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Below,
we feature the stories of these refugees. We hear how life for each
of them became untenable in their home land, their stories of escape,
clandestine journeys and how they finally managed to build a new
life here in England.
To listen to the clips, you will need RealPlayer
Max Dickson left Germany on one of the last Kinder Transport
in 1939. He was only 14 and would never see his parents again, all
of family perished in concentration camps or the gas chambers at
Belsen.
Listen to Max's story
Read the transcript
Quang
Nguyen was a young boy living in Hanoi. When the Americans started
bombing he was moved with the rest of the children from the city
into makeshift camps in the jungle. Here they had to fend for themselves
and many perished through disease and malnutrition. His parents
escaped Vietnam by boat and found asylum in the UK, Quang eventually
joined them when he was nine.
Listen to Quang's story
Read the transcript
Parviez
is a Kurd and for as long as he can remember his family has been
on the move. His home town was flattened by Saddam Hussein and ever
since they have had no security. When he attempted to set up an
educational institute to study human spiritual understanding he
was constantly arrested and beaten. He now lives in peace for the
first time in his life, albeit separated from friends and family.
Listen to Parviez's story
Read the transcript
Laszlo
was a 16-year-old student peacefully demonstrating for free speech
and the removal of censorship, suddenly his friends around began
dropping dead as machine gun fire opened on them. Laszlo was caught
up in the ensuing revolution and eventually had to flee for his
life, he crossed the border and eventually came to the UK.
Listen to Laszlo's story
Read the transcript
Zemerrai
Shohabi and family were continuously attacked by the Taliban
in Afghanistan. Eventually he had to flee the country after being
imprisoned, beaten and eventually sentenced to death. He made a
tortuous journey across Europe attempting to claim asylum in Italy
and France before arriving here a couple of years ago.
Listen to Zemerrai's story
Read the transcript
Gallery: Click
here to see images from Peter Latham's Sanctum
exhibition of paintings and drawings of refugees and asylum seekers
in Kent.
Your Say: Refugees
in Kent
Video: Watch
Richard Smith's report on refugees in Belgium (18/6/02) |
