CUHK student living in exile in Germany, braving the harsh winter, seeking Wi-Fi to call her parents, reminded of tear gas by firework displays
Translated by Guardians of Hong Kong | 28 November 2020The 22-year-old Elaine (pseudonym) was just an ordinary student at Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). She originally planned to intern at an NGO after graduation, then further her studies after working a few years. During the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement (anti-ELAB) in 2019, she experienced: engaging in the protest, suffering from injury, being arrested, and living in exile. She has now successfully obtained political asylum in Germany-who is the first being granted asylum status in Germany ever since the protest started.
Yesterday (20 October), in a phone interview with Stand News, she recounted her experiences of the bitterness of exile in Germany – braving the cold winter breeze to look for a Wi-Fi signal outside the refugee camp in order to contact her parents and relatives. Upon seeing the new year fireworks in a foreign country, she was reminded of the scenes of tear gas from the protests.
Although she is physically in a foreign land, her heart is with Hong Kong. She sent a message to her "brothers and sisters" in Hong Kong, calling them to take care of themselves, and longs for the day, which is after the pandemic, when she can reunite with her family somewhere in the world.
Arrested for rioting
Haven Assistance, an organisation established by Hong Kongers in exile, issued a statement a few days ago saying that a female student from CUHK charged for rioting has been granted asylum by the German government and obtained refugee status on the 14th of October.
That girl from CUHK, as the statement illustrated, is exactly Elaine. She revealed to Stand News in a phone interview that in November last year, she was arrested by the police for rioting, possession of tools for illegal purposes, and violation of the anti-mask law. Concerned that revealing specific incidents would put her family and friends at risk of harassment from the police, she declined to elaborate further on details of the case.
She stated frankly that “since I went out to protest, I was prepared for the consequence of being charged". Before her arrest, she had thought that nothing would make her leave Hong Kong. However, a friend who studied law persuaded her that the judicial system in Hong Kong was becoming increasingly corrupt. He also reviewed some cases from the trials of the Mong Kok riots and noted that they were all heavy-handed. She was also worried that should the government reintroduce laws on extradition, arrested protesters would be whisked off without warning to face trial in China at any time.
After persuasions from her friends, she quickly decided to leave Hong Kong. It was less than 5 days from the time when she was arrested, being granted release on bail to the time when she left Hong Kong, leaving behind her studies in which she was just a year away from getting a degree. She could not immediately inform her family and friends; in case the police went to their door. After arriving in Taiwan, she then flew to Germany.
[Caption: Elaine’s (pseudonym) photograph of the moon upon arrival in Germany]
A wall scrawled with various languages
Since her arrival in Germany, she has stayed at 3 refugee camps. She recalled that the facilities at the first camp were the crudest. It was a camp designed solely for refugees to stay for a short time after reporting in, and 3-4 people shared a room. What was unforgettable were the various languages written on the walls of the camp: Arabic, Russian, Persian... refugees from all over the world who missed their home countries. The supplies distributed to the first camp were limited, only a basic ration of food, a roll of toilet paper and mattress.
She soon moved on to the second camp where the surroundings were better. At the third camp, she even had her own room. While staying at the refugee camp, she was able to go out and was given a small amount of cash for a living. Despite the environment in these camps were good, however, she had to go outside in most cases in order to get Wi-Fi or mobile service.
In Germany, where the temperature drops to 0°C in winter, she often had to brave the wind and rain just to connect to the Internet to communicate with her family.
[Caption: A wall in the refugee camp scrawled with various languages.]
Recalling scenes of the protest upon seeing fireworks
Elaine said that she had extreme emotional fluctuation during her first few months in Germany for realizing that she may have to leave for a long time, perhaps never returning to Hong Kong for the rest of her life. Language, jetlag, and difficulty adjusting to local eating habits are all the reasons causing her insomnia and depression.
She remembers the New Year celebrations in Germany, upon seeing the sky full of fireworks, and recalling the sound of tear gas canisters being fired. "I wanted to go out with friends to see the new year fireworks, but when I saw the streets full of people and police, the popping noises from the fireworks, I was reminded of scenes from the protest movement."
At the same time when she was feeling at her lowest, she became a victim of sexual assault. A statement from Haven Assistance revealed that Elaine was sexually assaulted by a member of staff from the refugee camp. When enquired by Stand News, Ray Wong, a cofounder of Haven Assistance said that the victim had reported the incident to the German police, and the police have taken action. The alleged staff member was later prosecuted and the staff will face trial in the future.
Elaine has since revealed that the incident involved verbal and non-essential physical contact. The other party was a refugee camp employee but not a German, and the incident occurred outside he refugee camp. However, as the case is now under the jurisdiction process, she could not disclose any further detail. After the sexual assault and the pressures of exile, Elaine fell into emotional distress and needed to go to a psychiatric hospital.
Obtaining asylum brought complicated emotions
It took months to overcome the negative emotions and depression for leaving Hong Kong. She made friends in the refugee camp, the staff were also very friendly, and parties were held during major festivals in the refugee camp. She misses street food from Hong Kong such as siu mai and cheung fun and during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Elaine went to Asian supermarkets to buy mooncakes.
She is grateful for the assistance provided by the German government, but also hopes that the authorities can simplify the procedures for Hong Kong people to apply for asylum in the future and emulate other countries in launching “lifeboat schemes”. She is also grateful to Ray Wong and his organisation, Haven Assistance.
Elaine has now been granted asylum and is temporarily living in government-arranged housing. Her days are now occupied with household cleaning, cooking, and running errands such as residency registration, enrolling in language courses, cultural integration courses, and purchasing medical insurance. Although she is eligible for a three-year residency permit in Germany, she still feels conflicted when thinking of her brothers and sisters in Hong Kong.
"When I received the result of the asylum application, I felt complicated because my brothers and sisters are still being remanded in Hong Kong, in court, and those in prison. Did I abandon them? I have contradicted feelings ."
Message to protesters: Take care of yourselves, fight on in your own way
The Anti-ELAB Movement that lasted for a year has now fallen silent. Elaine also admitted that the protests have cooled down but believes that there are still people in various areas who are still working hard, doing what they can. "This includes attending court hearings and showing support for defendants, escorting (prisoner transport) vehicles, sending letters to protesters in custody, or assisting people living in exile overseas" She also believes that this movement will cause more people to take notice of Hong Kong politics and even protest movements in other countries.
"The fight for democracy is not a matter of one or two years... I don't think there is a need to obtain instant results... Everyone continues to fight on and equip themselves in different ways. This year we have all experienced mental stress, so please take care of yourselves before thinking of what to do next."
"Prepare for the worst, hope for the best." She tells other protesters.
When asked whether she had any words for her family in Hong Kong, Elaine paused, before saying that she only wishes to "go on a holiday together" after the pandemic is over.
[Caption: Elaine showed reporters her notice of refugee status from the German government.]
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