Action not reaction will solve immigration

The director of Luxembourg's first detention centre for failed asylum seekers has spoken out about immigration and the need for action instead of reaction.

Psychologist and centre director Fari Khabipour said in an interview with the Luxembourger Wort that the detention centre was not a solution to the immigration problem.

He said: “We must behave in a much more proactive manner. The real question is why does someone come into such a situation in some countries? For me, development assistance should be given to countries where refugees come from. Not only through money but also through people and experts to assist them so that they no longer feel forced to leave. Of course the reality is more complex. But, it is here that we must act. We tend to only react instead of act.”

The director's new role began in earnest on Monday when the detention centre in Findel was official opened.

But, Mr Khabipour is no newcomer to the scene. He has spent the last two years working on the concept of the site and has several years' experience working in the field of education.

“I agreed to run the centre because I thought it important to introduce psychosocial issues and human resources, to address the issues of dialogue and communication,” he said, adding: “Even if these people are supposed to leave the country one day, it is important that they be treated with respect and that the months they here give them a good memory. That's why I finally agreed. And not because I am convinced that there is no alternative.”

Mr Khabipour has strong views on the treatment of asylum seekers. For example, he does not agree with detaining failed applicants for overly lengthy periods. This, he says, can cause animosity and my be harmful for the person waiting for a decision. The director also disagrees with a new law passed this year which allowed applicants to be detained for up to six months. Although he recognises that it takes time to arrange for detainees to be repatriated.

He said: “We do not manage the files of people, but the people themselves. We offer many rooms where they can participate in activities. There are ways to play sports, there is a gym, a library, computers with internet connection. Communication with the outside is allowed, there are also phones.

“The only thing is at night when they are in their rooms at around 21:30, the doors are locked and they are reopened the following morning. It's the only time they can feel like they are in a prison. This is because we have not enough people to make a monitoring well at night.”