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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE August 6, 2008
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| June 27, 2008 |
Le Havre, France – The face of change |
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| After WWI, many Northern African immigrants came to France to work, filling positions filled by French who died during the war. |
Since World War II, Europe’s demography has been moulded by the rising number of immigrants, which has then been furthered by the 2004 addition of 15 nations into the European Union. In July 2006, France's then Interior Minister (and now President) Nicolas Sarkozy passed a highly-debated law to allow his government to have greater control on immigration. This law enacted new powers to encourage high-skilled migration, fight illegal migration, and restrict family immigration. |
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| The group from AHAM were from Iran, Algeria, Mali, British Guiana, Iraq, Senegal and Sudan |
According to the Migration Policy Institute, the law's limits on family reunification and its greater stringency in giving legal status to illegally resident immigrants has been criticised by immigrant rights organizations, African leaders and many French citizens. In order to gain a deeper insight into the personal stories of immigrants, a group of Peace Boat participants spent the day in Le Havre with a group part of the AHAM network. |
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| The government is reconstructing the immigrant quarter so as to allow each family to have their own home. |
Founded in 1952, AHAM (Association Havraise Accueil Mediation et Insertion - Immigrant Association of Le Havre for the Welcome of Immigrants) is a non-profit organisation (NPO) which provides French language education and integration services to anyone of foreign origin. The association works with both adults and children – with children receiving not only French language education but also education on French culture to assist their integration into society. With around 30 full time staff amongst a group of 80-100 staff members, AHAM also provides adults with administration help according to their needs, ranging from filling out library membership applications to finding financial or legal professionals to help with more complex tasks.
For those immigrants without family or friends in Le Havre, AHAM also places them with host families so that they do not feel isolated, and are not forced to sleep on the streets. According to staff members, people coming to Le Havre from the Maghreb tend to already have an established network, while those coming from South and East Europe are less likely to have this support base. |
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| Some Peace Boat participants wore yukata to show the AHAM group the traditional summer outfit for women in Japan. |
After being joined by some immigrants currently receiving help from AHAM, the group had the opportunity to drive through the immigrant quarter of the city, close to the Port of Le Havre. The area is now also home to many French nationals, creating a dynamic blend of cultures. They then proceeded to a beautiful country estate set in lush green woodlands. Once there, both groups continued to chat and deepen their friendships, before sharing a delicious and plentiful French meal together. |
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Yusef Adam Abu Bakur escaped illegally to Libya together with other refugees from Darfur. In Libya, he paid 1000 USD to be taken by boat to France |
During the afternoon session, the group from AHAM shared their personal stories with Peace Boat participants, telling of what made them leave their home countries and seek immigrant status in France.
Yusef Adam Abu Bakur left Darfur in July 2003. He has no idea where members of his family are, if they are even alive, or what they are doing now. Many were killed by the Janjaweed. Like the hundreds of thousands affected by the Sudan-Darfur conflict, his village's inhabitants were forced to flee or face death. |
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| Sebbah Karim, a teacher at AHAM, showed the group Arabic calligraphy |
Each person, like Mr Abu Bakur, had a story of persecution, fear or simply want of a better life. It was a humbling experience for participants to hear first hand personal experiences of imprisonment, life in refugee camps, forced separation from loved ones, massacres and torture.
According to AHAM representative Manuela Gherib, the biggest problem now for immigrants in France is being caught with no official temporary residency document.
When immigrants apply for a permit to remain in France, the Government allows them residency for three months. During this period, they receive no financial support and have to rely on social service networks for accommodation and food. |
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Rassoul Sawari fled from Iran with his family, after spending eight years in prison because the government accused him of being anti-Islamist. |
Prior to the Sarkozy government, the process to provide a permit was quick, however many immigrants now find that they still have no answer after three months – putting their security at peril once again.
If caught by government officials without a permit, they are taken to detention centres. Once this happens it is very hard for social services to track their whereabouts, and France is permitted by law to deport them to their home country. However often immigrants arrive in France with no official papers, meaning that the authorities cannot determine their home country.
After the serious discussions, activities moved on to a cultural exchange. Peace Boat participants showed their new friends Japanese calligraphy and origami. Soon after, African drums were brought out and the group continued enjoying each other’s company through music and art before heading back to the port.
“I am very happy that you are here today to share my story, because it means there is peace. And, you are all on a boat travelling around the world, so please carry whatever you hear today around the world with you”. - Rassoul Sawari |
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