|
Two brothers who fled the Taliban in fear for their lives face being torn apart by the asylum system. It is feared Sifatutullah Hotak will not cope in British society without his older brother, as ... hear more on YouTube
...... and read comments from asylum seekers and refugees at Asylum Link
"Everything takes a long time...it’s hard to talk because you don’t know the language and learning takes months and months, so you don’t make friends either. Everything is long, long, long.”
You look at me now but you don’t see me. It’s not me you see but something else. Inside I died
“I work as an interpreter and sometimes when I translate things, I know the caseworker is not going to believe it because it is so bad they can’t imagine it.” “When I think where I’ve come from I know I am so lucky. Listening to other people’s cases I get a burning inside because it is so sad and I know how hard it is.”
"I hate myself; this is no life. They keep telling me to leave my accommodation but where will I go? I can’t live on the streets. They ask can’t I stay with friends, but I have no friends. If I could get a job then no problem but no one wants to give us jobs because they get in trouble. Every time they arrest me and I get out they say you are free to go, and I say’ I am not free’ . I have no money, I can’t do anything. In prison at least they feed you and you can make friends. When you have no help you have to steal things just to eat. I wish they would put me in prison and then I wouldn’t have to live like this. I’ve been waiting here for 4 years, for nothing"
"On arrival in Liverpool it was difficult to have a place to stay. After a month Asylum Link offered me a room. I have been destitute since 2003; no one respects you while you are homeless and people treat you badly. I only find solace in the Church as no one looks down on you. At Asylum Link I do feel a bit of comfort as people actually see me as an individual rather than ’Asylum Seeker’' "
"I came to the UK in April 2005, travelling in a truck. My cousin helped to pay for the transport. I claimed Asylum in the UK, but in 2007 my case was rejected by the Home Office and in January 2008 my support was terminated and I was made homeless
Since then I have travelled from Leeds to Liverpool as I had friends here who could help me, but staying with friends is difficult, I feel so embarrassed. Also friends don’t mind helping you for a week or two, but after that they change towards you because you are getting in their way and so you have to move onto another place
I am not hiding from the Home Office, I have to go there every week to sign-on. But they still won’t help me to get a house or food and I am not allowed to work or get married.
If I was allowed to stay in the UK I would like to learn how to read and write so that I can get some education and work, I would like to be a good citizen to abide by the law and of course get married and have children like everybody else does. Now I am not allowed to do these things and sometimes I think that English people don’t understand why we feel so down."
"In 2005 I got my visa for this country. I came, I thought my happiness is here, no-one will find me because it is a safe country. After 8 months later they refuse me. Oh God I felt it better for me to die than to go back. Home Office told me to leave their house. I had no-one in this country to live with. I became homeless. I ended up in a detention centre. When I came out I had nowhere to go and became homeless again. As a girl it was not easy for me. It was very hard to talk about it. It was so painful for me. Then I went to seek help in Brixton city council. They tried everywhere. Then they found Asylum Link. That was how I was saved. Thank God for the work they are doing, God will bless them"
"Anyone that reads this, try to help us. We are human beings; it’s not our choice to be living in this way. I pray for Gods Blessing on everyone who is helping ease the plight of Asylum Seekers and destitute people" |
