FAME ASYLUM

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• What is a refugee?
• What is an asylum seeker?
• Iran
• Vietnam
• Nigeria
• Albania
• Democratic Republic of Congo
• Richard Dedomenici
• Refugee Week

What is a refugee?

According to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who 'owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country.'

What is an asylum seeker?

An asylum seeker is someone who is looking for protection as a refugee, even though they may not have been formally recognised as one. The term normally applies to people who are still waiting for the government to decide whether they are refugees.

Iran

Iran is in the Middle East. It has a coast on the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, and lies between Iraq and Pakistan. It was known as Persia until 1935, but became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile.

Between 1980 and 1988, Iran was at war with Iraq. In the late 1990s, popular dissatisfaction led to the election of a reformist president. However, attempts at change were thwarted by conservative politicians and repressive measures increased. The inauguration of a conservative president, in August 2005, completed the consolidation of conservative power in Iran's government.

Vietnam

Vietnam is in south-eastern Asia. It has a coast on the Gulf of Thailand, the Gulf of Tonkin, and the South China Sea, and borders China, Laos, and Cambodia.

Part of French Indochina since 1887, Vietnam declared its independence after World War II. However, France continued to rule there until 1954, when it was defeated by Communist forces led by Ho Chi Minh. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the Communist North and anti-Communist South. The US intervened in the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but withdrew following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South, reuniting the country under Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, the country experienced little economic growth for over a decade, because of conservative leadership policies. The country continues to experience protests from various groups, such as the Protestant and Buddhist ethnic minorities, over religious persecution.

Nigeria

Nigeria, in western Africa, has a coast on the Gulf of Guinea, and lies between Benin and Cameroon.

British influence and control grew through the 19th century, but Nigeria gained its independence in 1960. The current president faces the daunting task of reforming a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through corruption and mismanagement. In addition, there are long-standing ethnic and religious tensions.

Albania

Albania is in south-eastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and shares borders with Montenegro, the Serbian province of Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia and Greece.

Between 1990 and 1992, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multi-party democracy. Successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organised crime networks, and combative political opponents. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large 'informal' economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure.

Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - a country the size of western Europe - is situated in Central Africa, to the north-east of Angola.

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. In January 2001, DCR's president, Laurent Kabila, was assassinated, and his son, Joseph Kabila, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the remaining warring parties signed a peace agreement and established a government of national unity. However, millions of people had been killed, and there is still fighting in the east of the country. There are many internally displaced people and thousands of Congolese people have had to leave the country altogether. There have just been elections in the DRC and Joseph Kabila has remained president.

Richard Dedomenici

Richard's mission statement reads as follows:

Richard Dedomenici is a one-man subversive think-tank primarily dedicated to the development and implementation of innovative strategies designed to undermine accepted belief systems and topple existing power structures.

By approaching the limits of conventionally acceptable behaviour, Richard Dedomenici's poetic acts of low-grade civil disobedience forcibly ask pertinent questions of society, while his subtle anarcho-surrealist interventions create the kind of uncertainty that leads to possibility.

His previous work has included breaking into prison, and creating an interface to enable cows to access the internet.

Refugee Week

Refugee Week is a great chance for young British people, as well as refugees and asylum seekers, to get involved and do something positive and creative. One way to get involved is to organise an event in your school, college or local community, to raise awareness of refugee issues.

Refugee Week is an annual event, details of which can be found at their website (see Links).