Wednesday, November 23, 2011

democracy activist from Cameroon

The Asylum Officer asked:
Show me your passport!
You were arrested while walking with Mr. Smith? how did you first meet Smith? what was his job? what were his activities?
What was your reaction when you saw the officer with his gun?
What happened at the moment of the arrest?
How long did they hold you for?
what happened on the day of your release from jail?
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to come here to USA, you asked for a tourist visa? you filled out a form?
what were the questions on the application, and what were your answers?
You have not seen your application since the day you filled it out?
The US government, however, has kept your application, and the US government still has it? I, the Asylum Officer, now have a copy of it?
I, the Asylum Officer, know more about your application than you do?
is it embarrasing to you, that I know more about you, than you yourself?
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after your ten days in jail, how was your health? what problems did you have?
You say you went to a Clinic? what did they do for you, at the Clinic?
Did the Clinic write a letter of support for you? did you read their letter? is their letter accurate?
What questions did they ask you, at the Clinic? what were your answers?
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Why didn't you flee from your country, immediately upon being released from prison?
You were injured in the city of Buea? the police in that city were angry at you? OK, so why can't you live in a different city? the police in city #2 do not know you, correct?
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So, you decided to depart from your country? you decided to go to the airport, and fly to Paris? before you arrived at the airport, were you worried about anything? weren't you worried that you would be arrested at the airport? why weren't you arrested at the airport?
How were you able to leave without any problems?
Tell me exactly what happened at the airport? did you actually see your agent pay a bribe?
Is there anything else?
During your last phone call with your father, what did he say?
Did anyone here in USA telephone your country, to verify your story? That could be done in 30 minutes, couldn't it? why didn't that happen?
You are un-employed here in USA? so, you have nothing to do, and you are bored?
Why didn't you become politically active here in USA, if you had nothing to do?
Why didn't you work on your own case? did your lawyer spend more time on your case than you did? do you feel embarrased by that?

Monday, November 14, 2011

Iran activist

The Asylum officer asked:
-show me your passport?
did you have any problems getting your passport? why not?
did you have any problems getting out of your country, when you left? why not?
What was your last address in your country? can you repeat what it says on pages 1-4 of Form I-589?
Did your government give you any benefits? such as tuition for school? was your employer a government agency? did your husband get tuition assistance, or a government job?
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Why are you seeking asylum?
why do you fear your government?
Did you have any problems in your country?
did you suffer any economic harm?
Why were you arrested? what did they tell you, at the moment of the arrest?
Why was your sister arrested? did she suffer economic harm? was she denied education? they did not let her finish high school?
What other problems did you have? tell me the month/year/city
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you say the government hates your entire family? how come your brother was allowed to get a passport, and was allowed to leave?
Your boss asked you to spy on your fellow students? when you said NO, what did he say?
Why doesn't your sister protest also?
Why did you decide to leave your country? was there one special event, which motivated you to leave?
Did you have any problems leaving your country? why not?
When was the last time you spoke to your wife? what did she tell you?
When was the last time you spoke to your father? what did he tell you?
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What are your activities here in USA?
What groups did you join? do you have a membership card?
What did you do, here in USA, that your government knows about?
How do you know that your government knows you attended the protest at the White House?
Does your government have infiltrators, spies, and informers, working for it, here in USA?
Why did you send certified mail to the Iran Interest Section?
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Is there anything else? yes? what?
Is there anything else?

democracy activist from Syria

The Asylum Officer asked:
-have you ever used any other names?
Show me your passport! Tell me about all of your international travel.
-Tell me why you can't go home!
Why do you fear your government?
What did you do, to make your government angry at you?
Where did you protest? did you carry a sign? did you chant slogans?
What agency of the government threatened you?
When the government talked to your mother, what did they ask her? what did they say to her?
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where was your sister, at the moment of her arrest? what did they ask her?
You say a television station videotaped you? it was broadcast into Syria? did anyone inside Syria watch it? how do you know they watched it?
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did other members of your family have problems? who else was arrested?
What else have you done, to bring attention to yourself?
Where did you protest in Washington DC? why protest in front of the White house?
Who stood next to you, on the sidewalk, as you protested? Strangers? were any of them employees of your government? were any of them infiltrators, spies, or informers?
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Is there anything else? yes? what?
Is there anything else?