MENÉDEK promotes integration with refugees’ self-portrait

By Hakeem Babalola
News Report

As part of the celebration for the Refugee Day, MENEDÉK Hungarian Association for Migrants exhibited paintings and pictures of Refugees at the Millenáris Park on June 18 to educate Hungarians in a campaign to make them more open to different races and cultures.

Although the turnout was below expectation, the organizers used the occasion to inform the audience about the significance and consequence of xenophobia which they say is getting momentum across the European Union.

Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Dr. Kőszeg Ferenc, former Hungarian Helsinki Committee President, told the audience that integration is the key issue in the future which will usher peace between the refugees and the Hungarian public. “This is why little thing like exhibition of pictures and paintings of refugees are very important”.

The guest speaker noticed that the asylum policy is better compared to what manifested in the 1990’s. He said that the procedure is fairer now than up till late 1990 when there were thousands and thousands of asylum seekers, especially from Yugoslavia. He attributed this to the proportion of asylum seekers which is relatively low now.

Dr. Kőszeg went on to pat Human Rights Movements on the back saying, the advent of different Human Rights Organisations in Hungary has contributed immensely to improve the situation of asylum policy. “The MENEDÉK is doing a lot for the integration of refugees and intolerance”.

He explained further that before Hungary joined the EU, those seeking asylum in Hungary were always ready to be trafficked to the European Union zone where they hoped to get better treatment, adding that at least 80% of asylum seekers left the country.

However, the asylum procedure has changed drastically since Hungary joined the European Union in 2004. The new rules categorically prevent the possibility of seeking multiple asylums in the European Union territories. This has made it difficult for asylum seekers in Hungary to flee to other EU zones.

“It doesn’t work anymore because according to the EU rules, everybody has to have the procedure in the country they applied first, and the person must be integrated in that country”.

Many participants also believed that pictures say a lot about the issue in question which is basically to integrate the refugees to the Hungarian society where they could enjoy most of the things that led to their escape from their different countries.

Várdi Zófia, an artist, who spent five days with the Refugees in Bicske, said that she liked the idea of Refugees Self-Portrait Project, adding that “everyone says Hungarians are not very open so this is a great opportunity to learn about integration”.

Várdi described her experience as really shocking and interesting because the refugees have terrible stories of their escape, adding that it was difficult to get to know the refugees but after the initial scepticism, they opened up and they were happy that others are genuinely interested in them.

The refugees most of whom are from Iraq, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Pakistan, expressed different emotions in their paintings or pictures.

Omar from Somalia who now lives in Bicske would like peace to return to earth where everybody could help each other. Sarah from Iraq cries for freedom. Khada from Somalia is happy that Hungary has finally given her good life including getting married to Hada, her lover whom she met on Somalia Chat.

Lara, 16, from Iraq is happy that she could now wear whatever she likes unlike when she was in her home country where she didn’t feel pretty because “everything is forbidden”. Her brother Al-Jari Rami, 19, says “it is simply good for one to have the right to speak freely without fear of being killed”.

Val lives in Bicske and his message is simply “A Tear Drop for Iraq”. Eleonora from Kosovo cries to heaven, “This is my portrait”. Shahzad from Pakistan uses mountains, sunshine, boat, trees and parrot to tell the story of his home country.

The pictures and paintings by the refugees are expected to be placed in the metro, on post cards and billboards around the country in the hope to reach at least 1.5 million Hungarians.

Many asylum seekers from African countries have refugee status in Hungary.Some are still living in Hungary while some have since re-located to other European Union countries, especially England where they hope their lives would be better.

Copyright 2008

mysmallvoice@yahoo.com

The Meaning of African Dance

By Dan Gorlin
Arts & Culture

Dance in Africa is not a separate art, but a part of the whole complex of living. For an African, the magic of all life is experience.

African dance is basic, vital and complete. It varies from the slowest and stateliest of court dances to those which move so rapidly that ones eye cannot register what is happening.

In all, it is the concept of beauty and beauty is primarily in the rhythmic action, composure, smile, body decoration, prose and so on.

Traditional dance in Africa is the integrated art of movement controlled by her music which is governed by her languages. Its relationship to music is what distinguishes it from any other art.

African dance is also a source of communication through which it is possible to demonstrate emotions, sentiments, beliefs and other reactions through movements.

African dance can be traced to many modern movements for example, martial arts self-defence movement are common movements found in Nigeria among the KOROKORO dances.

Also the samba was originally a generic term designated the choreography of certain round dances imported from Angola and the Congo and it’s the most favourite dance in Brazil.

In African funerals, the music and dance tell a sort of story of the deceased; his or her occupation, successes, or social position in life. The cause of death is reflected in the music and dance.

The funeral dances express the importance of the community in traditional African life, in which people are bound by a shared respect for their heritage and a pride in the accomplishments of their fellow members.

Dan Gorlin of Alokli West African Dance wrote in from San-Francisco, USA

Self-Portrait Programme for Migrants

By Hakeem Babalola

The Hungarian Association for Migrants (MENEDÉK) is currently organising a self-portrait project at SRLY Restaurant on Király street 50. The event is expected to take place every Sunday from 10-4 pm and will last for five weeks click to read the story

Re: My Darling British Airways

By GEORGE IHEANACHO

Right to Reply

I read your piece with the above heading published in Daily Champion of Tuesday 13,2008. Frankly speaking, I do not subscribe to your line of argument.

I have read several of your articles and always appreciate your sense of duty and critical solutions you offer in issues of national interest.

However,the paramount concern that the current issue involves the life of a fellow Nigerian being deported.The Nigerian (the deportee) deserves a little respect despite any circumstance.

The story was that British Airways officials called in the London Metropolitan Police to contain Nigerian passengers who were visibly unhappy with the inhumane way a Nigerian was handcuffed and pushed around.And these Nigerians were prevented from flying their scheduled flight and one of them barred from travelling with the British Airways in future.

Sir,I agree with you that our government in their myopic and vision less leadership has contributed to this shameless ill treatment meted to Nigerians but the person in question is not a government official but a fellow(ordinary) Nigerians.

There is one adage in Igboland there one who has been rejected can not reject himself.We suffer all these humiliation,injustice and ill treatments in the hands of foreigners because our government has failed to put things right.

If the government has failed to so,then what of us. We can change our destiny,can't we?.If we can boycott the British Airways for a while and was able to make a statement then they will sit up too and know how to treat Nigerians.

Inasmuch as you are entitle to your opinion and can decide to boycott or not,this can of view will deter other Nigerians to remain lukewarm when they should react.

Please I hold you in esteem but really do not subscribe to your current opinion.

Hungarian Minister Inaugurates African Hungarian Platform

By Archie Bonka

The Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister, Gönc Kinga, on Thursday April 10 officially opened another forum in which Hungarians and Africans could share mutual ideas in the hope to improve the lot of their "people"click to read the story