pro-democracy activist

The government lawyer asked these questions, of Mr. B, from Burma:
-Tell me about your international travel: you lived in Japan?
What was your immigration status in Japan?
Did you enter Japan with a tourist visa?
What did you apply for, in Japan?
Why didn't you apply for asylum there?
Who says only 1% of asylum applicants win asylum in Japan?
Did you violate laws in Japan? did you work without a work permit?
Why did you leave Japan?
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What happened upon your arrival at the airport in your country?
did you have a passport?
Your father knew you were arriving, so he got to airport early and paid extortion money to officer? Do you mean he paid a bribe? how much did he pay?
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Where did you go, after leaving the airport?
How many times were you arrested in your country? Two times?
Where were you, at the moment of your first arrest?
You were at your house? who else was at the house at that time?
Your mother was there? why didn't she write a letter, describing what happened at the time of your arrest?
Why were you arrested?
How long were you detained? Why were you released? what happened on the day of your release, while you were inside the prison?
After being released, where did you go?
Why didn't you go to the hospital, if you were so badly injured?
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Where were you, at them moment of your arrest, when you were arrested the second time?
Who else was there, at that time?
Why were you arrested?
Why were you released?
Where did you go, after being released?
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11 months later, you departed from your country?
Why the long delay? why didn't you flee immediately?
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You say you have protested often, here in USA, in front of your Embassy?
Your protesting here might cause problems for your wife?
If so, why do you protest? don't you care about your wife?
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Does your government know that you protest? do they care if you protest, or are they bored by it?
How do you know what your government thinks about your protesting?
did someone call you on the phone and tell you something?
You say your government knows that you protest, and that they are angry at you, becausse your protesting is embarrassing to them?
-your government is so embarrassed, and so angry at you, that what? They went to your wife's house and hit her on the head? NO? they did nothing to your wife? So, isn't that evidence that your government does not know, or does not care, what you do here in USA?

activist from Ethiopia

The government lawyer asked:
-show me the originals of all of your documents!
-you say the guard hit you? tell me what weapons he used, and what words he said!
What thoughts went through your mind, as he walked toward you, with the baton raised above his head?
-you say you feared he would kill you, and you would never see your mother again?
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What is the name of the main opposition party in your country?
why did you not join it?
Who was the leader of that party in June 2008? in December 2010?
Who is the leader today?
Why did you support that person?
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you say you went to a demonstration in January 2011? how did you hear about it?
how did you get to it? drive a car? walk?
How many people were at the demonstration?
How many people were arrested at the demonstration?
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how did you get this certificate? did you bring it with you, in your suitcase?
did someone mail it to you? If so, where is the envelope it came in? How do we know it was not printed right here in Baltimore, in someone's basement?
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After you departed from your country, did your father have any problems? why not?
did your siblings have any problems?

an activist from Burma

The Asylum Officer asked:
-when was passport issued? when re-newed? doesn't everyone have to pay bribes to get a passport? did you have to pay extra bribes?
-you say you lived in Thailand for seven years? what was your status there? were you "firmly resettled" there?
Why did you depart from Thailand?
What were your activites here in USA?
why did you protest in front of the White House?
Why do you think your government knows that you protested in front of White House?
How many people attended the protest?
How did you get there? how did you get home?
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did you join even one organization here in USA?
do you have a membership card?
can anyone join, if they want?
Tell me the name of one member of that organization.
Tell me the name of one other person who protested in front of the Embassy.
What else did you do, besides stand on the sidewalk for one hour?
Why did you join that organization?
What else do they do, besides stand on sidewalk with large signs?
How did it happen, that you became a member?
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how would your government know about your activities?
You say they have a lot of spies? who says?
Tell me about each of your brothers and sisters. How come none of them is in prison now?
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what would happen if you return to your counry?
You had problems in City #1? OK, so go live in City #2 or #3! Why are those cities unsafe?
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who took the photos of you, while you were protesting? why did he take those photos?
Is there anything else?

an activist from Burma

The Asylum Officer asked:
-ever used any other names? when did you arrive in USA? when did you leave your country?
-Why did you ask for a visa?
-did anyone help you with your application?
-What were your political activities in Burma?
What were your activities here in USA?
When did you protest in front of your embassy?
How does your government know you are active in USA?
Who attends the protests?
Why do you think that spies attend?
Who told you that?
Besides protesting, how else did you express your opposition to your government?
why did you send certified mail to your Embassy?
were you not afraid of the consequences of sending such a letter?
Why did you create a blog?
Why do you think your government reads it?
Is there anything else?
OK, good. Is there anything else?