an activist from Sudan

The asylum officer asked:
-who prepared your application?
-can you answer each question on page one of I-589?
Can you answer each question on page four?
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So, you did health education for women in your country?
Why do you care about this subject? when did you first get interested?
Why is this important to you?
Why does the government dislike this subject?
When did you start working in this area?
why did you decide to work for them, instead of some other organization?
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What did  you do in your job? [what would a movie camera record you doing?]
what did you tell people? pretend I am a woman in a village. What would you say to me?
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were you harmed in your country? how/when/why?
  OK, in 2006, you were detained for three hours, but what was the harm? did you suffer emotional harm at this time?
Did  you suffer physical harm? were you hit or slapped or punched?
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  OK, in 2012, you were detained again for 6 hours. any physical harm? any hitting?
What words did the guard say?
what language did he speak in?
What thoughts went thru your mind when he said those things?
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Why did you depart from your country?
What was your plan?
when did you decide, "I shall live in USA forever, and never return to my country"?
Why does  your government hate United Nations workers?
were any similarly-situated persons [i.e. other UN workers] harmed?
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after your arrival here in USA, did government look for you? why?
What were your public activities here in USA?
Did  your family suffer any harm, since you left?
you had problems in City #1 and #2. OK, so why not live in #3?
Is there anything else?

activist from Egypt

The Asylum Officer asked:
-show me your passport!
tell me the date of birth of each of your children
what was your last address in your country?
You were arrested in September 2013? why?
what were your activities before your arrest?
WHAT COMPLAINTS DID YOU HAVE AGAINST YOUR GOVERNMENT?
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you protested on 7/5/12?  what was it like that day? what was it like to be there that day?
Why did you, personally, decide to protest that day?
How did you join the party?
Tell me the process. Take me through the day: what would a camera have recorded? you walked into a building, and talked to a man at a desk?

did you ever have problems with the police before that day?
When you received the news, what did you think?
How did the police get your address?
Why wasn't your sister arrested? why your father not arrested?
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why were you arrested?
Why were you shot?
If you had to return to your country, would you continue in politics?
Why would you be arrested upon your return?
When you departed from your country, why were  you not arrested at the airport?
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Tell me all of your international travels!
Could  you obtain permanent resident status in any other country?
is there anything else?
is there any other reason why your government wants to arrest you?

what happened after man from Nepal sent certified mail to his Ambassador in Washington DC?

May 2014:  Mr. N, from Nepal, suffered no physical harm in his country.
He came to USA, and wrote a letter of complaint and criticism to the Nepal ambassador, who has an office in Washington DC.  He sent the letter by certified mail, attaching PS Form 3811 to the envelope.

PS Form 3811 is green, and is about the same size as a post card. It goes to the address, and someone there signs it, and gives it back to the Post Office. The Post Office then sends it to the man who wrote the letter.

The asylum officer asked, "Did the ambassador actually receive your letter?"
Mr. N showed the signed PS Form 3811 to the officer.

He was granted asylum.[Arlington Asylum Office, May 2014]

activist from cameroon, #2

The Assistant Chief Counsel asked:
 -why is anyone in your country still interested in you?
-your wife is a Bamileke? she lives in the exact same house as  you did, 8 years ago?
So, the government knows exactlly where she lives? and the government has not talked to her in the past 3 years?  They have forgotten about her, correct?

[we have been in court for two hours; zero questions about punching in prison and threats, instead, lots of questions about international travel and family members?]
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tell me about current affairs in your country today? how many seats does the government party have in the legislature?
   what is the CDPF? what is the RDPC?
-your son goes to a public university? the government is giving a benefit to your son? so, the Government does not hate your family, correct?
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when you talk, how much does the interpreter understand? 90%? so, what should you do? speak slower, and have long pauses, so he can interpret one sentence by one sentence?

"militant" is an English word? in USA, it means an angry person, who perhaps throws rocks?
-in your country, "militant" means just a member, not an angry member?
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"chain of custody" what does this mean?
it means: what person had the letter, or had control of the letter, for every day from its creation to the present

an activist from Cameroon

IJ asked: "does the asylum applicant have ties to a community here in USA?
Why would Biya want to kill you?
you departed from your country 8 years ago; he has forgotten you, correct?
Why would he still be angry?
How are you different from the other Bamileke? how come they are not dead?
What is the program of the government party?
What is the program of your party?
When were you arrested, and how long were you held?
When were you arrested the second time, and how long were you held?
RTDC + Return To Dangerous Country
how many times did you RTDC?
Tell me about all of your international travel!
is each stamp in your passport important?
you were too busy to review your passport, before coming to court today?
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you traveled to USA in 2007, but did not apply for asylum at that time? why not?
You went to France in 2008, but did not apply for asylum there, either? why not?
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where is the original passport?
[Ij holds it in his hands, and studies it in silence]
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if  you speak in six long sentences, can the interpreter get everything, and repeat it all in English?
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Why not flee from your country sooner, and more quickly?
Why not seek asylum sooner, and more quickly?
Why didn't you apply for asylum in Cote DiVoire?

Bamileke group in Cameroon

Milton Krieger says: "Mr. Biya is a Bulu ethnic, which is related to the Beti group.
 -the Bamileke is the largest ethnic group in Cameroon
-the government of Cam. does many things "just for foreign consumption"
-"Impunity underpins persistent abuse"
it is a "failed state"

Christian from Sudan, #3

More questions:

Why was the father upset?
Why was the guard upset?
What did the man know about you? how did he find that out?
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you departed from your country, which you say is very dangerous? But then  you voluntarily returned to it?
Why?
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The officer made a threat to you in February? but you did not depart from your country until October?
Why the delay? why not flee immediately?
Did you have any difficulty getting your passport?
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Why did you voluntarily return to the [dangerous] country? you returned and lived there in peace for six months in 2013? OK, so, if you return to your country tomorrow, why not the same? i.e. six months of peace?

Your Declaration is just three pages long? but you can't repeat it? you were too busy to read it again, before today?
Why did you depart from your country?
The government stamped an exit permit into your passport? why? I thought they hated you, and wanted to kill you?
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Why did you return, yet again, to your country in January 2014?
What should the smart person wear to the asylum office? will your lawyer be wearing a coat and tie?
Will the officer be wearing a tie? you want to be the same, or different, from these people?
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Wouldn't the police protect you from the father?
Can't you live in another, far away city?
Tell me about ALL of your international travel! Why didn't you prepare a chart?
Is there anything else?