JRS-UK Community Blog

London, 04 July 2014 - In this testimony from the UK a JRS volunteer describes her unexpected encounter with an Afghan man held in an immigration removal centre. This chance meeting of two people, one free and the other detained, reveals a surprising role-reversal and highlights the inner human spirit that knows no borders.

One day I made an unscheduled visit to the detention centre. Neither the officials nor the detainees were expecting me, so I settled down in the multi-faith room and looked around at the books of different religious texts, the floor, the walls, and the carpet. There were no windows in this room making it impossible for anyone to connect with the outside world. Time passed slowly and alone I began to regret not informing the centre of my intended visit.

Then suddenly I saw Feizal.

When I first met Feizal he was very pale and was constantly being admitted to hospital. Often depleted of energy, he seemed withdrawn and sad. English is not Feizal's first language and he struggled to express himself the first time we met. However, today was different.

Like most detainees, Feizal has a sad story. Feizal's hometown is in Waziristan, a troubled border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Taliban killed his father and then tried to force Feizal to fight for them. A school teacher, and a pacifist, he could think of nothing worse than killing another human being: so he refused. Consequently, the Taliban issued an order that Feizal be killed. He had to go into hiding. Feizal's mother managed to give him enough money to travel to the UK.

As soon as Feizal reached the UK he claimed asylum. His claim was refused and he was placed in immigration detention.

On seeing me sitting alone, Feizal immediately came up and sat next to me. His health had greatly improved and his downtrodden demeanour was replaced with one of strength. His English had also greatly progressed.

Feizal told me stories of his childhood and how he loved playing cricket. I complimented him on his dramatic improvement in English: he said this was due to him attending English classes at the detention centre. In the future, he hoped to teach English.

One gesture that will always stay with me was when Feizal pointed upwards and said with a big smile, "Above everyone, above the Taliban, above the law, there is Allah."

Despite all of his difficulties, Feizal still retained complete trust and confidence in God.

I left the centre feeling extremely humbled. I had set out with the intention of helping detainees. Instead, I had received care from a detainee. Although Feizal had so many problems of his own, he cared about my well-being and spent nearly an hour trying to make me feel valued, so that I wouldn't feel I had wasted my time in coming to the centre.

I realised that Feizal's actions were ones of true love: the giving of the self to the other. Feizal did not have money, did not have power nor even his liberty but still he had his heart and he chose to use it to make me feel better. And for that I will be forever grateful.

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Kate shares her experience of attending a screening of Leave to Remain, a new film, shown as part of the 2013 BFI London Film Festival, about the experiences of teenage asylum seekers in Britain.

Leave to Remain tells the story of Omar, Abdul and Zizidi, all young people growing up in London, having applied for asylum in the UK. Each one has left their own country for security and finds themselves on a rollercoaster of new tribulations, dilemmas and emotions. Together with their teacher, Nigel, they try to navigate their way through the asylum system, negotiating with the authorities for their well-being and safe future. As Bruce Goodison says* “It is nothing short of miraculous when these children survive and remain sane. But far from being victims of an uncaring system, having battled to be here, they don’t give up and also feel compelled to support the country that becomes their home.”(* quoted in The Independent newspaper film review).

It made me smile when the audience laughed as one of the young asylum seekers pronounced Peckham (a neighbourhood in south-east London where I used to live), as more dangerous than the province in Afghanistan they had fled from. The young refugee’s choice of T-shirt “I © Kabul” showed the irony that he had not come here to London as a tourist. And I was moved as I reflected that the features of life in the capital in the film that I enjoy, like fireworks at Diwali or not being afraid of traffic wardens, take a long time getting used to if you are frightened of gunshots or people in uniform who might oppress you.

But the best part was a surprise! Just as I was packing my notebook and bag up the lights went on in the cinema and onto the stage strolled half of the cast, the Director and Producers. There was a full house, so all the spectators were treated to an interview with Bruce Goodison and insights from the three main actors who played Omar, Abdul and Zizidi. Masieh Zarrien, who played Abdul, had himself come to the UK from Afghanistan as a child. Masieh decribed the experience of acting for the first time on the film as an “amazing experience in general… being a professional environment taught me a lot” and shared his pride at seeing himself on the big screen.

Seeing the film and hearing Masieh speak was touching for me as one of my friends, herself a refugee originally from Afghanistan, now fosters young Afghani refugee boys in her home, helping them heal and adapt to their new circumstances. I now have a better insight into some of the challenges they face together, dealing with the difficulties of an uncertain future, and the importance of being part of a wider family here in the UK.

The film raises lots of interesting questions, some of which are addressed by the Refugee Council’s Q&A sheet specifically prepared for Leave to Remain: http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy_research/policy_work/briefings/leave_to_remain_q_a