At the Asylum Seekers Feminist Conference, which took place prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, TheCity.ie spoke to Eoin from Abolish Direct Provision Ireland and conference attendees about the impact of Direct Provision on their wellbeing. By Kate Brayden, Cameron Weymes and Ayumi Miyano.
Many of those who came to the conference travelled to be there in order to hear guest speakers and panelists give talks on mental health and host art and yoga workshops. Sonia from Cameroon, Julie from Uganda — whose company ‘Julie’s Kitchen’ catered at the conference — and organiser Eoin generously spoke to us about their unique and personal experiences.
The controversial system of asylum has repeatedly hit the headlines over the mistreatment of those who must wait for their refugee status to be granted, or to be allowed to stay in Ireland. One of the State’s largest providers of accommodation to asylum seekers recorded a pretax profit of €2.36 million in 2018. That the Irish Government allows the system of asylum to be a for-profit service for multinational corporations such as Aramark has been a dominant point of frustrations. Those in the system receive just €38.80 as a weekly Daily Expenses Allowance, and are often moved to differing centres around Ireland before given time to settle in to the local community.
Many centres are located in isolated areas, far away from local villages, which harms the mental health of asylum seekers – who have few options for seeking out services and often face language barriers. For those who have survived war, famine, discrimination and sexual violence, their trauma cannot be addressed. Living conditions in certain regional centres have been a cause for complaint, as well as the troubling impact of the situation on children living in the system.
It’s worth noting that the Irish State’s response to Covid-19 in terms of testing those in Direct Provision has been heavily criticised by human rights groups, politicians, lawyers and health experts alike for effectively ignoring their concerns and putting them at risk. There are currently around 1,700 residents in centres around the country – 149 had tested positive for the coronavirus as of early May.
Afghan reporter Diva Patang poses for a photo at the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Photo: Diva Patang
By Cameron Weymes
Despite enduring over 40 years of conflict, Afghanistan is currently ranked seventh in the world in T20 cricket.
Cricket has only become popular in Afghanistan since the 1990s, when Afghan refugees played the sport while living in Pakistan.
The Afghan team qualified for their first Cricket World Cup in 2015 and beat Ireland to qualify for the 2019 tournament.
The team has also beaten established cricketing nations such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies in one-day internationals.
The effect of the team’s success on people back home has been massive.
Cricket in one of Kabul’s parks. Photo: Cameron Weymes
“Instead of focusing on the problems in the country such as war there’s now something fun for our youngsters to think of,” said Diva Patang, a reporter for the Afghan news station RTA.
“Children now have role models that are examples for themselves. When you ask youngsters in Afghanistan who they want to be when they grow up, most will say one of the international players such as Rashid Khan or Mujeeb Ur Rahman,” she added.
The Afghan constitution states that the country is home to 14 ethnic groups, the main ones being Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek.
According to Diva, when the cricket team is playing the whole country is behind them, regardless of ethnicity.
“Everyone supports them. President Ashraf Ghani even cites the cricket team as an example of Afghans being able to work together.”
“All over the country you’ll find children playing cricket at school and on the streets,” she said.
Street cricket in Kabul. Photo: Cameron Weymes
The recent Afghan presidential election saw a turnout of less than 25% and took five months to declare a winner.
In addition, the Afghan government has been sidelined from the peace talks between the US and the Taliban, which resulted in agreement in late February.
For the Afghan people, fatigued by war and politics, cricket is a welcome break.
“If you tweet something about Afghan politics and something about Afghan cricket, you will see the difference in interest levels among the people,” said Diva.
“For Afghans cricket means a lot. If there is something wrong with the cricket, they take it personally. There will be anger and demonstrations.”
“There’s interest in other sports in Afghanistan, but cricket is number one,” she added.
— Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (@OLYMPICAFG) January 12, 2020
Irish rivalry
Afghanistan will play Ireland in India in a three-part T20 international starting on March 6, 2020 at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground, India.
The teams are very familiar with one another having played 26 times at one-day internationals, winning 13 each.
However, it has been more one-sided at T20, with Afghanistan winning 12 of 15 encounters between the two.
“Lately Afghanistan has been very successful against Ireland. The Afghan team has become very familiar with the Irish team and their tactics so I think Afghanistan is in a good position,” said Diva.
“Our team has spent a lot of time in India and familiarised themselves with the hot weather. Speaking to the players myself, they say they are very keen and I think it will be a good match to watch,” she concluded.
Flying kites during Newroz celebrations in Kabul. Photo: Cameron Weymes
“The Government welcomed them with open arms, but never provided the resources they need”. Photo: Pexels.
By Ruadhan Jones
The Government’s handling of refugees and asylum seekers* is “a national shame”, a candidate standing for Ireland’s newest political party has said.
Speaking exclusively to TheCity.ie, Aontú candidate for Cork North-West Becky Kealy said: “These are people who have had to flee their own countries, but their cases aren’t being dealt with in a timely fashion.
“The Government welcomed them with open arms, but never provided the resources they needed.
“I know of people who have spent six years in Direct Provision, with appalling services.”
She added that “protests, fear, and hatred’ linked to far-right sentiment arise when the Government fails to consult with locals in areas where refugees and migrants settle.
Aontú was established just over a year ago by former Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóbín.
The new party stresses Ireland’s responsibility to refugees and migrants – and calls for fairer management of numbers entering the country.
But Tóbín was criticised for remarking at Aontú’s April 2019 launch that immigration “needs to be managed”.
The party leader said at the time:
“There is no doubt there is a growing unease and concern among many people in Ireland around the issue of immigration.
“Our view is very simple: there needs to be sustainable levels of immigration in this country. It needs to be managed.”
He was swiftly criticised by Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty for “courting that area” for electoral support. Doherty added:
“He is no fool. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
Tóbín had quit Sinn Féin in November 2018 after clashing with the party over its decision to support the repeal of the Eighth Amendment.
He’d been an SF member for 21 years and left “with a heavy heart”.
In its election manifesto, Aontú identifies two kinds of immigration – refugees and migrants.
The party promises to shelter refugees “fleeing war, violence or hunger…in line with international law and moral obligation. Anything less would reduce who we are as a people”.
They also highlight a need to take “climate degradation” and “climate change” into account.
“Climate degradation is resulting in many people not being able to grow their own food due to drought, loss of soil fertility, polluted drinking water and dead zones in the sea,” Aontú’s manifesto says.
Credit: YouTube/Al Jazeera
“Shortages in food due to climate change have fuelled war and regime changes throughout the developing world,” it adds.
According to figures from Ireland’s Department of Justice, 70 million people have been forcibly displaced globally.
In December 2019, Ireland pledged to accept 2,900 people between 2020 and 2023 under the the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP).
However, the Jesuit Refugee Service of Ireland said the State needed to accept an additional 1,500 people per year from 2020 to 2022 – in order to meet the UN’s global resettlement needs.
Under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP), 2015-2019, Ireland promised to take on 4,000 refugees by the end of 2019 – but fell short by around 800.
According to the Asylum Information Database, Ireland currently houses 6,355 asylum in Direct Provision – though the contracted capacity for the centres is 6,209.
In recent weeks we have met and written to political parties on our manifesto recommendations for the coming General Election.
A further 936 people “are living in temporary accommodation like B&Bs and hostels”, says Nick Henderson, CEO of the Irish Refugee Council.
Becky Kealy also stressed the need for improved infrastructure if Ireland is to take on increased levels of migration.
The election candidate told TheCity.ie: “We’re well able to provide refuge, but we’re not providing new homes or schools, and the health system is in a crisis already.
“How are we to cope given the services and resources in place?
“There’s no point bringing in a surplus when we don’t even have the resources to take care of our own.’
She added that far-right sentiment arises due to lack of consultation by the Government with locals in areas where refugees and migrants settle.
Kealy said: “Immigrants have so much knowledge and information to share.
“We can learn from them and they can learn from us.
“The Government never consulted with locals – and that’s where protests, fear, and hatred come from.”
Meanwhile, Tóbín said his party will invest €2.2billion to build 10,000 social homes every year.
Aontú calls for a sustainable immigration policy, one which balances “population growth and the necessary infrastructural development”.
“Some people blame immigrants for the scarcity of resources when in truth it is the inept and wasteful policies of this government,” their manifesto says.
“A sustainable migration plan should have broad democratic support after being discussed honestly and informed by the opinion of genuine experts,” it adds.
Aontú says it wants to achieve a “reasonable and fair management of numbers entering our country”.
To do this it will seek to use “mechanisms such as the European Parliament and Council Directive 2004/38/EC”.
This directive relates to migrants from within the EU, confirming their right to freedom of movement while allowing the host member state to determine issues such as the granting of “social assistance”.
*According to the UNHCR, refugees are those ‘forced to flee their homes due to armed conflict, human rights violations and persecution and are in need of international protection,’ while migrants ‘are those who choose to move…for a variety of socio-economic reasons.’
Refugees do not travel in search of economic opportunity but to escape war, persecution, death, torture and rape. They are entitled to the protection and assistance of other states under international law, and under shared principles of human decency.
Fianna Fáil is pledging to finally reform direct provision and create a “more welcoming Ireland” for refugees and asylum seekers.
And speaking to TheCity.ie, FF Dáil candidate Fiona O’Loughlin branded the current direct provision system ‘long past its sell by date”.
In a radical pre-election policy promise as the party competes for control of the Dáil, FF is proposing long overdue complete reform of the asylum system and to improve refugee accommodation.
She told us: “We must be innovative in the way we integrate people in direct provision into Irish society.
“We must be educating society on the reasons for direct provision centres and the reasons people are fleeing for a better life.”
O’Loughlin went on: “The current system of direct provision centres was established 20 years ago on a temporary basis.
“It is now long past its sell by date and it must be changed to reflect the country we live in today.”
The Dáil hopeful said asylum seekers in emergency accommodation – hundreds of which are children – are moved around “like cattle”.
She said: “We are talking about men, women, boys and girls.
“There are children who need and want to live their lives with dignity and respect, to be able to dream and to have a far better quality of life than they currently have.
“They reside in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation where they can be shipped like cattle to alternative accommodation to make way for various events being held in the hotels.
“They grow up in bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels where they must adhere to curfews.
“It’s simply not on.”
O’Loughlin revealed she had visited two Co. Kildare centres, The Eyre Powell and the Hazel Hotel, to meet with residents.
“Most of them are frustrated – their drive deteriorates the longer they are in these centres,” she told TheCity.ie.
She insisted that Fianna Fáil can bring about the changes needed.
“We have plans in place to help refugees and asylum seekers integrate and to apply for things like a driving licence.
“We hope that Ireland will become more appealing and equal to all,” O’Loughlin said.
Her party’s manifesto states: “Our asylum system must reflect our values and our obligations to maintain the integrity of our borders.
“The current direct provision system fails to do that and is alienating communities across the island.”
In recent months, the Irish Refugee and Migrant Coalition – which represents 23 organisations – warned the State that 1.4 million people will need to be resettled globally in 2020.
The organisation added that a “significantly enhanced and adequately resourced” programme was needed in Ireland.
“It also said the Irish Navy has rescued 18,000 people in eleven missions in the past year, according to Nasc, which defends the rights of refugees and migrants.“
Fiona Finn, chief executive of Nasc, wants the political parties who form the next government to “follow through on their promises urgently” on refugees and asylum seekers.
She told TheCity.ie: “These people have been through hardship and they should not have to experience additional hardship in finding accommodation and jobs if they should wish.
“The political parties who next form a government must follow through on their promises urgently.
“Over 900 people have drowned attempting to cross the Mediterranean this year alone.
“The free movement of persons is a fundamental right guaranteed to European Union (EU) citizens by the Treaties. It is realised through the area of freedom, security and justice without internal borders.” This EU legislation guarantees freedom for its citizens but for the same cannot be said for those outside the strict EU borders. Outside Fortress Europe, migrants endure extreme hardship, risking their lives to enter the EU.
In April around 900 Libyan migrants were drowned off the coast of Sicily in a desperate attempt to cross the EU border and escape the adversity they left behind. TheCity spoke to the journalist and PHD student, Roisin Boyd to discuss how such a tragedy occurred under EU legislation.
Please see below for definitions:
Asylum Seeker – Oxford Dictionary Definition – A person who has left their home country as a political refugee and is seeking asylum in another: ‘only asylum seekers who are granted refugee status are allowed to work in the country’
Refugee – Oxford Dictionary Definition – A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or natural disaster: ‘tens of thousands of refugees fled their homes’
Migrant – Oxford Dictionary Definition – A person who moves from one place to another in order to find work or better living conditions.
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This nation’s ability to ignore longstanding and continuous violations of human rights has once again made headlines this week. Our Direct Provision system for accommodating asylum seekers has come under serious criticism after recent inspection reports have showed evidence of over-crowding, poor hygiene standards and poor fire safety standards across multiple asylum centres.
Under our current system, asylum seekers are provided with full board (food and accommodation), and a weekly allowance of €19.10 per adult and €9.60 per child. Asylum seekers are not entitled to work in this country or to apply for rent allowance to live outside of a Direct Provision centre. This system was designed to meet the basic needs of people for a temporary period while their application for refugee status is being processed.
However current inspection reports have revealed that the average time spent by asylum seekers in these hostel-style centres is three years and eight months. A backlog of thousands of applications has resulted in, in some centres, families of six being forced to share one bedroom. Parallels are being drawn between these conditions and those found in the Magdalene laundries.
Despite making headlines this week, this is not news. The Direct Provision system has been attracting harsh criticisms almost since its inception. Within the first year of the establishment of the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), which was set up to provide Direct Provision, a report was published which addressed the extreme poverty and exclusion experienced by children in the system. ‘Beyond the Pale’, published in 2001, addresses the fact that Ireland was failing to conform to its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The report stated, “Asylum seekers in direct provision may experience extreme deprivation as a result of inadequate diet and inability to afford the purchase of sufficient and appropriate food from their incomes.” It also highlighted problems such as overcrowding, stress, depression, social exclusion, racism and malnutrition.
Not only does it seem that little has been done to change our system, Ireland is actively choosing not to improve its system by opting out of the laws which will form the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). This new system includes the Reception Conditions Directive, which requires a common standard for living conditions in asylum centres and requires member states to grant asylum seekers faster access to employment (or in our case, to grant them access in the first place). This decision puts Ireland even further out of line with the standards employed by EU member states.
So, the question remains; why is Ireland so unwilling to provide asylum seekers with basic human rights? The uncomfortable truth may well be that we as a nation continue to harbor closeted racist attitudes towards asylum seekers, and simply don’t care enough to campaign for better immigration policies.
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter
Dr. Liam Thornton of UCD addressed this on humanrights.ie, claiming that TDs who had campaigned for an end to Direct Provision had actually lost support, “not just a few votes here and there, but very noticeable support.”
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter (despite previously opposing the Direct Provisions system) has said that the system is the best we can provide given our current economic conditions. Most Irish citizens would probably agree with him. But like it or not, Ireland has an obligation under international law to ensure the basic human rights of asylum seekers are being met, and until Direct Provision is axed, we won’t be meeting that obligation.
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