THEY have survived warzones and religious or political persecution, and left behind loved ones to come to Ireland in search of a safe haven.
But, instead of the new beginning they dreamed of, some of the asylum seekers who arrived here have found themselves living in hostels under the direct provision system for more than a decade waiting for their fate to be decided.
Some 200 people attended a peaceful protest in the city on Friday to call for an end to a system that has been criticised both in Ireland and internationally.
“We ran away from persecution in our countries, we didn’t come here to be put in prison again. We are not criminals. Allow us to work for our families and ourselves, we don’t want to depend on the system, on social grants,” Felix Dzamara (32) from Zimbabwe, a resident of Hanratty’s direct provision centre, told the crowd.
Melad Melaadi (33) from Afghanistan came to Ireland seeking asylum ten years ago, he told the Limerick Post he has “lost the best season of my life in direct provision”.
Mr Melaadi was on hunger strike alongside three other asylum seekers last week in protest against conditions at the Mount Trenchard centre in Foynes.
“I want to change the system. They have to make the decision about someone’s case as soon as possible, for example from three months to nine months, but not up to ten years like me.
“Afghanistan is a very dangerous place to be; all the world knows that. If they sent me back to Afghanistan, it is a place where every second you can face death,” added Mr Melaadi.
Olivier Lima from Congo has been waiting for his application for refugee status to be processed for more than 14 years, he is currently living in Mount Trenchard.
He said: “I came here because I was thinking I’d be safe. They tell foreigners when they come here to go into the community but we can’t do that. We’re left in isolation; they’ve abandoned us.”
An 11-year-old girl who came to Ireland aged just one-and-a-half, broke down in tears as she addressed the crowd: “It’s so boring, because when I want my friends to come over, none of them are allowed…it’s not fair. I have to share the same room with my mum and my brother, I’m 11 and he’s nine and it’s so hard.”
Under the direct provision system, people seeking asylum must live in centres where entire families share one room, or single people share with strangers.
They are provided with food and accommodation, but only receive an allowance of €19.10 per week and are not allowed to work or study.
The Irish Refugee Council and Doras Luimní, which organised the protest, is calling for an end to direct provision and the immediate closure of Mount Trenchard, which both organisations say has been described as “the worst of the 34 direct provision centres nationwide”.
