Monday, September 10, 2012

activist from the DRC

The Asylum Officer asked: -show me your passport! why did you go to Russia? why did you go to Brazil? What is date of birth of your husband? Date of marriage? date of birth of child #1? Child #2? Child #3? Did you make errors on page 4 of I-589? Yes you did? so, you want me to spend time figuring out your errors, instead of listening to how your suffered real harm? Where did you sleep at night during the past 24 months? where did you work, during each of the past 24 months? = who helped you do your application? Where did you work? in an office? in a tent? you worked for your government? you say your government hates you, and is angry at you? If so, how come the government gives you a job and pay? = where were you, at the moment of your arrest? what did the officer say to you? why were you arrested? = When was the next time you had problems? what did you do, before you were arrested? you say you spoke out, against your government? when? how? who heard you? did the government know that you spoke out? how did they know? = you talked to John? what was the conversation: what did you say, what did he say? Did anyone at your office know that you talked to John? Did that person write a letter of support for you? why not? Did you even ask that person to write a letter? why not? = How were you able to keep your government job, if the government wanted to punish you? Why weren't you arrested at the airport as you were leaving your country? = Where were you, at the moment of your next arrest? what did the soldier say? why were you arrested? = did you go to any political meetings? where were they held? who spoke at the meetings? did you speak? did you say even one word? What did you say? What else did you do? did you distribute tracts? did you ask people to give money? = During the last three months you lived in your country, what did you do all day? Did you go outside? where did you go? How come you were not arrested during those three months? Maybe the government forgot about you, several months ago? When did you decide to come to USA? What did you say to get your visa? what lies did you tell? did you fill out a two-page questionnaire, listing your children, your address, and your job? Does the Asylum Officer have a copy of that application, today? How did you answer the same questions on Form I-589? = You arrived in USA in July 2012? what was your intent, on the day of your arrival? Apply for asylum, or not? Why can't you go back to your country? Did you do anything here in the USA to make your government more angry at you? When was the last time you talked to your husband? Has he had any problems, after your arrival here in USA? Does your husband have a job? what does he do all day? Can the government find your husband, if they want to? The government does not care about your husband or mother? so, why do you think Government cares about you? = Are you able to repeat what you said in your Declaration? why not? did you read it before coming here today? I, the Asylum Officer, know more about your Declaration than you do? do you feel embarrassed about that? does your lawyer feel embarrassed about that? = Does the Asylum Officer think the lawyer is stupid, because he did not force you, his client, to read his own Declaration before the interview? = In your Declaration, you said you were arrested for two reasons? yes? no? yes? OK, so, today, why didn't you tell me the same thing? you forgot what you said in your Declaration? I know more about your Declaration than you do? do you feel embarrassed about that? Is there anything else? yes,? what? Is there anything else?