One of important points upon receipt political asylum in the USA - a correctly composed history (legend). Many people make mistakes when writing it, which lead to denial of asylum. In this article about its preparation, we will answer the following questions:
- Why should history be written independently?
- What should its structure be?
- What to write and what not to write
- What documents should be attached to the legend?
In the introduction you need to describe the situation in your country, but only those aspects that relate to your case. If you have been harassed about your faith, you should describe general position in the country. Why is your religion being oppressed, and who is doing it (the authorities, adherents of another religion, or is it prohibited by law)? At the same time, the main thing is not to invent or embellish anything, since all facts are verified using data from the relevant authorities and even special services. Human rights and their observance play an important role. You can get acquainted with them at.
The main part should describe situations in which you were oppressed or your rights were violated. Here it is important to indicate all specific data - dates, names, addresses, names of organizations, etc. When describing several cases, you need to present them in chronological order. You also need to indicate what you risked in each situation. For example, you were beaten and could be disabled, or they threatened to kill you and your fears are not unfounded. The main part needs to be checked especially carefully. All data must correspond exactly to what took place.
If you do not remember specific data, such as an address, date or full name of a person, you need to write about it honestly. Approximate data may be provided. For example: month, street name, name of a person without surname and position.
In conclusion, you should write a general paragraph stating that you are asking for political asylum in the United States and state why you decided to do this. For example: due to persecution by the authorities, due to oppression based on belonging to social group etc. It is a good idea to point out what might happen to you if you are forced to return to your home country. For example: you can be killed, convicted without reason, etc. If you have not previously applied for political asylum in the United States for some reason, this reason must be indicated.
If you have documents confirming any facts, they should be indicated in the place where they are needed. For example: “on the fact of the beating, I received a medical examination report (Appendix No. 8)”, the documents can be any evidence, even just an eyewitness account certified by a signature.
Today we have a very unusual and very detailed history immigration to Canada. A story about two guys from Ukraine. Both arrived as tourists three years ago. After several months of staying in the country, they decided that they should try to stay and obtain permanent residence through refugee status in Canada. Andrey, one of the guys, will tell you what they went through and what they achieved.
Hi Andrey, please tell us a little about yourself. How many years, what did you do 2 years ago before you came to Canada? Why did you decide to leave for Canada and how long did it take you to get there?
Hello, I'm 23 years old. 3 years ago I was an ordinary Ukrainian student, working in a travel company, as a bus guide in European cities. I never dreamed or especially thought about Canada. Everything happened somehow spontaneously. Someone I knew told me that there is a way to easily and quickly get a visa to Canada. And since I always liked such ways and methods of travel, it was very interesting to me. After the New Year (2011), my friend and I decided to try to go and see Canada. My friend’s name is Kirill, so I will talk about both myself and him.
So you spontaneously decided to immigrate to Canada?
No. There was no talk about immigration at all. I didn't even know if it was possible. I knew that I had distant relatives somewhere in Canada, so if things got really bad, I could turn to them. In general, we planned to go for a maximum of 6 months, no more.
How did you get a visa to Canada? Did you do everything yourself or use the services of an agency?
Obtaining a visa to Canada was not difficult. The easiest way was to get a visa through the ILAC language school. The point is that you are going to study the language in Canada. You need to pay for school, and you receive a letter of invitation, with which you then send documents to the embassy and receive a visa to Canada. Now regarding the second part of your question, unfortunately we didn't know anything about ILAC or Canada, so we turned to one of the travel agencies for help.
What were the agency's responsibilities? What format did the work take and how much did you pay for the services, if it’s not a secret?
To be honest, I don’t even know how the work went with the preparation and submission of documents to school and for a visa to Canada. All we did was bring our passports and money to the agency office. And after two or three weeks they took me along with visas to Canada. Unfortunately, they paid a lot, somewhere around $4,000.
$4,000 for a visa to Canada and admission to a Canadian language school? Somehow very expensive. What unique thing did they offer you, an unlimited student visa to Canada?
Yes, it's really very expensive. We realized this when we were already in Canada. This money included: full registration documents, opening a tourist visa for 6 months and 2 weeks of study at a language school in Canada. As we later found out, for that kind of money it was possible to get a work visa with a contract for 2 years, and not a tourist visa for 6 months. But I’m glad that I managed to get to Canada, although a lot of money was spent.
Note to blog readers: Tuition at a language school costs approximately $300 per week. The minimum training period is 2 weeks. Enrolling in school is very simple - the main thing is to fill out the documents correctly, pay for your studies and write a motivation letter. Then you receive a letter of invitation to study and with this you apply for a visa. After the introduction of new rules, it became possible to enter college immediately after language school, and in many cases without exams at all. Many agencies, especially in the CIS, charge money for assistance in filling out documents for admission to a college or language school in Canada. But there are also accredited specialists and consultants who work absolutely free of charge and who have direct agreements with colleges and universities in Canada. You can find out more about this -.
We were met by the families with whom we were supposed to live while studying at the language school. When you go to study at a language school in Canada, you have the choice of finding housing on your own or living with a host family while you attend school. We chose the second one as it was much easier. But according to the rules, two students from the same country cannot live in the same family, so we had different families. And in different areas.
The first days and weeks were all very interesting. Still new city, school, everything is different in general. By the way, you had to go to school and miss as little as possible, otherwise your Canadian visa could be revoked without any problems.
As far as I know, many people go to a language school to make it easier to get a visa to Canada. So more chances. But several students also wrote to me that not everyone is given a 6-month visa if you study at school for only 2 weeks or a month.
Yes, you are right, a lot of students go to a language school just to get a visa to Canada for 6 months. Since not everyone is given a tourist visa, and if they are given, it is not very willing. Whereas, under the pretext of improving English in Canada, the chances of getting a visa are much greater. But there are also cases when at the airport they ask what you will do after graduating from school, this is especially true when you are going to study for 2-4 weeks. In such cases, I advise students not to get lost, but to calmly explain what your future plans. If you do not do this, the officer himself will decide how long you will stay in the country. Luckily, we were given a visa for 6 months and no one asked anything, although, as I already said, we were going to study in Canada for only 2 weeks.
Note for students: To prevent your stay in Canada from being reduced, it is best to prepare in advance and explain to the officer your plans and actions after training in Canada.
1. A map and a list of places you want to visit in Canada will be enough. If you want to be more convincing, provide hotel reservations in Canada or the USA (many hotels provide reservation confirmations without a single cent of advance payment).
2. The short period of study at a language school in Canada can also be explained by your desire to try to study at other schools. Show a list of other schools or correspondence with one of them where you ask about the cost and program of study. That is, you need to convince them that you need to spend more time in Canada.
3. Not many students know that a tourist visa in Canada can be extended for another 6 months (6 months of the visa you were given immediately + 6 more when extended). There are almost no refusals to extend a visa.
What did you do after two weeks of school? What were your plans?
Oh, then problems began, a lot and all at the same time. Finding housing in Canada is real problem. We were more than confident that this would not be a problem at all in Toronto. We started calling and searching, but as it turned out, in order to find something more or less suitable, you need to start searching at least a month in advance. My friend and I had to move to live in a small basement on the outskirts of the city for $500 a month.
What advice do you have for future tourists and immigrants about finding housing in Canada?
Start looking a month, even two or three before you want to change housing. You can, of course, start looking while still in Ukraine or Russia. In this regard, it is a little more difficult, but it is still possible to find something for the first time in Canada. You are unlikely to find anything good while abroad. But if you know someone or you were able to find a Russian or Ukrainian agent or real estate agency, you are in luck. Be sure to try asking in communities on VKontakte, Facebook, blogs, forums - they will definitely tell you something, and most likely they will give you contacts to whom you can contact about housing for newcomers to Canada. Of course, it is also worth trying such sites as - kijiji, craigslist, viewit, masterpages.
Andrey, tell us how things went with your job search? Have you tried looking for something? Is it generally possible to find a job with only a tourist visa without a work permit? What salary should you expect in Canada without documents?
Wow, a lot of questions. As soon as we moved into our basement, we immediately started looking for work. As it turned out, finding work in Canada without having any permission to do so is quite possible. It's certainly not an office job, but it's still a job. The maximum that can be found is construction, cleaning houses, working in a restaurant, working in a factory or factory, working as a nurse with children or the elderly. And the salaries are quite adequate. In a restaurant, in a factory or as a nurse you can earn anywhere from $9-15/hour, in house cleaning from $11-15/hour, in construction from $12-20, it all depends on your skills and abilities.
You can start looking for work from the same kijiji site. If there's nothing there, try searching in free local newspapers. Such newspapers are available in almost all large and small cities in Canada in the subway, at bus stops, in stores and supermarkets. Toronto is full of these newspapers: in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish and other languages.
Since my friend and I were together everywhere, we wanted to work together. The first thing we found was cleaning large houses. We worked there for several weeks. Nothing complicated, the bosses drove us to the site, we cleaned it up, and then they took us back, or they drove themselves if it wasn’t far. We were paid on average $12 an hour.
Then they found a job at a construction site. Since the salary is better there and there are many hours, you can earn something and save something. At the construction site, of course, they worked as assistants, since no one had much experience. Then, in addition to construction work, we got a job as waiters in a Ukrainian restaurant and worked there on weekends. In Toronto, in general, there are a lot of Ukrainian and Russian restaurants and banquet halls, where you can work for cash and make very good money. Another very big plus of this type of work is that you can eat and bring something home. Sometimes there were such weekends at the restaurant that they brought home so much that it was enough to feed us for almost another week.
Did you even find time to rest? Or is vacation expensive?
No, of course, we rested, walked and worked. We managed to get everything done, although sometimes there were weeks where we worked all 7 days without rest. On such days we walked and relaxed after work. I won’t say that vacationing here is expensive. Let me just say, if you work, you can afford to relax. Many people have the impression that Canada is a country of immigrant robots who work 24/7. By the way, many people work like this, especially in the first years of their stay in the country.
What about legalization and obtaining documents? When did you start thinking about immigrating to Canada?
Of course, there were thoughts about this, but we didn’t do anything about it, and weren’t particularly interested. But everything changed when we worked at a restaurant in Toronto. We then got on well with the owner of the restaurant - she was very pleasant, sweet and kind woman. She really wanted us to stay in Canada and tried to help us somehow. She even found out about a work visa in Canada for us to officially hire us to work in a restaurant. Unfortunately, this option was almost unrealistic in big city and especially for a job like a waiter in a restaurant.
Note to readers: In big cities it is very difficult to get a job offer because the government requires the employer to make every effort to hire a Canadian. If the employer proves that he could not find a worker, only then will he be able to hire a worker from abroad (LMO or LMIA). In small towns and remote provinces everything is much simpler and there you can actually get a job offer in Canada. You can get a job offer in a big city if you have a highly specialized profession, and this is provided that Canada needs such specialists. If you have working profession and at least average knowledge English language, you can assess your chances of employment in Canada and further immigration and obtaining permanent residence for free.
And then, one guy advised me to try to immigrate by obtaining refugee status in Canada. We didn’t know then that this was even possible. It was the most turning point in my life and in the life of my friend. Man already for a long time worked in the restaurant where we got a job and the owner of the restaurant knew him well, so we were quickly convinced that refugee was a quick and good option immigration. He told us everything beautifully, said that he has a lawyer he knows who has been successfully dealing with immigration cases for a long time and his success rate is somewhere around 90%. By the way, he immediately told us that it would cost approximately $4,000 - $5,000 for each. This, of course, was a lot of money for us, but the stories about quickly obtaining permanent residence quickly convinced us and we agreed.
What refugee status? we're talking about? And in general, what type of refugee is the easiest to immigrate under, or rather to obtain permanent residence in Canada?
There is no type of refugee through which it is possible to obtain permanent residence faster, easier and more reliably. In Canada, the easiest way to obtain refugee status is when you have strong evidence that there is real threat for your life in your homeland. In my situation with my friend, the easiest way was to collect evidence and apply for refugee status as gays (homosexuals) who fled Ukraine and are seeking protection in Canada. A lawyer helps you compose and write your refugee history, and also advises on what documents and evidence you need to present for the court. Refugee is a very difficult option for immigrating to Canada, it's like a lottery. It all depends: 1) on you, how much you are willing to risk to do this, and 2) on the judge, how much he will believe in your story.
Is there any difference at all between what type of refugee process to go through and obtain permanent residence in Canada? What are the risks with this type of immigration to Canada? What risks do you face if you lose the case for refugee status in Canada?
There is no type or type of refugee status in Canada special significance and doesn't really affect anything. Everyone has their own individual story, the story of life and the events that happened to you. In a matter such as refugee, everything is completely individual; there cannot be any templates, instructions, algorithms or action plans that can guarantee you successful completion of the case and quick permanent residence in Canada.
If you fail the trial, then you are in no danger. You will be asked to leave the country in a specific order. You cannot remain illegally after a failed trial, otherwise you will be put on the wanted list throughout Canada. You can come here on a tourist visa, and then live illegally for the rest of your life. But here, any violation is serious. The Immigration and Refugee Board is an international organization that works with refugees around the world. If you surrendered in Canada as a gay man, and then went to another country and surrendered as a religious or political refugee, then this will not work. You may also end up behind bars.
What to expect from your first meeting with a refugee lawyer? How did it all start?
We just went to a meeting with the lawyer and his assistant. As it turned out, the lawyer is Canadian and speaks only English, but his assistant speaks Russian and Ukrainian.
Note to reader: In Canada, it is a very popular practice for a lawyer to have several assistants who speak English. different languages, thereby attracting large number clients with different countries. Therefore, it is often recommended to work with Canadian lawyers who have all the necessary licenses and permits and who work without intermediaries. In the CIS countries, usually such legal firms are intermediaries, and sometimes just small lawyers who have never done or conducted such cases, but simply want to earn extra money. If you need free professional legal advice in Canada, use this form.
It all started with a free consultation and short story how it all works and how it will happen, as well as what results to expect. We were promised a lot of things and of course we hoped for a positive outcome of our immigration case.
My friend and I also decided to implement an almost win-win plan for obtaining permanent residence in Canada. We decided: first we file two separate refugee cases, and if one of us loses in court, then we simply marry each other and both automatically receive permanent residence in Canada (this is a completely normal practice and there is nothing illegal here).
Probably, some of our readers are encountering immigration to Canada for the first time through obtaining refugee status. Andrey, tell us in a nutshell how and what this process consists of. Many people are now asking how to become a refugee in Canada if you are from Ukraine or Russia and are still there?
To obtain refugee status in Canada, you need to get to Canada by any means. I repeat, you need to be present on Canadian territory, not at the consulate, and not at the embassy. If one of your readers is located in Ukraine, Russia or any other country and dreams of becoming a refugee remotely, then this will remain their dream. Once your plane lands in Canada, you have 2 options:
Give up right at the airport and immediately ask for refugee status. This is an option for those who do not have money for a lawyer. At the airport, tell the officer who will check your passport that you want to surrender as a refugee. You will need to explain that you cannot return to your country because there is a threat to your life there. After this, you will be interrogated, questioned, etc. for a long time. Next, you will probably fill out some paperwork, they will take your passport and tell you what to do. Usually they say that all further instructions will come by mail. I personally have not tried this option and I do not know a single refugee who would obtain permanent residence in Canada in this way, that is, on their own, without any help.
Option to obtain refugee status with the help of a lawyer in Canada. In this option, you need to calmly and peacefully leave the airport, not tell or admit anything to anyone. Next, you will need to look for a good lawyer, compile the whole story and collect documents and evidence. Of course, we need very good and weighty facts and evidence. I recommend this option, since it is almost impossible to do something on your own in such a complex matter, especially if you do not have perfect English.
To successfully and successfully go through the refugee process in Canada, you need to understand and present the following evidence and facts:
Collect evidence that your human rights are/have been violated in your home country.
Provide evidence that all of the above violations posed a threat to your life and/or the lives of your loved ones.
Provide evidence that there were appeals or attempts to contact law enforcement agencies.
Evidence that appeals to law enforcement did not bring any results.
Evidence that the threat to life is constant and that this is not a temporary phenomenon.
It is necessary to prove that there were attempts to change the place of residence or evidence that such a change would not help eliminate the threat to life.
If you quickly found a lawyer, drew up and filled out all the documents, then in about 45 days you will have a trial. The Refugee and Immigrant Court will review your entire case and issue a verdict. They will either believe you and give you permanent residence in Canada, or they will say that you have not convinced the court that you really need refugee status and will be ordered to leave the country.
Is there any way to prepare documents or evidence in advance to quickly obtain refugee status in Canada? I mean even before leaving, in your homeland?
I’m not sure about the documents, since the lawyer prepares the entire history and documents. But if you bring something with you, it will only be a plus, even if it is a photo, newspaper clippings, certificates, statements. It is not possible to prepare 100%, and in principle it is not necessary. Unfortunately, it’s not like with the federal immigration program or with a study visa, when you went to the site, you found everything necessary documents, filled them out and sent them to the Canadian Embassy.
Everything I’m describing now happened back in 2011. The process of obtaining refugee status was a little different back then. According to the old rules, we then had more time to prepare and collect evidence (now about 45 days). Therefore, perhaps now it makes sense to prepare at least some evidence in advance, even before arriving in Canada. Unfortunately, the option of calling and asking a lawyer what documents I should take with me to obtain refugee status and permanent residence in Canada does not work. None of them want to talk to you until you come into their office.
Okay, let's take your example of refugees in Canada. What documents and certificates did you make for your story?
Personally, I prepared the following documents:
A certificate from the police stating that I contacted them with a statement about a robbery attack on me. It is also good to indicate how many such requests or statements from you there were, than more topics better.
A piece of paper stating that your applications and appeals were not properly considered or were completely ignored.
A doctor's certificate indicating that you have suffered serious beatings, fractures, concussions or other injuries.
Help from a psychologist.
Photos showing injuries and beatings.
A friend had a similar set of papers. The main thing is that all dates and events in the papers coincide with your testimony and history.
It turns out that to successfully immigrate to Canada through obtaining refugee status, you need good evidence and facts? Is it possible without this?
Without evidence, it is unrealistically difficult to prove anything in a refugee case. Everything must be properly formatted and compiled. In our case it was exactly like this:
1 History.
2 Evidence, facts and arguments.
3 Correctly executed and submitted documents.
Okay, you have submitted all the papers and evidence, what next, how long to wait for the trial?
According to the old rules, the wait for a trial usually took 1 - 2 years. In our case, we waited two whole years. After completing and submitting all the documents, we were given:
1 Temporary work permit (valid for about 2-3 years).
2 Refugee certificate. With it you can receive free medical care and other benefits of Canada.
We had everything necessary documents to live normally, work and await trial. We could also receive a government benefit of about $600 per month (Ontario) if we didn't find a job or didn't want to work. But we couldn’t study, I’m talking about college. The language courses were completely free for us. This is how we lived.
Did they check you somehow? Did you ask for additional evidence that you are homosexuals and the like?
In our case, no one checked us and no one followed us. Although the lawyer warned that this was possible. We were told that government officials could ask our neighbors about us and the like. We lived only together with a friend, quietly and calmly, so that no one would bother us.
Also, the lawyer advised us to go to a gay meeting once a week. It's like psychological support for refugees. These meetings are important because they give you a card or piece of paper that you attended them and were an active member of the group, and this is another proof. There we met guys like us who immigrated to Canada using the same scheme. We also had to volunteer at the annual gay parade in Toronto. We worked there for two years in a row. There they also give a piece of paper to volunteer participants. We also had to take a lot of pictures in different gay clubs. To, if something happens, show additional evidence in court. And not one or two photos, but as many as possible to convince the judge that we are there regularly.
And that you actually visited gay clubs?
Yes, we took a lot of photos. We also had to know the popular gay clubs and their hangouts. The lawyer told us a situation when the judge asked where the toilet was in a particular club. And if you can’t answer, then everything can end very badly.
How was your life before the trial? As I understand it, it was about 2 years. What did you do, what did you do?
As I told you before, we worked cleaning houses and offices, construction sites and in restaurants. After submitting the documents, the lawyer advised me to find an official job. This was necessary to show that I work, pay taxes, that in general I am a promising resident for Canada and can take care of myself and do without government help.
My first official work I was at a local fast food restaurant. After working there for several months, I went to work at a furniture factory, where they paid more and in cash (not officially). He also applied for a state benefit in the amount of $600 per month. In the end, it turned out to be very good money. Then he left the factory and went to work in construction for a large company, where they paid even more. I still work there to this day (also unofficially).
What is the attitude of employers towards refugees in Canada?
Here no one knows that you are a refugee and therefore everyone is treated the same. Also, no one knew that I was a gay refugee awaiting trial. And so on in all immigration cases and in general throughout personal information. Without your permission, no one here will know anything about you.
Let's move on to the trial, otherwise we're taking a long time. When does the invitation to the trial arrive? How should you prepare for this?
The invitation arrives about two weeks before the trial. During these two weeks, it is worth completely learning the entire history of your refugeehood and all the dates. All this will be asked 100%. They may ask you about dates several times during the trial, expecting you to make at least one mistake.
Let's talk about the trial now. How did it go? What did they ask? How long did this all last?
My friend went to court first. My trial was scheduled 2 weeks after his (it was December 2013). The whole process took about 4 hours with two short breaks. I was asked everything from A to Z about history. It was possible to use the services of an interpreter in the courtroom, but I refused and answered all the questions myself.
In one police report, I had a discrepancy between the dates and the history (thanks to the lawyer’s assistant who allowed this to happen). I hoped they wouldn’t ask, but they did notice and asked why different dates. We had to blame everything on our unorganized police officers, that they did and wrote all the papers in one place, and somehow it got carried away.
The judge asked a lot about Ukraine, why he didn’t move, why he didn’t change his place of residence in order to avoid threats to his life. I blamed everything on corruption, the irresponsibility of the authorities and law enforcement agencies. He said that there was a threat to life in every corner of the country.
When they started talking about me and how I was beaten and beaten, I began to speak more slowly, breathe irregularly and shed a tear (long training sessions at home in front of the mirror helped). The judge even asked if I was okay and if I wanted to take a break. I remember I replied that everything was fine and I could continue. After this moment, I began to feel that the judge was on my side. At the end of the whole process, she (the judge) told me not to worry and that everything would be fine and I would soon receive an answer about the decision.
How long did you wait for a response? Have you been worried all this time? How was your friend's trial?
No, I wasn’t particularly worried. My lawyer said that everything went well and that I would definitely receive a positive answer. Things weren't so positive for my friend. He came across the worst judge, from whom it is almost impossible to get this very positive answer. The answers started coming only after about three months. First to my friend with a refusal, and two weeks later to me. I won the trial.
Why was your friend rejected? And in general, what should you do when you receive a refusal to obtain refugee status in Canada? What are the options?
The refusal and the reason for the refusal to obtain refugee status in Canada came to him in a 20-page letter. IN general outline it was written that he did not convince the judge that he needed refugee status. The letter also included notice that he had 10 or 15 days to file an appeal, otherwise, his case will be considered closed and the process of his deportation will begin. It turns out that my friend spent about $5,000 on a lawyer and was refused. Thank God, in 2 years he earned much more in Canada than he spent.
What to do in a situation when your refugee claim is rejected? Are there any other chances to stay and get permanent residence?
1. File an appeal. In this case, the previous court decision will be annulled and a new court hearing will be scheduled. The cost of the appeal is somewhere around $6,000 + a new hearing from $4,000 - 6,000 (this is the price of a lawyer). Bottom line: $12,000 and no guarantee that you won’t be rejected at any of these stages.
2. Fictitious marriage. In this case, if everything is done correctly, then the guarantee of obtaining permanent residence in Canada is almost 100%. Issue price from $10,000 - 25,000.
Unfortunately, the friend did not use any of the options. Besides the appeal, he had an option - a fictitious marriage with an unrealistically low price of only $10,000, and he refused. He said that he was tired of Canada, tired of waiting, tired of living for 2 years waiting for a trial and did not want to wait for a new one. He said that he decided to return home to Ukraine. A month after the court decision, he was asked to leave the country, otherwise he would be put on the wanted list. He's back.
No, I will receive the documents only a year after I win the trial. In general, everything is fine with me and I am happy that I am in Canada. I still work at a construction site, I plan to go to study, I’m now thinking about college or courses. I am very glad that I was able to stay in Canada and I hope my story will help someone draw the right conclusions.
If I had known earlier how difficult and exhausting my process of immigrating to Canada through refugee would be, I would never have started this. It is much easier, safer and calmer to immigrate to Canada through training. And according to the time frame, it turns out the same thing, but in the end you have an education and a 100% chance of getting permanent residence. Immigrating to Canada through refugee is a lottery, so the choice is yours.
Crossing the border of the DPRK by a resident of the country is a crime punishable by imprisonment in a labor camp. The sentence may not be lifelong, but prison conditions lead to people dying from disease, exhaustion and hunger.
Despite the risk, tens of thousands of North Koreans are trying to escape for the sake of loved ones and a better future. Few succeed in this, and even fewer want to remember the horrors they experienced.
Boy from the death camp
Shin In Geun learned from childhood what songbun is - caste system North Korea. His mother was a woman who made an unsuccessful escape and went to prison for this, where In Geun was born. So she fell into the class of “enemies of the people,” which was inherited by her son, and in the future would be passed on to her grandson. But life decreed otherwise.
The mother and older brother planned an escape, and the child, trained by the system, decided that it would be right to inform on them. His relatives were shot, and he was tortured for two weeks to find out the names of his accomplices. At the age of sixteen, In Geun became friends with another prisoner, and they decided to escape.
A fellow inmate died, electrocuted on the barbed wire around the camp, and In Geun continued on alone.
He walked 580 km to the Chinese border. It was the 90s, when the country was dying of hunger, so for small bribes, border guards could release a person to work part-time in China or Russia. However, In Geun decided to run away forever. He moved to China, and from there, thanks to a fortunate coincidence, to the United States. There he wrote a book of memoirs and became famous throughout America.
However, life away from native culture was unbearable, and he decided to return - but not to North Korea, but to South Korea. He changed his name, got a job and began to lead a secluded life. He was unable to start a family - his childhood and youth spent in the camp killed his ability to love. Journalists who spoke with him claim that he does not know how to laugh.
Girls and military service
Lee So Yeon joined the army voluntarily in the 90s, when famine was raging in the country. The service lasted seven years, which she still sees in nightmares. The only advantage of being in the army was regular food, but not in sufficient quantities to satisfy oneself.
Girls served on the same principles as men. Their drill and combat training lasted two hours a day less than that of male soldiers, but it was supplemented by household duties: cleaning and cooking, from which men were exempt.
The girls lived in barracks, 20 people per room. They had no running water, making personal hygiene difficult. From heavy loads and malnutrition, many people stopped menstruating, but in difficult conditions It even made the girl soldiers happy.
So Yeon confirms: it is common in the army sexual violence. She herself managed to avoid this fate, but cases where senior men harassed female conscripts were mass character. They were not allowed to give birth to children, and girls were forced to have abortions.
So Yeon made her first attempt to escape immediately after the end of her service: the disappointment in the country was too great. The escape was unsuccessful - she was caught and sent to prison for a year. The second time we managed to come to an agreement with the Chinese border guards and agents who helped us get to South Korea. There she told her story to BBC journalists.
The rich are fleeing too
Thae Yong Ho is the former deputy ambassador of the DPRK to the UK. Occupying such a high position, he was under 24-hour surveillance by intelligence services, which were supposed to monitor his movements and level of loyalty.
How he managed to get rid of their attention, Yong Ho does not say - he fears for the lives of those who helped.
He gave an open interview to journalists from international publications, in which he promised to fight for the rights of people in North Korea. The former diplomat said that even the elite in the country have become much more difficult to live after Kim Jong-un came to power. Control increased, spies began to be assigned to politicians and ministers, and the number of false denunciations increased.
Young Ho says he worries about his colleagues and friends who stayed in North Korea and could have suffered because of his escape. They have no way to communicate, but the former diplomat hopes that sooner or later the situation will stabilize and people will no longer need to worry about their own lives.
Near Odessa there is one of two currently operating points for the temporary stay of refugees in Ukraine. ForshMag report from a place that became a shelter for people who lost their homeland.
I only recently learned that there is a temporary stay center for refugees in Odessa. Public organization“Ten Kvitnya” conducted a training session where they explained how often journalists confuse the concepts of “refugees”, “immigrants” and “settlers”. IN recent years The information field of Ukraine really found itself at a crossroads of definitions. On the one hand, there are Ukrainians forced to flee the war in eastern Ukraine, on the other, refugees from Asian and African countries who are also seeking salvation in Europe. One way or another, they all flee from their cities, fleeing mortal danger.
In recent years, the information field of Ukraine has indeed found itself at a crossroads of definitions. On the one hand, there are Ukrainians forced to flee the war in eastern Ukraine, on the other, refugees from Asian and African countries who are also seeking salvation in Europe.
Who are these people who come to Ukraine from other countries? Many experts unanimously note that for most refugees, Ukraine is only a transit state. But their path to the European Union does not always pass through our country. Therefore, today Ukrainians do not experience those massive human flows of refugees from Asian and African countries that cover Europe. There are three temporary accommodation centers for refugees in Ukraine, of which two are currently operating - in Transcarpathia and Odessa. The point in Yagotin, Kyiv region has not yet been opened.
Where do refugees live?
Refugee centers are a kind of hostel, where people who have left their home countries in search of asylum can officially live for up to six months with the right to extend their stay. You must first obtain a referral from migration service, undergo an interview and medical examination. In practice, most often such temporary residence lasts for years.
In practice, temporary residence in a refugee center lasts for years.
Today, 56 people from 15 countries live in the Odessa settlement. Looking for better life and hiding from persecution from their native state, people from Afghanistan, Congo, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Palestine, Pakistan, Libya, Sierra Leone, Syria and other countries came to Odessa.
The point itself is located in Chernomorka - a quiet seaside outskirts of Odessa. Nearby is the sea, deserted beaches, a yacht club and the prestigious Sauvignon village with lush mansions of the Odessa establishment. Accommodation at the point is free. In addition, people are given a basic food package, which includes butter, flour, cereals and canned food. According to the employees of the point, you can live on these products.
"Commune"
The head of the Odessa refugee center, Nikolai Zhugan, says that now few people live in the camp, although it is designed for 200 people.
Nikolay Zhugan
head of the point
Those refugees come to us who do not have the opportunity to settle somewhere on the territory of Ukraine on their own. These people are different national traditions, but they all have one thing in common: they left their homeland in search of refuge. Our task is to help them learn the language and adapt to Ukraine. We also facilitate employment. Once a quarter, the Odessa Regional Employment Center comes to the point with a job fair. As a rule, the source of income for refugees is the market and construction. Sometimes they get jobs in bars and restaurants.
Deputy director Olga Ritchenko says that there are now 18 children living at the point - 6 boys and 12 girls. They go to kindergarten, school, receive medical care if necessary. According to her, children adapt very quickly and communicate without any problems with their peers, regardless of skin color or religion. They know well and native language, and Ukrainian, and Russian.
- Conflicts very rarely occur on the territory of the point. Our social workers try to act proactively, rather than “hit the tails” and correct the consequences. There are no racial conflicts as such. If someone doesn’t want to live with someone, we solve this problem. In general, we are trying to settle Muslims with Muslims, Catholics with Catholics, Orthodox with Orthodox. Both single refugees and entire families live at the point. There are people who have received refugee status, but still cannot adapt, and as long as there is room, they live here. They leave the point as soon as they have settled down - they have found housing, good job. You understand that this is a hostel, a commune,” said Olga Ritchenko.
In general, we are trying to settle Muslims with Muslims, Catholics with Catholics, Orthodox with Orthodox. Both single refugees and entire families live at the point.
A big problem for people who fled home country, becomes document recovery. Often they left home in a hurry and did not have time to take even the most necessary things. There is also such a thing as a “refugee in place.” For example, when a citizen of another country was studying in Ukraine, and at that time there was a conflict or coup in his homeland, and various reasons this student can no longer return home.
Ali
Ali is in Odessa for only two weeks. He is 19 years old, he came to study in Ukraine from Sierra Leone, but cannot return home. He receives death threats. Before coming to Odessa, he lived in Kharkov and Ternopil.
- I came to Ternopil to study at the university. But terrible news came. They told me that a secret society where people were sacrificed wanted to do this to me. My father helped me avoid this fate. But they killed him. Because of me. And I have nowhere to return. I have no other relatives, and I am completely alone,” Ali said.
Now the guy wants to go back to university to get an education, and he also dreams of playing football professionally. That's it now free time Ali listens to music. He says that he does not like hip-hop, but prefers “cool” performers - Bruno Mars, Rihanna.
Yezihalem
In his native Ethiopia, 46-year-old Yezihalem suffered a coup d'etat back in 1991. Around the same time, he came to study in Ukraine and stayed here to live. Iezikhalem studied for 4 years as an economist, received refugee status and is already thinking about Ukrainian citizenship. He says that the most difficult thing in Odessa is finding a job in winter.
- I want to go home to see how things are now. A lot has probably changed in 20 years. I'm already used to everything here. But if everything turns out well in Ethiopia, I will stay there,” he shared.
He failed to start a family in our country.
On foreground Ezihalem is sitting, Kouadio is in the back. Photo: Stanislav Kinka for ForshMag.
Kouadio
Kouadio is 33 years old; he came to Ukraine from Côte d’Ivoire in November 2008 to study. Now he dreams of becoming a pastry chef and keeps the commandments of Jesus.
- My uncle, who was the ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Guinea, sent me to study in Ukraine. I am a complete orphan and he was my guardian. When I was studying here, there was a war over cocoa, because my country is the largest cocoa producer in the whole world. The uncle eventually lost his job and returned to Ivory Coast. During the war, some of the documents were burned, and those that were here turned out to be expired. I studied poorly, I was kicked out of the academy, from the dormitory, and I became homeless - also without documents. I sang songs to survive, but I don't sing now because Jesus has touched me. And I won’t sing songs that don’t glorify him,” Kouadio said.
During the war, some of the documents were burned, and those that were here turned out to be expired. I studied poorly, I was kicked out of the academy, from the dormitory, and I became homeless.
According to him, some of his acquaintances in his homeland are now in prison, and some have completely disappeared. His sister lives somewhere in the village, and there is no contact with her, but he heard about his uncle last time in 2013. Kouadio also has no family in Odessa; he was unable to continue his studies, but now he dreams of finding new profession: “I love to bake. I believe that Jesus will help me. I made a decision for myself to keep his commandments.”
Raihana
Raihana came to Ukraine from Afghanistan with her husband and three children about a year ago. It was unsafe in their homeland, so the whole family decided to flee to Europe. Every day, Raihana's husband goes to work, and she looks after the children and manages the housework. Their son is 6 years old, and their daughters are 8 and 10. The girls speak excellent Russian, they are friendly and open children.
It took a whole month to travel from Afghanistan to Ukraine:
Five of us were traveling in a small car. My brother and mother remained in Afghanistan, but there has been no contact with them for a year. We are in Ukraine temporarily and hope to get to the USA or Canada, where they promise to help our son with his health.
Raihana's six-year-old son cannot walk:
When I was pregnant, my uncle shot me. That’s why my son has back problems and needs surgery,” Raihana shared. According to her, no one brought her uncle to justice for this crime.
When I was pregnant, my uncle shot me. Therefore, my son has problems with his back and needs surgery.
Safwat
Safwat with his wife and two adult sons came to Ukraine from Tajikistan. In his own country he famous journalist and an activist who openly spoke out against corruption, for democratic reforms and against Tajikistan's dependence on Russia. For the sake of these ideas, he even went on a hunger strike. The turning point in his life happened three years ago. Then he was forced to leave Tajikistan for political reasons.
Safvat Burkhonov
journalist, refugee from Tajikistan
I once worked, like you, as a journalist. I stumbled somewhere and ended up here. I already realized that I couldn’t change anything. I went on a hunger strike and did everything I could. There is a lot of information about my past on the Internet. Nothing about the present. To be honest, I curse this past. I've lost everything. I - okay, to hell with it, but children are doomed to such problems... First, I was forced to leave Tajikistan and go to Russia. But then I had to run away from there too. This is how I ended up in Ukraine. It was just the Maidan then. I'm here, and Yanukovych is from here (laughs).
According to Safwat, he is now studying, using the example of Ukraine, how to make a revolution correctly:
I want this to not happen in my country. Because we did it once. On the territory of the union, the first Maidan of its kind was in Tajikistan in 1990. We wanted to do it well - it turned out as always. They stole our revolution. Your revolution was stolen in the same way. I'm now learning what to do to prevent it from being stolen. Do you think the Russians stole it? No, Russians are good people, very good nation. It was their top thieves who stole from us, from you, from Moldova, they are going to steal, and they are stealing from Georgia. This is a thieves' system. And in this struggle, the main thing is language. This most important factor. In Tajikistan, we have declared our own language as the state language. No second, no third - categorically. I understand the language.
On the territory of the union, the first Maidan of its kind was in Tajikistan in 1990. We wanted to do it well - it turned out as always. They stole our revolution. Your revolution was stolen in the same way.
Safwat says that while living in Tajikistan, he brought more benefits to his people than he does now:
Each of my articles was discussed at the government level. I only wrote at the national level. Then I was forced to go on a hunger strike and my demands were rational - to free the country’s economy from thieves and ignoramuses, to separate the country from Russia, from dependence on Russia, to withdraw the Russian military base from Tajikistan. The largest contingent of Russian ground forces in the world is in my country. I've been fighting against this for twenty years now. In general, there are many enemies, few friends, and it’s scary to return. And there are no prospects, and there are no prospects here...
It is difficult for Safwat to talk about any “minimum” plan for life. But he dreams of returning home: “Time heals. I am not a refugee, I did not consciously apply for this status. I want to go back."
This story was told to me by a fellow traveler, with whom we had to travel for two hours in the same carriage of the Helsinki-Tampere train. Story young man sincerely touched my soul, and I decided that his story would be interesting to my friends, to you, my readers.
Summer that year in Finland was not very warm. The first two months were cold, the temperature did not exceed fifteen degrees. It seemed that real summer would never come, but that there would be constant autumn.
On one of these days, as always, I woke up early. After making coffee, I sat down at the computer to check my email. Suddenly there was a sound phone call.
Tanyusha, hello! How are you doing? - I heard the cheerful voice of my friend Tatyana from Tampere.
Hello, dear, good to hear from you. I'm fine, thank you! - I answered.
What are you planning to do today? - my friend asked.
There are no special plans. I’m thinking of taking a break, I’m starting to get tired of the car, and my blood pressure is going up.
Well, then get on the train and come visit me. The weather is so beautiful! The sun has finally come out! - Tatyana was happy.
Yes, well! I don’t really want to go on the road, and your Yucca is at home! - I answered.
Tanya, don’t think too long! - the friend insisted. - Jukka went to Hyvinka to visit his parents and will return on Sunday evening.
Fine! – I agreed. - I'll go by train, take a break from the car.
She quickly threw the essentials into her bag and hurried to railway station Helsinki. The morning sun was warm, which means the day will be warm. Joy settled in my soul.
There weren't many people at the cash register. With the ticket in my hands, I hurried to the carriage.
Two hours on the road will fly by quickly! It's good that no one is sitting next to me! - I thought, sitting down by the window.
The train started moving. Suddenly the vestibule door swung open and he entered the carriage. tall a dark-skinned guy with black, burning eyes. He was looking for the seat indicated on the ticket.
Now he will sit next to me. – I suggested.
And sure enough, after greeting me, he sat down next to me.
We drove in silence for some time.
Under the sound of wheels, I always remember my Motherland. These memories make me sad and sad.
I wouldn't cry. - I thought this time. - We need to somehow distract ourselves from the touching memories.
To my surprise, my fellow traveler, as if sensing my tearful mood, said:
Hello!
Hello, hello! – I answered.
Are you Russian?
Yes! What, is this written on me? - I asked the guy incredulously.
Yes! Russians are immediately obvious, they are not like Finnish women.
I didn’t want to draw attention to this, muttering something in response to him with a slight smile on my face, I was lost in my thoughts.
How long have you been living in Finland? - the fellow traveler did not lag behind.
Yes, a long time ago! Where are you from? - I asked.
I'm a refugee. From Kurdistan, from Iraq. I've been living here for five years.
I looked interestedly into his sad, childishly kind eyes.
I'm already over thirty. - this dark guy shared with me, challenging me to talk. - I work and live here.
What about family? - I asked.
The family is there in Kurdistan. I haven’t seen any of my relatives for five years.
How did you get here?
My name is Shamal. - The fellow traveler extended his hand and introduced himself.
Tatiana! Very nice! - I answered affably.
The guy spoke Finnish well.
I am Kurdish, born in Iraq. My parents, five brothers and four sisters remained there, in their homeland.
You're bored, I see?
Yes, I miss you very much!
Meanwhile, the train was rushing at great speed. Small stations flew by one after another, and between them floated well-groomed fields in the form of multi-colored squares: yellow rapeseed, golden wheat, pink buckwheat. Finnish houses with red and white roofs were buried in flowers. Cleanliness and orderliness reigned everywhere. I couldn’t help but think that such order once existed in my homeland, in my little Ninovka. My heart ached with resentment, tears rolled up into my throat...
Somewhere in the depths of my soul, I realized that I needed to listen to the story of my fellow traveler in order to distract myself.
Having sat down comfortably, I plunged into the world that this dark-eyed man told me about. modest guy.
We lived in a suburb of the city of Mosul in Kurdistan. I was the middle child in the family. I was often photographed because everyone thought I was... beautiful child. - he said, smiling. - In the mornings it was very difficult for me to wake up, this habit still interferes with my life, I am late everywhere. My mother came up to me and woke me up:
Wake up, my son! Wake up, my darling!
These warm memories made his voice tremble slightly. After a short silence, he continued:
I was surrounded by the love and care of my parents. Every morning, on a beautiful carpet, my mother laid out a tablecloth and served a simple breakfast: cheese, eggs, yoghurts and lavash bread, which she managed to bake for breakfast.
I realized that this boy is from a good family, because his memories of his parents are filled with tenderness and love.
The morning coolness gradually dissolved, giving way to the long-awaited summer warmth.
In summer it is very hot here, not like here in Finland. - he continued, smiling thoughtfully. - The family was large, there was not enough money, they lived poorly. I went to school until my shoes wore out. When the teacher, noticing this, gave me shoes, I stopped going to classes out of shame, it depressed me.
As a child, in order to somehow help his family, he sold ripe pomegranates, cold water and cotton candy. Running through the small streets of the small town from house to house, I shouted as much as I could:
Hanar! Hanar for one dinar! (Hanar is a pomegranate.)
People looked out of the windows and, smiling, bought my goods, and the children ran after me for a long time, accompanying me with cheerful laughter! It was fun! Cold water was purchased more often than other goods. So I tried to help my parents.
Years passed, I grew up, and one day, running past the gate of a rich house, I noticed a girl of extraordinary beauty. She also drew attention to me. We stood for a long time and silently looked at each other, I didn’t want to leave. Suddenly she became embarrassed and hid behind the fence. I started visiting their house more often. From friends I learned that her name is Pari.
Which beautiful name! - I thought. - As beautiful as this girl.
And in the evening he put on a nice shirt and went to her house. For a while we were able to look at each other from a distance, but soon she was forbidden to see me.
My mother, noticing my condition, was worried about me, saying:
Son, you are still young! We are poor, you are not a match for her.
Since then, pain has settled in my heart. She was soon married off. I decided to go to Europe.
Everyone in the family cried for a long time, they didn’t want to let me go,
There is little money, and the path is not easy. - they dissuaded.
But, apparently, my goal and youth overcame my fear of future challenges. My parents were reassured by the fact that I was not leaving alone. Five more of my friends decided to try their luck.
We quickly got to Turkey by bus, where we lived for a week, looking for an opportunity to cross to Europe. Finally, we got lucky. We took a small boat to Greece. The boat was crowded with people. We were strictly ordered to sit quietly and not make noise under any circumstances. Even if something unexpected happens, we must remain silent, otherwise the boat will be overturned and we will all go to the bottom!
There was salty, oily water all around. I couldn’t swim, so I couldn’t stop praying out of fear. Everyone who was next to me whispered prayers. Allah protected us, and two hours later we reached the shores of Greece.
Longing for home, but the desire to live as a full-fledged person in a civilized country instilled confidence. I decided to boldly meet fate halfway, no matter what.
North of Greece! For three months I worked illegally, selling shoes in the afternoon. The police often raided us, and we ran away, leaving the goods behind. I tried many times to cross to Italy, but the police turned me back.
But one day I got lucky. I climbed under a large cargo truck, found a place to hold myself in the position of a baby in the womb, and froze. The car started moving. No one found me or brought me back. I lay in one position for many hours, then I managed to roll over to the other side. The car was rushing at crazy speed, and I looked warily at the asphalt, which floated beneath me like a dark ribbon, and read prayers.
Finally, the car stopped, I heard an unfamiliar speech and guessed that this was Italy. Having got out from under the car, I saw many of the same trucks on the site. The drivers stood nearby and talked. Suddenly there was silence. They all looked at me with surprised eyes, and then laughed for a long time. My face and clothes were black with soot. This was the reason for the cheerful laughter of the drivers.
For some time my companion fell silent.
In Italy I ran out of money and was hungry. Some family helped me, they gave me clean clothes and some food. I understood that no one would feed me all the time! What to do? I looked for caterpillars and ate them. These caterpillars turned out to be inedible. I remember being picked up half-dead by an ambulance. I spent a week in the hospital, and when I came out, I found refugees like me. Together we crossed to France, from France to Sweden. In Sweden we were arrested. By this time I was weakened, my condition was worsening, a doctor was called. Fortunately, after an examination based on the doctor's opinion, I was allowed to stay in Sweden.
My ultimate goal was still Finland. Having taken the ferry to Helsinki, I set foot on Finnish soil and was immediately arrested by the police. I was sent to a hotel for refugees.
You've probably heard about this Metsala district in Helsinki? – my fellow traveler turned to me. - They checked me for ten months. The police refused to obtain status many times, but for my exemplary behavior, desire to study and work, I managed to get good characterization and residence status in Finland.
The story of this tall, fragile guy made me worry. I tried on everything he had experienced. I respected him, admired him and thought:
Lord, thank you for this meeting, for this acquaintance.
And the guy, silently, looked through the train window at the beauty of this small northern country.
A light sigh seemed to suggest that now he was sad about the one native beauty which I had to leave.
My soul shrank into a ball from empathy and from powerlessness before the cruel laws of life.
The train arrives at Tampere station...
I wished this strong guy angel on the way, the kind eyes of a man who managed not to become bitter and maintain decency and good-heartedness looked at me in response.
My friend Tatyana met me on the platform. We hugged. She quickly laid out all her news. But I couldn’t concentrate and walked in silence for a long time. The friend, noticing this, asked carefully:
Tanya, what happened? In the morning you were in a completely different mood.
I tried to briefly tell her touching story my travel companion. To my surprise, my friend reacted dryly and with hostility:
Tanya, what are you doing? Look how many of them, these refugees, are coming out of every hole...
It was very painful for me to hear this.
Where is our humanity? When did we become hardened? Perhaps for this reason in lately Are we haunted by endless troubles and disasters?
