In our caustic environment towards gay and lesbian persons here in Jamaica it is not surprising that many of us leave for other territories especially after a harrowing ordeal. Others leave for better employment opportunities for financial improvement This year however we have seen a record number of persons seeking asylum in other countries namely Schengen states in the European Union, United States and Canada as those countries presently have very friendly asylum avenues for gay and lesbian persons who can prove they are under persecution of may be under such threats. The US however is a little more difficult especially before the removal of the HIV travel Ban that has made some advantages available to that category of persons.
The Netherlands with its soon to be imposed stricter visa/immigration policy and the pending independence of some of its smaller territories from the motherland will see that present asylum policy closing soon many fears and with this news many from all over the world are using the opportunity in droves to move through these states to get to the borders. This year as said before is a record year judging by my own count based on persons who have called me directly for information I have seen more than 23 persons and judging by my conversations with JFLAG representatives they have also seen more persons engaging their offices for information and associated services for expedite the process of transfer. At the time of this post 4 persons were scheduled to fly out today to transit territories then across to Amsterdam.
Sad though, although people are free to choose their own destiny I agree but is simply throwing our hands in the air running away going to solve our problems bearing mind most cases really call for leaving the country in the name of safety but some others go because friends are there with no genuine reasons for leaving with embellished accounts of abuse, who will stand and fight this scourge of homophobia so that we can reach some level of understanding and tolerance? One of the other problems is that many who do leave usually never are interested in long distance activism through financial support/donations or commentary towards the situation in their respective territories to muster support on the ground from ordinary GLBTQ people to bring pressure to bear on the homophobic climate here. It cannot be left to just official organizations to speak on glbtq issues, I think we all have to play our nationalist duty in ensuring safety and justice for others whether home or abroad. Another negative issue surrounding activism and interest which I have alluded to in previous posts is the question of classism or the elitist way we treat each other, the real movers and shakers are just comfortable in their own world and hardly ever get involved in agitation for rights, respect and basic freedoms, instead they turn their noses up and scoff at the population that is not of their ilk. This major problem of course is a microcosm of a general societal issue of the “two Jamaicas” syndrome often spoken of as was originally espoused in a series of articles and speeches by former Prime Minister Edward Seaga several years ago in his tenure as Opposition leader. Most persons who end up seeking asylum are usually from the lower to middle socio economic strata of society and do not have the requisite financial resources or protective walls to avoid being attacked or abused in the first place.
What can we do? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Network with friends you know in these territories
2. Ask for financial assistance for GENUINE activities towards growing & enhancing the GLTBQ community
3. Share information responsibly about issues on the ground (very few are doing it now)
4. Liaise with gay friendly groups, individuals and organization to find solutions to the issues
Good luck however to those who have landed and successfully gained asylum status with the relevant benefits involved and to those planning on leaving please explore all the options available and plan carefully please as this exercise is a costly one to say the least.
In a telephone conversation with several members of the community in one of the states in the EU they seem to have assimilated favorably in that society and have been gaining state benefits as included in the policy. Many complain of the cold temperatures and understandably so as they were used to tropical climate. The difficulty many face now is missing friends and family in some scenarios especially for those who recently landed and their lack of returning home if any, anytime soon. They miss the food too.
Many keep in touch via phone or the Internet which is good but I encourage them to also keep abreast of the scene here more in depth not just on a basic contact level.
Peace & tolerance
H
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1 comments:
Uprooting yourself from your own country is a painful thing to do. It's very stressful.
If it's easy for Jamaican gays to gain asylum, they have to thank dancehall for that - which has given Jamaica a reputation for intolerance when in fact many Jamaicans are privately very tolerant, from what I have read and learned myself.
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