের এবং আপনাদেৱ জন্য অনেক কিছু আয়োজন কৱেছি , আমি আশা করি সবাই আসবেন . ধন্যবাদ. যদি কোন সমস্যা হয়,
যোগাযোগ কৱবেন :
জনাব জাহিদ - 92779204
জনাব তারিক - 97522287

17/06/2016

I would like to invite all members and our friends, mothers, kids to join the world refugee day on coming 20th, 2pm at Tun Mun Islamic School, we are all there , after we go together to the hall. We bring many things for the family and kids, I hope everyone is there. Thanks. If there is any problem,
Call
Mr. Zahid - 92779204.
Mr. Tariq - 97522287

Location :
Islamic Primary School,
Tuen Mun.
( Near Tuen Mun MTR Exit - B )

23/05/2016

難民調查：「我不想被殺才逃來香港，卻在這裏以另一種形式死去」
黑工、盜竊、傷人、毒品，在港難民為何成為「罪惡根源」？端傳媒和你一起走近這個被污名化的群體。

5月15日晚上8時左右，身穿泛黃殘舊的白色上衣和運動長褲的Bashir，與端傳媒記者在上水石湖墟街市見面。
走着走着，Bashir指着兩三個聚集在遠處街角的南亞裔男子說：「這些應該就是『黑工（非法勞工）』，他們在這裏等電話。」Bashir非常清楚，街市一帶哪裏是黑工聚腳點，哪裏是黑工集散地，因為Bashir自己也曾經做過黑工。
近月翻開香港報章，幾乎天天可見關於「難民」的報導，指責香港難民「打黑工」，甚至指他們偷竊、打劫、群黨打架等刑事罪案。一時之間，這些來港逃命，正在等候難民資格審批的異鄉人，成了部分市民眼中的「罪惡根源」。入境處助理處長馮伯豪3月接受香港電台節目《鏗鏘集》訪問時說，2015年有232名聲請人因打黑工被捕，較2014年增加47%，另有1113人因盜竊、傷人、毒品等刑事罪行被捕。
聯合國《禁止酷刑公約》1992年起適用於香港，其中訂明：「如有充分理由相信任何人在另一國家將有遭受酷刑的危險，締約國便不得將該人驅逐、遣返或引渡至該國」。不過，香港並非難民的收容國，如聲請人獲聯合國確認為難民，會由聯合國難民署安排移居至第三國家，香港最終無需收容這些難民。換言之，香港只是一個中轉站。
34歲的Bashir 2008年從巴基斯坦來港，至今已經八年了，一直以免遣返聲請暫留香港，等候難民資格審批。Bashir告訴端傳媒記者，當時因為土地糾紛，他擔心人身安全而決定離開巴基斯坦。而由於巴基斯坦國民可以免簽證到中國，他一程接一程，先坐飛機到了新疆，再由新疆坐了幾十個小時巴士到深圳，最終找到當地的巴基斯坦同鄉。
Bashir坦言，在深圳同鄉的群體中，偷渡來港申請難民資格已有一套成熟運作的系統。「他們讓我先交2萬港元，說湊足5個人就可以走了，於是我就先在深圳的酒店安頓下來。過了幾天，他們帶我上快艇來香港，我也不知道上船的是什麽地方，我唯一記得的，是開快艇的是一個中國面孔的人。」
不到兩個小時後，Bashir上岸了，到達他憧憬的「中轉站」—— 香港。

在中轉站的漫長等待
Bashir後來才知道，他上岸的地方叫西貢，是遊客熱門的旅遊點。但對當時的他來說，西貢只是一座大山，他靠着幾包餅乾和香煙，沒日沒夜的躲在山上，「數天後食物都吃光了，我們沒法再躲下去，於是幾個人就走到大馬路上，等有警察來抓我們」。他沒有想到的是，這一抓，緊接着是一段漫長等待的日子。
截至今年3月底，香港有超過11201人，正等候免遣返聲請審批，其中像Bashir那樣偷渡來港的其實並非少數。保安局4月回覆立法會議員查詢，指51%免遣返聲請人是偷渡來港，另有47%是在被拒入境或逾期居留被查獲後，才提出免遣返聲請。而據警方了解，非華裔非法入境者一般於原居國家，從陸路或乘飛機進入內地，經廣東及深圳後，四成人會經陸路偷渡來港；其餘六成經水路來港的非法入境者，主要經香港東北面海域，如沙頭角、大鵬灣一帶登岸，或經香港西面海域，如后海灣、大嶼山一帶登岸。

作為非法入境者，Bashir被捕後首先被拘留，期間他提出免遣返聲請，一個月後獲發香港特區臨時身份證明書，俗稱「行街紙」。他之後又聯絡到協助難民的組織，申請到為聲請人提供的租金、食物等人道援助，並找到兩、三個「同道中人」，以當時每人1200元的租金援助合租村屋，在元朗安頓下來。
現時免遣返聲請人每月可以獲得的人道援助，包括直接交到業主手上的、上限為1500元的租金津貼；換成超級市場禮劵的1200元食物資助；還有少量往返入境處報到的交通費。不過，2015年以前，食物援助是經國際社會服務社發放，免遣返聲請人要到油尖旺和元朗等地區的指定店舖拿新鮮食品。
因此，Bashir來港初期，口袋裏唯一的現金，就是他還未用完的旅費。他盤算着餘下不多的旅費，每月只花50元購買一張電話卡：「電話卡只有120分鐘，打電話回巴基斯坦與家人聊天、談近況，就成為我生活中唯一有意義的事。其餘的時間，我就在家中或附近的公園閒坐，同一班朋友、同一個位置、同一樣風景，就這樣坐、坐、坐。」
Bashir說，他在巴基斯坦是一名地主，家境富裕、有妻有子，迫不得已要保命才逃離。他起初滿心以為只會在香港逗留數月，難民資格獲批後，就會到歐美的難民收容國。
但在香港坐着聊着，他越發心急，因為他發現身邊一班同樣在等候難民資格審批的朋友，許多人都等了十年、八年……「我自己一直以為只會在香港逗留數個月，但這似乎並不可能，我那時覺得很絕望。」說完這句話，Bashir靜了下來。
走上黑工之路
這樣在香港等了大半年後，Bashir終於忍受不住，開口向同鄉提出：「可否帶我去打工？」
「我一直知道有朋友非法工作，但因為擔心被捕留下刑事記錄，會影響到難民資格申請，所以沒膽量跟他們去。但幾個月下來，每天都不知道自己在做什麽，也因為白天什麽也沒做，晚上也不覺得累，結果天天都失眠。後來終於有一天，我就不想再理什麽後果，去找人介紹工作了。」
Bashir來港後一直住在元朗，但「工作」後，一星期總有幾天待在上水石湖墟街市。街市門口、停車場、對面的街角、附近的公園，都是他熟悉的「駐點」。「每星期工作兩至三日，開工當天的晚上7時，我會準時到這些駐點等電話。」他說，電話鈴聲一響，就知道是「老闆」指示開工，內容就是到指定的地點上貨落貨的勞力工作。
「我們三三兩兩地等，不會聚集太多人，以免引起注意。我那時主要幫忙搬菜，我知道還有人搬魚。因為要工作到凌晨4時，沒有太多本地人願意做，加上我們力氣大，所以就有人請我們搬貨。」這樣一晚可以賺到400港元，「有錢可以買多一點食物，間中甚至可以到清真餐廳吃飯。」
但Bashir說，他其實不是貪戀食物，而是為了生活最簡單卻最重要的「寄託」：「有了工作，我知道自己有點什麽可以做，最少，我可以等那通叫我開工的電話。」
這些南亞裔免遣返聲請人打黑工，一般會有中介居中牽線。端傳媒接觸到一名不願透露姓名的知情者，指這些中介通常是持香港居民身份的南亞裔人，通過介紹散工從中獲利。「你想想，其實老闆怎會知道那個搬貨的有沒有身份證？他只是付錢叫那個中間人去請人，但老闆付了600元給中間人，中間人只付400元給那個黑工。」知情者透露。
中介聚集了一班「難民」後，部份香港黑社會組織亦會通過中介僱用他們從事非法活動。「例如收地，那些鄉郊地的公公婆婆看到他們的樣子就怕了；還有打架，他們個個體型高大，都很能打。最重要是他們很忠心，他們在香港什麽都沒有，也沒有人會關心他們，所以你對他好一點，他就死心塌地幫你做事，有時候打完架，個個去打邊爐（火鍋），他們卻不肯去，情願拿錢自己去吃麥當勞魚柳包。」知情人透露說。
據Bashir指，有部分難民會做黑工，而上水則有數個黑工聚腳點。
據Bashir指，有部分難民會做黑工，而上水則有數個黑工聚腳點。攝：吳煒豪/端傳媒
對此，香港尋求庇護者及難民協會主席Tariq Mehmood Raja氣憤地表示：「實情他們只是在利用難民的不幸！」Raja來自巴基斯坦，也是免遣返聲請人，在他看來，所謂聲請人引起的治安問題，歸根究柢是本港審批酷刑聲請的制度存在問題：「等待十個月沒有問題，但十多年什麽都不能做的等待，你試想想，其實很難過。我會問為什麼審批時間要這麽長呢？如果審批時間快一點，或者讓他們每天工作三、四小時打發時間，或許對難民、對社會造成的問題都不會那麽大。」
然而，香港政府指出，香港禁止免遣返聲請人工作，是為了避免有人為了來港工作而濫用酷刑聲請。據了解，部份南亞國家有謠言指可以在香港申請「難民簽證」合法工作，並聲稱只要邀交一筆「中介費」，就可以協助他們來港申請簽證及介紹工作。
Bashir五年前就親眼目睹一個朋友「非法工作」當場被捕，之後被判監兩年，「所以我之後他不敢再打工。」但他說那個朋友出獄後，始終覺得自己作工作並沒有錯，於是對香港越來越憤怒。「他覺得反正有沒有錯都要判監，倒不如賺錢填飽肚子好了，後來有一次街上有人給他1000元搬貨，他也沒有多想什麽，結果那裏面原來是毒品，他現在還在監獄裏⋯⋯」
個案複雜，抑或制度複雜？
與Bashir相似，來自非洲的Ayodele同樣因為等候難民審批而滯留香港，但他没有選擇Bashir非法工作的路，而是選擇「白白的等」。
Ayodele在西灣河一座教堂參加彌撒。
Ayodele在西灣河一座教堂參加彌撒。攝：吳煒豪/端傳媒
5月20日上午7時，48歲，來自非洲中部剛果的Ayodele帶着一本祈禱集，走進西灣河一座教堂。那是他來香港後每天都會做的日常。彌撒開始，神父以廣東話祈禱，皮膚黑得發亮的他徐徐翻開自己的祈禱集，上面寫的是法文。「你聽得懂神父說的廣東話嗎？」離開教堂後，端傳媒記者問Ayodele。「我不會，但我明白他們大概在做什麽。」他輕輕舉起手上的祈禱集，那是一本泛黃、殘舊，以皮套包着的小本。
13年前，Ayodele就是帶着這本祈禱集、一本聖經和幾件衣服，從剛果逃到香港。
Ayodele有哲學和歷史雙大學學位，在剛果是一名老師，住在學校提供的宿舍裏面。不過，剛果多年來內戰不斷，他的生活一直算不上安穩，到2003年，更發生了改變他一生的事。「我國家有軍隊強迫小孩子當士兵，我是教書的，我不能看着他們這樣做，所以就發起反抗，結果就被追殺了，我受到了政治迫害。」Ayodele以不太流利的英語用力地解釋着。
這一年9月，他為了逃避追殺乘飛機到香港。然而，他說這裏原本只是中途站：「我當時打算在香港轉機去中國，到埗時才發覺香港可以免簽證入境，於是我就離開機場了。就像你家裏火災，你不會挑選逃生出口吧，逃難時根本沒有時間細想這些，隨便看見哪裏有路就跑了。」
離開機場後，Ayodele找到青年旅館居住。他只能說法語，落地香港後根本無法與人溝通，「我那時在旅館看到人就問如何申請做難民，但因為英語不好，花了一星期才問到聯合國難民辦事處在哪裏」。為了省錢，Ayodele後來晚上就睡在尖沙咀天星碼頭，早上到九龍公園梳洗，他說選那裏露宿，是因為近油麻地的聯合國難民辦事處，也可以到尖沙咀重慶大廈的基督教勵行會服務中心吃飯。那段露宿街頭的日子，他還記得一個細節：「那年很多人說沙士，街上都沒有人！」直到幾個月後，他才申請到免遣返聲請留港，並取得各項人道援助。
然後，他開始每天到教堂望彌撒，接着回家看一整天書，就這樣，早上崇拜，回家看書，呆呆的等待，過了近13年日子。
Ayodele暫住在朋友的家中，因為朋友家中有不少書籍，看書成為了他唯一的消閒活動。
Ayodele暫住在朋友的家中，因為朋友家中有不少書籍，看書成為了他唯一的消閒活動。攝：吳煒豪/端傳媒
「我覺得我的個案並不複雜，複雜的是那個審批制度。」他說自己2003年初來香港時，只有約300人等候難民審批，今天已經有超過1萬人，「如果300人也處理不了，什麽時候才能處理好這1萬人呢？我今年已經48歲，我最黃金的13年都在香港虛度了，如果有天我能離開，我真的還能重新開始嗎？」Ayodele反問。
「在香港以另一種形式死去」
2014年前，來港尋求庇護人士，可以向香港入境處提出「酷刑聲請」或向聯合國申請難民資格。及至2014年3月起，香港入境處推行統一審核機制，如須被遣返或遞解出境人士，聲稱從香港被驅逐、遣返或引渡至另一國家，會遭受酷刑和迫害等，可向入境處提出免遣返聲請。
入境處統一審核機制由2014年3月實施至今，接獲超過17000宗免遣返聲請。不過，截至今年1月底，入境處完成審核的3355宗個案中，獲確立的個案只有27宗，不足百分之一。
Ayodele那樣來自非洲的聲請人只屬少數。保安局指出，聲請人主要來自南亞或東南亞國家，首5位包括越南、印度、巴基斯坦、孟加拉及印尼，佔全部個案約8成。

根據保安局今年2月向立法會提交的資料，2015至16年度，處理免遣返聲請有關的預算開支為6億4400萬元，包括審核聲請及處理有關上訴、公費法律支援及給予聲請人在港期間人道援助的開支。
現時，香港入境處每個月都有約400宗新申請個案，每宗個案需要25個星期審核，他們會根據聲請人的申述及其他文件佐證，確立聲請人是否受到酷刑或迫害等。不過，經常有聲請人提出延期，並以各種理由缺席會面，拖長處理時間，部份聲請人在申請被駁回後提出上訴，繼續留在香港。據了解，甚至有外傭在合約完結後，提出免遣返聲請留港。入境處處長曾國衞4月初履新時表示，免遣返聲請機制有被濫用的情況。入境處表示，2017年將增聘80名職員，加快處理聲請個案。入境處同時也會加強口岸管制禁止可疑人士入境，並聯同警方加強堵截非法入境者。至於設立難民禁閉營，政府初步認為可能引起司法覆核，未必可行。
1月13日，梁振英發表施政報告，提到政府將全面檢討處理免遣返聲請人士，包括檢討《入境條例》。在施政報告記者會上，有記者問到政府會否退出聯合國防止酷刑公約以處理問題，梁振英回應說：「如有需要會這樣做。」
Raja約兩年前成立香港尋求庇護者及難民協會，為被捕難民提供協助，他自己也經常到監獄探望因犯事而被囚的免遣返聲請人士。「你到監獄走一走。那裏有很多故事。曾經有一個個案，兩次被指打黑工被補，結果他來香港6年，有4年都在監獄裏。他一直都宣稱自己無辜，於是越來越不滿，後來第二次放監後，他就主動返回巴基斯坦，他說被追殺也比在香港好。」Raja繼續說：「還有一個尼泊爾來的，他在香港待了4年，最後等不下去，跳海死了，我還幫他辦了身後事。」
訪問到了尾聲，Ayodele指着記者的筆記簿說：「你可以用中文記下這句話嗎？幫我告訴別人: Refugee is not criminal（難民不是罪犯）。」Ayodele 眼裏泛起淚水，待記者寫好這句話才繼續說：「教會裏的香港朋友告訴我，香港人都很憎恨難民，但我真的沒有做過壞事，我只是不想被殺才來到香港。」
Ayodele說，他來港申請免遣返聲請，一心以為拿到難民資格就可以活下去，想不到:「我不想死，所以離開自己的國家，但結果我卻在這裏（香港）以另一種形式死去……」

（為尊重受訪者意願，Ayodele和Bashir均為化名。

23/05/2016

Refugee Survey: "I do not want to be killed to escape to Hong Kong, but in another form to die here."

Black market labor, theft, assault, drugs, refugees in Hong Kong, why become a "root of evil"?

Around at 20:00 on May 15, wearing a white shirt and worn yellowed sports pants Bashir, and the end of media correspondents in Shek Wu Hui market meet.

I walked on, Bashir pointed twenty-three gathered in the distant corner of South Asian man said: "These should be the" black workers (illegal workers), "they are here waiting for the phone," Bashir is very clear, downtown area where black workers of the gathering point, where is the distribution center for illegal workers, because Bashir himself has done illegal workers.

In recent months opened Hong Kong newspapers, seen on almost every day "refugees" reports, accusing the Hong Kong refugee "illicitly" even mean that they steal, rob, fight gangs and other criminal cases. All of a sudden, they come to Hong Kong to escape, refugee status awaiting approval stranger, became part of the eyes of the public, "the root of evil." When the Assistant Director of Immigration Ping Bohao March interview with Hong Kong radio show "Common Sense," Access said in 2015 claimed 232 people were arrested for illegal employment, an increase of 47% compared with 2014, and another 1113 people for theft, assault, drugs and other criminal offenses arrested.

The United Nations' Convention against Torture, "applied to Hong Kong since 1992, which provides that:" where there are substantial grounds for believing that any person in another country would be in danger of being subjected to torture, the State party would not to expel, return or extradite to the country . " However, Hong Kong is not a refugee resettlement countries, such as the claimant is eligible for the United Nations recognized as refugees, will be organized by the UNHCR to relocate to third countries, Hong Kong will not end up receiving these refugees. In other words, Hong Kong is only a transit point.

34-year-old Bashir from Pakistan to Hong Kong in 2008, it has been eight years, has been to avoid repatriation sound please temporarily stay in Hong Kong, pending approval of refugee status. Bashir told the media reporter end, it was not a land dispute, he worried about personal safety and decided to leave Pakistan. And because Pakistani nationals visa-free to China, he received a one-way journey, the first plane to Xinjiang, Xinjiang and then by the dozens of hours bus ride to Shenzhen, Pakistan finally found a local fellow.

Bashir admitted in Shenzhen fellow groups, sneak into Hong Kong to apply for refugee status has a mature operating system. "They let me pay HK $ 20,000, said five people gather can go, so I tried to get settled in Shenzhen hotel. A few days later, they took me on a boat to Hong Kong, I do not know the boat What place, the only thing I remember is the opening of a Chinese boat people face. "

Less than two hours later, Bashir landed, and reach his vision of a "transit point" - Hong Kong.
During the long wait for transfer station
Bashir later learned that he landed in a place called Saigon, is a popular tourist spot tourists. But then him, Saigon just a mountain, he leaned on a few packs of biscuits and ci******es, day and night hiding in the mountains, "a few days after the food is eaten, then we can not hide it, so few personal went to Malaysia on the road, and so have the police came for us. " He did not think that this catch, followed by a long wait for the day.

As of the end of March this year, Hong Kong has more than 11,201 people are awaiting approval, please avoid repatriation sound, where as Bashir did sneak into Hong Kong is actually not a minority. SB April reply to the Legislative Council inquiry, referring to a 51% Free repatriation of the claimant is sneaking into Hong Kong, and another 47% are refused entry or overstaying after being seized, have proposed Free repatriation sound please. According to the Police, non-ethnic Chinese illegal immigrants in the country of origin in general, to enter the mainland by land or by air, after Guangdong and Shenzhen, the four adults will sneak into Hong Kong by land; the rest by sea Liucheng illegal immigrants come to Hong Kong , mainly through the waters northeast of Hong Kong, such as Sha Tau Kok, Mirs Bay landing area, or through the waters west of Hong Kong, such as along the Bay, Lantau Island landing.

As illegal immigrants, Bashir was first detained after his arrest, during which he proposed Free repatriation sound please, one month after being issued with a temporary identity certificate of the Hong Kong SAR, commonly known as "going-out passes." He later contacted the organization to assist refugees, to apply for rent, food and other humanitarian aid provided by the claimant, and find two or three "illustrious" to 1,200 yuan per person was rented village house rent assistance, in Yuen settle down.

Free repatriation of people now claiming Keyihuode month humanitarian assistance, including directly vested in the hands of the owners, the upper limit of 1,500 yuan rent allowance; replaced Chaojishichang coupon 1,200 yuan funded food; there is a small amount and from the Immigration Department to report transportation costs. However, by 2015, food aid is granted by the International Social Service, Free repatriation of people claiming to be designated shops Yau Tsim Mong and Yuen Long areas to get fresh food.
Therefore, Bashir beginning to Hong Kong, the only pocket the cash, that he has not run out of travel. He figured the few remaining travel, per month to spend 50 yuan to buy a phone card: "Phone Card only 120 minutes and called back to Pakistan with his family to chat, to talk about the current situation, my life has become the only meaningful thing the rest of the time I would at home or in a nearby park to sit, the same class friends, the same position, the same as landscape, so sit, sit, sit. "
Bashir said he was a landlord in Pakistan, his family was wealthy, had a wife and son, was forced to flee to save your life. At first he fully expected to stay only a few months in Hong Kong, after the refugee status granted, will be to Europe's refugee-hosting countries.
But sat chatting in Hong Kong, he was more anxious, because he found a group of around waiting for refugee status in the same approval friend, many people have waited ten years, eight years ...... "I always thought the number would stay in Hong Kong months, but it does not seem possible, I think it was hopeless. "finish the sentence, Bashir quieted down.

Embarked on the road of illegal workers
Thus in Hong Kong, six months later, Bashir finally could not stand, open to the fellow asked: "? Can I go to work with."
"I know there has been a friend to work illegally, but left because of fear of arrest criminal record will affect the refugee status application, so cowards go with them, but a few months, every day do not know what they are doing, because did not do anything during the day, do not feel tired at night, every day insomnia results. Then one day, I do not want to manage the consequences, to get the person to work. "
Bashir has been living in Yuen Long in Hong Kong after, but the "work" week there are always a few days stay in Shek Wu Hui Market. Market entrance, parking lot, opposite the corner, near the park, are his familiar "stagnation." "Two to three days per week, start 19:00 that day, I will be on time to the stagnation and other phone." He said the telephone bell rang, you know that "the boss" orders start, is content to designated locations labor working on the cargo loading and unloading.

"We are in twos and threes, etc., will not gather too many people, so as not to attract attention. I was mainly to help move food, I know there are people moving fish because you want to work until 4:00, not too many locals willing to do, plus our great strength, so someone asked us to move goods. "this night can earn HK $ 400," a little more money to buy food, even among Muslim can go to a restaurant for dinner. "
But Bashir said he was not really eager for food, but for the life of the simplest but most important "sustenance": "With work, I know a little of what you can do, at least, I can wait that started me through the phone. "
The South Asian Free repatriation claimant illicitly, generally there will be pulling the strings intermediary. End media exposure to an unnamed insider, referring to these intermediaries are usually holding a Hong Kong resident status in South Asian people, casual workers by introducing a profit. "You think about it, in fact, the boss How can you know that moving goods have no identity? He just called to pay the middleman to please people, but the boss to pay 600 yuan to the middlemen who only pay 400 yuan to the black work. "insiders.
Mediation gathered a group of "refugees", the part of the Hong Kong triad will employ them to engage in illegal activities through an intermediary. "For example, income, those rural places to see what they look like grandfathers and grandmothers afraid of; there are fights, they all tall body, play the most important is that they are very loyal, they are not in Hong Kong what. no one will care for them, so you are nice to him, he was dead set to help you do things, sometimes after the fight, go all hot pot (pot), but they would not go, would rather spend money on their own to eat McDonald's fillets package. "insider revealed.
According to Bashir means, some refugees will do illegal workers and Sheung Shui are several black workers gather footholds.

In this regard, asylum-seekers in Hong Kong and chairman of the Refugee Association Tariq Mehmood Raja angrily said: "The unfortunate truth they are just using the refugees!" Raja from Pakistan, but also for Free repatriation of the claimant, in his view, the so-called human-induced acoustic please policing problem, the final analysis is a problem in approving torture of the sound system in Hong Kong, please: "wait ten months no problem, but ten years of waiting for nothing do you think about this sad fact, I would ask why the processing time to be so. long? If approval faster time point, or get them to work every day three or four hours to pass the time, perhaps the refugee problem on the community are not so big. "
However, the Hong Kong government said Hong Kong is prohibited for Free repatriation of the claimant to work in order to prevent people from working in Hong Kong for torture and abuse. It is understood that part of the South Asian countries there were rumors that can apply for "refugee visa" to work legally in Hong Kong, and that as long as the invitation to pay an "agency fee", you can help them come to Hong Kong to apply for a visa and a job.
Bashir witnessed five years ago, a friend "illegal work" was arrested and later sentenced to prison for two years, "so I did not dare to work after him." But he said after his release that friend, and always feel that they do not work wrong, then to Hong Kong angrier. "Anyway, he feels there is nothing wrong to be sentenced to imprisonment, it would be good to make money to fill his stomach, and then once the street was to give him 1000 yuan to move goods, he did not think about anything, the results of which turned out to be the drug that he now ⋯⋯ still in prison. "

Complicated cases, or complex system?
Like Bashir, Ayodele from Africa also because refugees awaiting approval stranded in Hong Kong, but he did not choose the way Bashir illegal work, choosing instead to "white and so on."

Ayodele attend Mass in a church in Sai Wan Ho.
Ayodele attend Mass in a church in Sai Wan Ho. Photo: Wu Wei Hao / end media
At 7:00 on May 20, 48 years old, from Central, Africa and Congo's Ayodele with a set of prayer, Sai Wan Ho walked into a church. That was after he came to Hong Kong every day to do daily. Mass began, the priest prayed in Cantonese, shiny black skin, he slowly opened his prayer set above is written in French. "Do you understand what the priest said the Cantonese it?" After leaving the church, the media reporter asked end Ayodele. "I will not, but I understand they are probably doing." He gently raised his hands to pray sets, it is a yellowed, worn, with leather wrapped small.
13 years ago, Ayodele is with this set of prayers, a Bible and a few pieces of clothing, from Congo fled to Hong Kong.

Ayodele has a double university degree in philosophy and history, in the Congo was a teacher in a dorm schools inside. However, the ongoing civil war in Congo over the years, and his life has been really stable, 2003, his life changed more things. "I have a national army soldiers forced child when I was teaching, I do not watch them, so I take the battle, the result being hunted down, and I was a political persecution." Ayodele is not fluent in English forcefully explained.

In September that year, he flew to Hong Kong to escape the kill. However, he said there had only half-way station: "I was going to turn to China in Hong Kong, only to find Po Kong visa-free entry, so I left for the airport as the fire in your home, you would not choose to escape. export it, when there is no time to dwell on this flight, just to see where the road ran. "
After leaving the airport, Ayodele find youth hostels residence. He could only speak French, after landing in Hong Kong can not communicate with people, "I was at the hotel to see people asking how to apply for the refugees, but because English is not good, spent a week before to ask where the UN refugee office . " To save money, Ayodele later at night and sleep in the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier in the morning to Kowloon Park grooming, he said the election there to sleep, because near Yau Ma Tei United Nations refugee office, can also go to Tsim Sha Tsui, Chungking Mansions Christian Action Center dinner . That part of the day sleeping in the streets, he remembered a detail: "A lot of people say SARS that year, no one on the street!" Until a few months later, he was free to apply for the repatriation of the sound, please stay in Hong Kong, and has made the humanitarian assistance.

Then he began to attend Mass every day church, then go home and watch a book all day, so worship in the morning, go home to read, blankly waiting, after nearly 13 years of life.
Ayodele staying at a friend's home, a friend's house because there are a lot of books, reading became his only leisure activity.

"I think my case is not complicated, complicated by the fact that the approval system." He said he was coming in early 2003 in Hong Kong, only about 300 refugees waiting for approval, and today has more than one million people, "If people can not handle 300 , when will it deal with these 10,000 people? I am already 48 years old, my gold for 13 years in Hong Kong are wasted, and if one day I can leave, I can really start over? 'Ayodele asked.
"Hong Kong died in another form."
2014, arrived asylum seekers may be made to the Hong Kong Immigration Department "torture" or to the United Nations refugee eligibility. Onwards until March 2014, Hong Kong Immigration Department to implement a unified audit mechanisms, such as shall be deported or repatriated persons, claiming to have been deported from Hong Kong, returned or extradited to another country, be subjected to torture and persecution, etc., may be made to the Immigration Department Free repatriation sound please.

Immigration unified audit mechanism by the March 2014 implementation date, received more than 17,000 Free repatriation sound please. However, as of the end of January this year, the Immigration Department to complete the review of the 3355 cases, was established in only 27 cases, less than one percent.
Ayodele as from Africa claimant only a minority. SB noted that the claimant mainly from South Asia or Southeast Asian countries, the first five bits including Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia, accounting for approximately 80% of all cases.

Figure: End Media Design
According to the information the Security Bureau in February this year, submitted to the Legislative Council, 2015-16 year deal with free repatriation of sound information about budget expenditure was 600 million 44 million yuan, including review sound please and deal with the appeal, publicly funded legal support and to give claimants in Hong Kong humanitarian aid spending period.
At present, the Hong Kong Immigration Department every month about 400 new applications were, in each case requires 25 weeks review, based on evidence they claim that human representations and other documents establishing the claimant is subject to torture or persecution. However, it is often the claimant to request an extension, and for various reasons the absence of a meeting, prolonged processing time, some people claimed that after the application is rejected appeals to stay in Hong Kong. It is understood that, even after the expiry of the contract FDH proposed Free repatriation sound, please stay in Hong Kong. AXA Director of Immigration had assumed office in early April, said the repatriation of the sound Free Please have abuse of the mechanism. A government spokesman said, 2017 will recruit 80 staff, please expedite the processing of sound cases. The Immigration Department will also strengthen port control block suspicious person entry, in parallel with the Police intercept illegal immigrants. As a refugee detention camps, the preliminary view that the government may lead to a judicial review may not be feasible.
January 13, Mr Leung delivered his policy address mentioned that the Government will conduct a comprehensive review process Free repatriation of sound sources, please include a review of "the Immigration Ordinance." In the policy address news conference, a reporter asked whether the Government would withdraw the United Nations Convention on the Prevention of Torture in order to deal with the problem, Mr Leung said in response: "If you need to do."

Raja was founded about two years ago, the Hong Kong Association of asylum-seekers and refugees, to provide assistance to refugees arrested, he also often went to the prison to visit a prisoner found guilty of things and free repatriation of sound please people. "You walk into the prison, where there are a lot of stories. There was a case, the two are accused of illicitly up, and he came to Hong Kong for six years, four years in prison. He always claimed his innocence, so increasingly dissatisfied, then after the second put into prison, he would take the initiative to return to Pakistan, he said, was better to kill than in Hong Kong, "Raja continues:" there are a Nepal come, he spent four years in Hong Kong Finally, can not wait, jumped into the sea to die, and I helped him do a funeral. "

Access to the end, pointing to the reporter's notebook Ayodele said: "? You can write down the Chinese word here help me tell others:. Refugee is not criminal (refugees are not criminals)," Ayodele eyes thrown tears, to be reporters this sentence was written continued: "church friends in Hong Kong told me that Hong Kong people are very hated refugees, but I really have not done a bad thing, I just do not want to be killed came to Hong Kong."
Ayodele said he came to Hong Kong to apply for repatriation sound please, all thought to get refugee status can live, think: "I want to die, so leave their country, but the results I was here (Hong Kong) died in another form ... ... "

13/05/2016

Asylum seekers and their children protesting for their rights in Hong Kong.

I refer to the article by Holden Chow, vice-chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (“Rise in bogus refugees has made Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities victims of prejudice”, May 8)....

13/05/2016

"What crisis? Fear-mongering over asylum seekers a dangerous game"

I refer to the article by Holden Chow, vice-chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (“Rise in bogus refugees has made Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities victims of prejudice”, May 8).

Instead of dealing with the issue calmly, Mr Chow promoted negativity towards asylum seekers/protection claimants, calling them black sheep, and blaming them for giving the local ethnic minority community a bad rap by association.

inRead invented by Teads
Since the beginning of this year, certain media outlets, political parties and government officials have exaggerated the asylum seeker/refugee issue, even though there are no official statistics to show that the crime rate of refugees has gone up. Yet politicians continue to make irresponsible statements when describing Hong Kong’s “refugee crisis”. The portrayal of asylum seekers, instead of the individuals themselves, is at the root of public fear, and talk of a crisis feeds the fire. Mr Chow’s article reinforced these baseless fears.

Tony Read, in his article, as a justice advocate working with asylum seekers, described the situation here, summarised by your headline, “Hong Kong has no refugee crisis, only a crisis of response” (March 31).

There are about 11,000 claimants in the city, and their presence neither constitutes a financial nor social threat. Most asylum seekers didn’t choose to come to Hong Kong nor did they come to take advantage of its welfare system.

They ended up here because of persecution, conflict, and human trafficking. They survive on meagre support and endure incredible limitations in their daily lives. Civil societies and individuals recently signed a statement calling for calm on the refugee debate. They said a non-issue was being blown out of proportion, which leads us to overlook the real problem of long processing time.

Some politicians have perpetuated stereotypes of asylum seekers. One cannot help but interpret this as part of an election strategy designed to capture Chinese votes by appealing to their xenophobia, and then target non-Chinese votes by holding out the olive branch to ethnic minority residents who suffer collateral damage in the smear campaign.

Unison primarily serves ethnic minority residents and we are concerned about how ethnic minorities are treated in their daily lives and portrayed in the media. But on the issue of asylum seekers, it is unwise to allow ourselves to be divided and tolerate fearmongering politics that capitalises on the vulnerability of ethnic minority residents who are often marginalised in Hong Kong society.

Phyllis Cheung, executive director, Hong Kong Unison