Iraq revisited

It is a sad fact that the cold country in the north, where I have deposited many of my friends and most of my family has consistently regressed since the current government took place. The levels of cynicism and violence have escalated to levels I had never imagined. Seeing as I (try to) make a living by imagining things this should give you an indication of where Denmark is right now.

Despite these deteriorating conditions, forgotten invasions and the domestic repression of anything that looks, smells or acts differently, Denmark has actually received refugees and asylum-seekers from places that are a lot worse, such as Iraq… Not that Denmark has not had a hand in that.

The current nationalist, conservative and neoliberal governmental constellation makes its fortunes by appealing to the lowest common denominator, racism. The reign of the current government has been characterized by populistic scapegoating of muslims and what in the media’s doublespeak as come to be referred to as “ethnic” people (there apparently is no such thing as a Danish ethnicity).

Denmark has some of the harshest immigration policies in all of Europe. Due to the highly specific interpretation of UNHCR guidelines relying on equal parts juridical contortionism and the anxiety and xenophobia which the current government utilises to maintain its grip on the population, these people are rarely granted asylum. The Danish system stipulates that people must be able to prove that they are individually targeted and preferably by someone who publisises this fact (and is not a government that Denmark’s military has helped maintain).

In a recent deal between the Danish and Iraqi governments, which the latter has denied on numerous occasions, it was made possible to send these asylum-seekers “back to where they came from” as the nationalists would have it… To an Iraq which is far from safe, especially for the people in question as has been widely documented see for instance this article. The deal has been criticised by UNHCR and Amnesty International.

Upon receiving news of this deal a number of frightened asylum-seekers left the camp the authorities had placed them in and entered a Danish church seeking shelter. In the ensuing months a legal and political struggle took place in which dedicated activists along with a multitude of helpful members of the public and a hospitable priest sought to make the government grant the asylum seekers humanitarian stay.

In the middle of the night police in combat gear entered the church and dragged the families apart. Activist sought to block the buses which were supposed to take the asylum-seekers to the camp before sending them of to Iraq. The non-violent sit-down resulted in severe clubbings from the protectors of privilege. Two horrific video of the event can be found here and here. The first twenty asylum-seekers were snuck out of the country on a plane last night, while police conducted a mass-arrest of activists.

The struggle continues, but suffers from a severe lack of funds. For this reason the good people of Aktion Auktion are curating an exhibition in support. It will feature images from some of the leading artists in Denmark and all money will go directly to the organisation which is fighting for the asylum-seekers right to remain (not even the bills are getting paid – everything is based on volunteers and donations). I have donated some pieces which will be shown (and hopefully sold) from the 10^th to the 21^st.

If you are in or around Denmark I urge you to come out and show your support at the exhibition, the demonstrations, in the voluntary work organised by Kirkeasyl, by donating, writing letters or participating in any other way possible.