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Some shocking news today as one Sierra Leonean refugee was found dead in his boarding house in Lakemba. Investigations are still going on but it is suspected that he might have committed suicide as he was found hanging on the ceiling of his room. A Sierra Leone Community meeting was organised to understand what could have led to this. Many comments made by youth indicate some serious disenchantment in their integration experience that could be a contributing factor to what has now happened. Sierra Leone community elders have now set up series of committees to make sense of this and report to the community on how this can be prevented in future.
There has been various studies in Western countries that have found higher rates of psychopathology amongst immigrants than host populations. (kiev, 1973) These studies tend to be too old to be of relevance in the 21st century where Globalisation comes with new sets of risks factors.
MY TALK ON INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES
Many refugees who arrive in devloped countries through resettlement programme aim at integrating in their new society and so navigate through some vital conjunctures in the refugee integration experience:
Separation
The initial arrival period of the first few months, the refugees are normally confronted by reality of what has been lost. Some may be experiencing a change from high occupational and social status at home to nothing in their new land-such as being professional to menial, from elite to an impoverished minority. This is a stage they will confront a loss of their culture-their identity, their habits. Every action that used to be habitual or routine will now require careful examination and consideration (Eitinger, 1960; Ex, 1966 cited in Stein, 1981, p, 325).
A lot of disorganization sets in the family for those with family as the husband can’t provide anymore as the main breadwinner, the wife must now work and the children don’t respect the old ways. Because, the children start identifying aspects of the new culture that will empower them and take up the role of their parents. Instead of the parents having the responsibility to socialize their children, children who learn very fast new ways, socialize their parents. (Hoff, 1958; Rees, 1960, ibid).
Marginalisation
During the next period of two to five years, the refugees display an impressive drive to recover what has been lost, to rebuild their lives. Most refugees attempt to fight against some of the factors that were responsible for their initial downward mobility. Many look for factors that can facilitate these such as language improvement, retraining programmes, hard work and determination. In this period, most refugees change jobs, go to school and move from initial placement to an area where some links have been established. The disorganization of the family in the initial period may have some mental dysfunction to parents and children alike. This is the most critical period I guess that refugees need support.
Integration
After five years, some refugees would have completed the major part of adjustment. There is a likelihood that less dramatic changes occurs at this point. Most refugees would have acquired the cultural capital of the host community after a long hard work. For some who cannot achieve this goal due to many barriers such as discrimination, psychological imbalance etc would abandon the effort of trying to integrate and may stay marginalized or separated.
These refugees skills are getting stale, they are also getting older, the family and routine living demands attention. The initial drive and determination wanes, discouragement sets in and the refugee is resigned to the changes on life and status. Some might now reflect on the argument for migrating resorting to explanations of giving the children a brighter future.
Assimilation
After 10 years for some refugees, some might be considered assimilated in the new society. Here the refugee who moves to this conjuncture is considered to have completely immersed in the new community to the extent that no difference can be recognized. Many Greeks, Latvians and other nationalities have achieved this painfully as well.
Integration Behaviour.
One of the disturbing balance refugee must cope with so far as I see it, is between expectations and how to ask for help. Many of us hold a strong belief that someone owes us something. Naturally, this must be our persecutors but since they are not available in our country of resettlement, the government and its agencies must take actively this role. A friend of mine working for one of the agencies told me how some refugees really have difficulties with some agencies. That they are too demanding, displaying an attitude that requires compensation for their unjust suffering, always complaining of not receiving enough.
This points to the relations with groups in the host community that can be strained through this process of excessive demands and suspicion. Suspicion on both sides. The refugees suspect that some helpers do this to humiliate and subjugate them rather than from motives of genuine charity. The caseworker looks for the needy refugees and inorder that refugees demonstrate need, sometimes their stories become exaggerated and the case worker becomes suspicious as well. This double suspicion can cause a hostile relationship between the refugees and refugee helping agencies.
But one thing we must understand is that refugees go through a lot of disorganization in life generally. Reflecting from my experience, loss of a pattern of behaviour that sustained life at home is no longer sufficient here. I sometimes get home and reflect on my daily encounters examining what I considered to have been accepted or not accepted. You can sense some restlessness, aimless bustling about, constantly searching for something to do. This is more problematic because there is no clear guidance from the host community. Now, I begin to realize that I need to actively learn the ‘lifeways’ of my host whether or not I understand what they are and I can perform them is another matter. What is clear though is that my life experiences are brought to a crisis point that very little of that can be drawn upon and that new strategies for dealing the new culture need to cultivated.
I have listened to a few success stories. But you Know what, they have only helped to confuse me more than help me. They some how set a standard of expectations that may be unachievable which adds to my frustrations.
This was a good night in which various African Communities show case their cultures such as food, music and dance. But one will wonder why should this take place in a Library? Many books have written about African foods and I imagine that the organisers thought it was time to take the food to the books. I think one need to find out now how the books felt about this wonderful initiative.
11/08/07 AFRICAN NITE AT GRANVILLE
Reflecting on the night as I write this on Saturday 11/08/07 at 1:20am, I could see the expressions on people's faces that in some way they missed something as they danced and rocked to some familiar music, which some told me brought back old memories of 'home'. Most of these people are refugees if one is to go by their legal status in Australia.
However, most came in with "Australian" friends who rocked with them jumping with one leg, left side and centre, shaking buttocks the usual "African" dance. It was a good night for everyone from what I gather through my usual curiosity to test my experience with others.
Why do people need some space to which they can claim ownership or feel in some way more comfortable than any where else? Why is this feeling tending to be stronger in migrants and refugees alike than any other people?
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