RAW 2022 Archives » AFR-SG

‘Flee’ Screening and Post-Show Talk: Contemplating Our Shared Humanity

AFR-SG — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 04:00:02 +0000

On 12 June, Advocates For Refugees – Singapore (AFR-SG) partnered with local cinema The Projector to screen Flee, a film recounting the true story of Amin, a gay Afghan refugee who fled Afghanistan following the 1989 civil war. Amin’s experience of stigma, shame and trauma at the intersection of two marginalised identities provided ample food for thought on the realities of living beyond the margins and the enduring commonalities that tie us as humankind.

by Amanda Chen

These topics were dissected in our post-show dialogue featuring Dr Gül İnanç, founder of Opening Universities for Refugees and founding co-director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies, Dr Hana Alhadad, a trauma-informed consultant and researcher with extensive experience working with migrant communities, and Ms Mathilda Ho, founder of AFR-SG and Deputy Chair for the Southeast Asia Working Group at the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network. The dialogue was moderated by Ms Selene Ong, a volunteer of AFR-SG.

To kick off the dialogue, attendees were invited to respond to the question, “What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear ‘human identity’?”

Dr Gül elaborated on the concept of human identity as being complex and shifting in nature. She highlighted that different labels can be assigned to one population, each with their own definitions which may have specific implications in formal contexts; examples include ‘forcibly displaced’, ‘stateless’ and ‘refugee’. These labels and their accompanying legal criteria may overshadow the humanity — the unique perspectives and experiences — of the people bearing them. Dr Gül noted that we can refer to the responses given by the audience, including ‘freedom’, ‘belonging’, ‘acceptance’ and ‘dignity’, to understand what connects us as humans. While the parts of our lives that we, or others, pin as our identity may always be subject to change, our striving towards a fundamental set of needs underlies the shared human experience.

Dr Hana expanded on the centrality of belonging to human identity. More than simply being included in a community, which may be predicated on changing parts of oneself to fit the expectations of the group, belonging implies unconditional acceptance. This freedom for people to be themselves completely, knowing that they will be accepted as they are, can be seen as a fundamental human need, but also as a privilege that not everyone enjoys.

Addressing a question from the audience on whether belonging exists on a spectrum, Dr Hana noted that we each have many intersecting identities and may find ourselves ‘belonging’ to some communities, such as our home, more fully and naturally than others, such as our workplace. Adding to the notion that human identity is rooted in how we see ourselves in relation to others, Mathilda highlighted the importance of connecting with others on a personal level. In particular, real interaction is essential for us to accurately understand the perspectives of other people and to perceive them as they are, rather than as they tend to be portrayed in popular media.

As the topic of discussion progressed to our attitudes towards people marginalised by society, a question from the audience probed whether asylum seekers must portray themselves as “model” refugees in order to be granted asylum, and whether this bar is set too high. Dr Gül recalled her encounter with the term ‘first class refugee’ in Malaysia — this referred to someone with education, money and proper identity documents, often from a Middle Eastern country such as Syria.

In contrast, others such as Rohingya refugees from Myanmar were treated as inferior. This highlights how differential treatment exists even within marginalised groups, depending on how different aspects of identity such as ethnicity and class intersect within an individual. Dr Gül noted that guidelines for the recognition and treatment of refugees remain as those laid out in the 1951 Refugee Convention developed following World War II. Formal changes to make policies more inclusive, such as towards elderly refugees, and more flexible to accommodate unique challenges faced by refugees in different regional contexts, are yet to be enacted.

In parallel to the concept of ‘model refugees’, Selene noted how certain ‘attractive catastrophes’ tend to garner more attention and sympathy than others. Our recognition of important issues in the world tends to depend on the media and their perception of what stories appeal most to audiences. For instance, the spread of information regarding ongoing humanitarian crises in Africa or Yemen pales in comparison to that relating to the war between Ukraine and Russia. Dr Gül noted that crises are experienced at an individual level, varying in degree depending on the specific contexts that people find themselves in; the framing of longstanding phenomena like migration as crises to nation-states is much more debatable.

Dr Gül further pointed out that pejorative labels such as ‘boat people’ and ‘illegal migrants’, popularised by media narratives, unfairly strip refugees of their humanity when after all, in her words, “actions can be illegal, people can’t”.

An audience member posed the question of whether we should focus on extending compassion to those in need in our backyard, or in communities distant from us — both Dr Hana and Dr Gül felt a strong responsibility to do both.

Taking a holistic view of the issue of forced displacement, the panelists also considered perspectives of other stakeholders involved. In response to an audience member’s question on managing the tension between the “scammy and dangerous” nature of trafficking journeys and the imperative on refugees to make these journeys due to their lack of alternatives, Dr Hana shared observations from interactions with human traffickers in her work. Some viewed themselves as saviours offering refugees a lifeline in desperate circumstances, some came from refugee backgrounds themselves and earnestly tried to find policy loopholes to get refugees to their destinations, others were exploitative and operated for the purpose of profit. Despite the ostensibly good intentions of certain traffickers, the danger that refugees are exposed to as a result of illicit journeys remains unchanged. Mathilda emphasised that this concept of irregular or illegal movement, allowing traffickers to exploit migrants’ journeys for monetary gain, only persists due to policies that make ‘legal’ journeys impossible in the first place. Acknowledging them as the basis of the desperate decisions that refugees are forced to make is perhaps the first step to alleviating their suffering that results.

Another question from the audience considered potential costs to the majority when marginalised groups are accepted into a community. This is salient in Singapore, which lacks geographical space to accommodate refugees — yet, Mathilda pointed out that our drive to expand economically has seen land reclamation efforts repeatedly come to fruition over several decades.

A lack of priority could hence be a stronger factor dissuading us from accommodating refugees compared to a lack of space. Selene added that as we readily enjoy the privilege of safety and belonging in our daily lives, we are responsible to share this privilege and uplift others who lack it.

At the end of the day, we are all simply humans, each with our own unique set of experiences and world-views. The documentary film ‘Flee’ offered an immersive insight into the world of an individual sidelined by society multiple times over, and the dialogue following it rounded our understanding of how we can support such individuals living life on the margins. To resist indifference and enact change, we can first and foremost respect each individual as the person that they are. As we forge connections and recognise the commonalities we share, the elements of life that make us feel human — belonging, acceptance, dignity and freedom — will follow.

Amanda Chen is a current BSc Neuroscience and Psychology student at King’s College London. She volunteers actively with organisations providing material and wellbeing support for refugees in the UK, as well as in northern France outside of term-time. Joining AFR-SG’s team for the first time in 2022, she is keen to learn more about the issue of forced displacement in the regional context and to do what she can to make a difference.

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Local and Global Responses to Humanitarian Crises: A Panel Discussion Review

AFR-SG — Sun, 26 Jun 2022 02:10:48 +0000

On 4th June 2022, Advocates For Refugees – Singapore organised a panel centred on Humanitarian Crises, exploring the role of local and global responses to them. The panel was held as part of RAW 2022, an annual campaign to commemorate World Refugee Day on 20 June.

by Tan Jing Ling

Overview of the Panel

Two central themes guided the panel: humanity and borders. The former focuses on the promotion of human welfare and the active belief in the value of human life. The latter explores how borders and geography affect the nature of conflicts and the responses to them. Intersecting both, the panel brings together the humanitarian work of speakers across borders and regions, from Afghanistan to Africa. The panel hosted:

Ms Gabrielle Tay, Founder of Action of Women, Greece a women’s rights organisation dedicated to working towards a bright tomorrow with women and girls displaced by conflict, violence and persecution.
Dr Hakim Young, a Singaporean medical doctor who has done public health, humanitarian and peace-building work in Afghanistan for over 20 years.
Ms Bernadette Iyodu, a Rights in Exile Programme Coordinator at AMERA International, a UK-based organisation, Bernadette is a lawyer by training from Uganda in East Africa.
Mr Amoz Hor, a PhD Candidate at George Washington University and Predoc Fellow at University of Southern California and Notre Dame University

The panel was moderated by Ms Sangeetha Yogendran, a PhD Fellow at the Human Rights Centre of the University of Ghent.

The State of Humanitarian Crises in 2022

Starting the discussion where the world’s attention resides, Ms Sangeetha pointed the discussion to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since February 2022. From there, a series of questions were posed as central to the theme of humanitarian crises:

How do local and global responses towards different humanitarian crises differ?
What underlying factors (geopolitics, race, ethnicity, religion) can explain differences in humanitarian responses from crisis to crisis?
What spurs an effective humanitarian response or causes inaction?
What are some of the responses towards humanitarian crises of our times?

Taking a step back, Ms Sangeetha put forth a guiding definition of humanitarianism: “the promotion of human welfare and the active belief in the value of human life; whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and aid other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity”.

Ms Sangeetha further identifies three principles that guide humanitarianism: neutrality, impartiality, and independence. A humanitarian crisis is thus the absence or challenge of these principles and conditions.

The panel then proceeded with speakers sharing their experiences, a moderated discussion, and ending with a question-and-answer (Q&A) segment. This review consolidates the speakers’ sharing with their discussion and Q&A responses.

From Corporate Law to Pomegranates: Ms Gabrielle Tay’s sharing

Ms Gabrielle opened the speaker segment by sharing her advocacy work as the founder of Action for Women, Greece. An unlikely journey, she shared how her background in corporate law meant a complete lack of involvement in forced migration prior to 2015.

That changed for her in 2015 when she began reading about “what was happening on the doorsteps of various European countries”, following an inflow of refugees from the Syrian war.

“I started reading about people sleeping at the train stations in Hungary. People were just walking through Austria, through Germany. I’ve never ever witnessed anything like that,” Ms Gabrielle added.

That knowledge spurred her to start Action for Women, Greece, a women’s rights organisation dedicated to “working towards a bright tomorrow with women and girls displaced by conflict, violence and persecution.”

She also runs the Pomegranate Project, an initiative to provide refugee and asylum-seeking women in Athens with “a safe place to shower” and other forms of protection and empowerment.

Sharing a specific encounter, Ms Gabrielle met a refugee that was “the splitting image of [her] father,” a moment above all that sparked her empathy for the cause. “The biggest thought for me was that this could have been my father…if not for the fact that we (in Singapore) are blessed by the circumstances of our birth and our nationality,” she added.

Ms Gabrielle’s approach to humanitarianism is centred on grassroots movements: “powered by civil society, not taking a single cent from any government”. In so doing, her organisation’s approach has always been to give back autonomy to “participants” that Action for Women receives. She believes firmly in the need to be agile and independent in addressing crises; but not forget foundational principles. “If we acknowledge that seeking asylum is a fundamental human right that applies to anyone regardless of nationality, that is a good start.”

“Because you are human and you care”: Dr Hakim Young’s sharing

Dr Hakim Young is a Singaporean medical doctor who has been involved in public health, humanitarian and peace-building work in Afghanistan for over 20 years. Sharing his vast experiences, he outlined the human(e)-centred values he has upheld over the years.

Human Impartiality: to be human with one another based on unconditional love
Human Neutrality: to craft a vision where all humans count; to recognise everyone’s humanity, vulnerability, and dignity unconditionally.
Human Listening: to provide direct relational humanitarian support for locals to decide and implement aid
Human Family: to recognise and act as an international community, across borders

When asked about his motivation for humanitarian work, Dr Hakim shared how it is always important to place oneself in the shoes of the people facing the crisis, to empathise and listen to everyone involved. When he embarked on humanitarian work, he had to question every single assumption he held previously.

He added that there is a tendency especially after encountering disappointments and betrayals, to develop a fear and distrust of the Other. This, in turn, leads to assumptions being made based on that fear and distrust. To overcome that, he invokes an analogy that calls for a little reimagination:

On committing to a cause, Dr Hakim adds that: “there are too many things that can be done, so find what suits you according to your time and pace. Even if it’s a weekend, a few hours, or one hour, just don’t give up.”

“If we can’t imagine ourselves on the moon, maybe we can imagine ourselves going back to when we were children. If there’s a problem, the children in a classroom will almost immediately work together to solve the problem. Or if they’re playing together, it doesn’t matter what’s their race.”

On being intentional: Ms Bernadette Iyodu’s sharing

Ms Bernadette is a lawyer by training from Uganda in East Africa. She is currently a Rights in Exile Programme Coordinator at AMERA International, a UK-based organisation. But her first brush with displacement began way back, when she was in Primary 1.

“Growing up, I vividly recall getting displaced in my home district, having to go through three different cities, seeking asylum with my family. I did not understand much but I could read from all the adults around that it’s not a normal life to be in, at that point. I couldn’t go to school for a year, and when I did, it was interrupted with episodes of civil and political unrest resulting in missing school for weeks and months, and sleeping under your bed for safety at night.”

Years later, after she gained legal training, she came across an advertisement by the Refugee Law Project. They needed legal officers to help with their legal team to represent refugees. At that point, she wondered what being a refugee meant: “I have never been a refugee but I know what it means to be an internally displaced person.”

For Ms Bernadette, that déjà vu and connection to the plight of displacement continue to guide her humanitarian work. That is why she emphasises the need to be “intentional” – to constantly find out more information about crises around the world.

In doing so, Ms Bernadette urges humanitarian work to be delivered on the basis of needs rather than by the level of media coverage. She highlights how there are “over 20 neglected crises” worldwide that have yet to receive as much attention as the Ukrainian crisis.

Ms Bernadette relayed a heartfelt anecdote from a Syrian refugee who was refused entry by Poland and subsequently gained asylum in Germany:

“There’s a big difference between Syria and Ukraine. Those who fled Ukraine went to safe countries with governments that received them as heroes. In Syria we had to flee the bombs to humiliation. Nobody deserves war, destruction, and exile from their homeland. But the difference in treatment just hurts so much. The blood that comes out of all people is the same colour.”

Through this anecdote, Ms Bernadette shared her concerns in differentiating between “local” and “global” refugees, or those of one’s in-group versus out-group. She calls into question the distinction between what is local and global, reiterating her vision for humanitarianism to be borderless and needs-based.

Selective Empathy versus Solidarity: Mr Amoz Hor’s sharing

Lastly, Mr Amoz Hor rounded the panel by situating the topic within its broader history and locating Singapore’s place in it. Mr Amoz highlighted a fundamental tension between solidarity in offering aid and selective empathy in conditioning said aid on various demographic factors, such as race.

Building from his analysis in the Washington Post, he reiterated the importance of resisting “building solidarity based on something as exclusionary as Whiteness”.

An example he shared is how Whiteness in the United States was initially restricted to Anglo-Saxons. Through the 1800s, non-Anglo-Saxon European immigrants fought against what they called wage slavery in the United States — not on the basis that freedom was a universal right, but on the basis that “only [Blacks] are slaves” and only Chinese labor is “servile.” Comparing this to the Ukrainian crisis, he warns against the rhetoric that specific demographic groups are more befitting of aid than others.

He lamented that humanitarianism is a difficult topic to bring up in Singapore today, even to those closest to us. Instead, Singapore’s dominant narrative is about “how we escaped third world conditions and became a first world country”. In so doing, third word problems seem distant and far away from Singapore and Singaporeans.

Reflecting on what Singaporeans could do to change this, Ms Gabrielle had mentioned how seeing her father’s splitting image in a male refugee brought home our shared humanity. Similarly, Amoz suggested drawing connections between present day refugees and the family histories of what Singaporeans were escaping when they arrived on this island.

“Perhaps, instead of thinking of the third world as our past, we should see it in our present.”

Tan Jing Ling recently graduated from Sciences Po and the National University of Singapore, where he pursued a dual BA in political science and social science. Jing Ling volunteers with the Advocates For Refugees – Singapore (AFR-SG). He was in the working committee of Refugee Awareness Week 2018 and 2022 as the campaign editor.

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