Sahasamvada: 'Wanakkam' - a look into the lives of Tamil asylum seekers/ refugees in Switzerland

Monday 15 December 2008

'Wanakkam' - a look into the lives of Tamil asylum seekers/ refugees in Switzerland

Intra-state conflict/wars, humanitarian crisis, displacement, forced migration, asylum seekers and refugees, terms that always seem to remain topical. Methods of diplomacy, the business deals that sustain conflicts, shifts in global power politics etc. continue to mutate but the human suffering that cross cuts all these issues remains and will remain unchanged.

asylum-seeker is a person who has left their country of origin, has applied for recognition as a refugee in another country, and is awaiting a decision on their application.

refugee is a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of 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…" Article 1, The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Wanakkam (35 mm, 83 min), a film by Thomas Isler which premiered in 2005 documents the ‘stories’ of asylum seekers and refugees from Sri Lanka in Switzerland. It succinctly highlights the emotional struggles of a few Tamils who had fled Sri Lanka in the hopes of a better and safe future, yet remain trapped between their yearning for their home country and the uncertainty of their ‘status’ in the country of asylum. Isler takes the viewer through a realistic frame and intertwines stories of Mena, Sivachelvam & Sasi, Aiya and Nixsan & his family creating a vivid snapshot into the challenges of integration and moving forward, an aspect that re-defines the concept of being alien, while at the same instance attempts to break down the popular romanticism seen in most 3^rd world countries that migrating to Western countries secures you with a good future. As Isler reflects, chances of integration are almost non-existent for most refugees and asylum seekers due to several issues, notably, language, skills and the 'herd mentality' especially prevalent amongst Sri Lankan refugees/ asylum seekers. The later is reflected in Isler's film through subtle nuances using images reflecting the lifestyle and strong cultural bond that binds the Tamil community together despite the 'baggage' of regional animosity and general mistrust they bring with them as a direct consequence of the conflict. But as with most things, 'integration' is a two way process and even while the Government of Switzerland has put in place several programmes to ensure that refugees/ asylum seekers are exposed to its importance, sometimes issues such as the uncertainty of a pending refugee application creates a strong deterrent factor for integration to really begin.