Bisi Alimi: Please Vote for 2013 People's Choice Winner: Asylum - Bisi

The emotion is palpable

I am literally moved to tears with great emotion anytime I watch this short film, the episode of New Dawn with Funmi in 2004 on Nigerian television where a young man Bisi Alimi came out as a gay man during a daytime live broadcast.

The event changed the lives of these people, Funmi Iyanda’s show was taken off-air the next day and Bisi Alimi came within inches of being murdered in Nigeria.

Things ought not to be so, but that is the kind of society that led Bisi Alimi to flee Nigeria and gain asylum for himself in the United Kingdom.

A man of great conviction

Since then, Bisi Alimi has been a vocal and efficacious activist for the rights of gay black men, their access to services and treatments and finding a platform from which gay black men can be proud to be who they are and live without fear or threat to their lives, contributing to society as any good citizen.

Bisi Alimi is in great demand to speak around the world not only on his experiences but on policy, advocacy, human rights and other socio-economic factors that affect gay men of colour all around the world.

He has met representatives and heads of government in Europe, Africa and the Americas challenging people to think different, get involved and speak up for rights, fairness and justice – he is an amazing, jovial, friendly and wonderful human-being – you cannot but be touched by his force of personality which is for good and for right.

Please Vote

This story is told in a documentary entered for the PBS Online Film Festival - Episode: 2013 Festival | Asylum - Bisi

I ask you to watch the film and vote for it here to become the 2013 People’s Choice Winner.

Thank you.

Probably time to ditch the Nigerian Pledge

Nigerians defined

There have been a number of blogs lately on the matter of Nigerians, the Nigerian identity, the Nigerians in Diaspora and our view or outlook about the country.

Nilla’s Spin on this involved trying to identify who is a Nigerian through appellation, ancestry, appearance, affinity or association to varying degrees.

Indeed, the comments that come out about Nigeria range from positive views and experiences offered by Jeremy on NaijaBlog with the title Positives, many others highlight problems, issues and complaints, all a mix of what makes a society tick.

Ayoke in Exodus took another view of those of us who have settled outside the country and wondered about the willingness of many to return to help build Nigeria instead of trying to barely get by in foreign lands.

These are all valid perspectives, indeed, it is unlikely that anyone who has any relationship with Nigeria would completely obliterate that association even if they have citizenship of one country that requires the one of another country be forfeited.

We hope for Nigeria

In many cases, we try to identify with the positive things in Nigeria and sometimes the complaints are more about the frustration that things should and could be better but for the deficit of leadership that has plagued the country for years.

In all, there are few that have left Nigeria genuinely as refugees or asylum seekers, there are few that have left in the fear of persecution or taken flight into exile for some political, religious or demographic affiliation.

In most cases, people have left Nigeria in search of greater opportunity first and then seek to settle in some location where personal security and safety do not vie for any prominence in everyday issues.

There are many who have not been able to avail themselves of opportunities outside the country for the lack of resources or the bad reputation that some of those who left before have created in besmirching the good name of Nigeria, but things are changing and improving.

I am not an exile

As an Englishman of Nigerian parentage, I have strong links with Nigeria; I hope to strengthen them even if I have no immediate desire to return. I do not live in Europe as an exile, refugee or fugitive, rather, I am net contributor to my community and society and many Nigerians abroad are.

Sometimes, I wonder, apart from the individual connections we have to the great country of Nigeria, what national symbol, purpose, activity, creed or organisation conveys our Nigerian-ship?

If we are not performing well in sport, most especially football, what is our rallying point and focus?

Is there a passion for Nigeria beyond recognising a business opportunity which might evolve into something humanitarian? Do not get me wrong, there are people in Nigeria genuinely spearheading worthy non-profit initiatives for the betterment of their communities.

However, the question that needs to be answered that might change the perspective of Nigerians to a greater goal of nation-building is what makes me proud to be a Nigerian beyond the personal associations?

Ditch that pledge

Then we have to move on from paying lip-service to that Communist pledge to finding a leadership that really does believe the pledge, live the pledge and have a vision for a great Nigeria or maybe we should stop deceiving ourselves and discard both the pledge and superfluity of words that make up the National Anthem.

To build Nigeria into the country we aspire for, the work could be rooted in this, but who believes it now? It is a personal battle for a national identity - the soul of Nigeria that makes us one.

I pledge to Nigeria, my country,
To be faithful, loyal and honest
To serve Nigeria with all my strength
To defend her unity
And uphold her honour and glory
So help me God

Are we voting in 8 days time?

A Quite Quiet Dutch Election

In the Netherlands, we are deep into electioneering as the parliament is to be elected on the 22^nd of November 2006.

Unlike the United States where one would have been bombarded with adverts in televisions, billboards, radio and any other communication medium you can think of; I could imagine a time when they would be able to invade your dreams and plan voting thoughts into would make you suddenly break out of sleep in cold sweat reaching for your gun – I have noticed nothing here in the Netherlands.

In fact, we have billboards set up in particular locations where parties and their activists can post their bills, this society could be so egalitarian, and it is scary.

By proportion to a list

Anyway, I received the list of candidates in my mailbox; we have a system of proportional representation, each party has a list of candidates where the person at number 1 is most likely to be elected and the last is least likely, it is a hierarchy but not as we know it.

When the votes are cast, the percentage of the polled votes against the total votes is computed to determine the number of seats gained as a proportion of the total number of seats contested by all parties, the party then fills the seats starting from number one to the fulfilled number.

The party with the most seats gains the right to seek out a coalition of other parties with which to form a government.

I cannot vote in the Netherlands, but I do have the right to vote if as a European citizen from the UK, I decide to chuck in my British passport for a Dutch one, why would I do such a thing?

I already can vote for the local elections and that is fine by me.

Listing all controversy

A number of things are quite interesting about the list; we have the Christian Unie (Christian Union) which is somewhat conservative evangelical that aligns itself with the Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij - SGP (Reformed Political Party) an ultra-conservative curmudgeon of repressed religionists.

The SGP made the news earlier in the year and were on the verge of losing government funding for not allowing women to participate in the voting process, they do not believe in female suffrage – yes, we have those types in liberal Netherlands.

The CU however, does have men and women on their list; I would say nothing about hypocrisy in this respect.

Illiberal by personality

Then we have the Liberal Party, the VVD which is in coalition in government with the CDA, the party of the man who used to look like Harry Potter.

I for one cannot find what is liberal about the VVD, being the haven of my most revered Lady Oddjob, the Minister for dis-Integration (sic) and emigration (Immigration), Mrs Rita Verdonk whose antics have caused Dutch politics great disservice without remorse.

She happens to be the reason why we have having early elections having mucked up a number of asylum and citizenship issues that the government had to fall, the circumstances around Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s loss of Dutch citizenship and then the reinstatement of the same brought it all to a head.

Mrs Verdonk has never been elected, only appointed, she contested for the leadership of the VVD and came second, thankfully, but in the process, she has landed herself the number 2 position in the VVD party list which means she would become a member of parliament without fail.

Verdonk the enigma

Her initiatives have included calling for the abolition of the Equal Treatment Commission based on the fact that they ruled that a Muslim woman may decide not to shake hands with men and offer alternative greeting methods – I think that is a sensible assessment of the situation, it is quite different from wearing a veil in a class of children.

I have met devout Muslim women who do not shake hands, I respect that decision, in fact, in one instance, a class mate of mine simply clasped her hands and then extended them to lift my outstretched hand, and observers thought I had been accorded more than anyone had every elicited from her, I was honoured.

Equal because of inequalities

It is not that I have required services from the Equal Treatment Commission or in the case the UK the Equal Opportunities Commission, but those commissions exist because of inequalities in society, discrimination, abuse, bullying and many other things that allow dominant cultures to take undue advantage of minorities.

A democracy can well be the voice of the majority, but it should also protect the civil rights of the minority, we cannot have the tyranny of the majority persecuting and prosecution the minority, it makes for societal chaos where terrorism might be employed to fight tyranny.

Nobody seems to have taken to that kite she has flown, so, we would probably hear no more about it, this is the same woman who at one time suggested that Dutch should be the only language spoken on the streets of the Netherlands.

She has a heart of stone

After much protesting, she had considered sending 2 Iranian homosexuals back to Iran in the light of the fact that homosexuals had recently been hanged in that country – saying she had received assurances that no harm would come to the men.

Or, when her ministry passed on information of asylum seekers to repressive regimes that would have laid wait for deported failed asylum seekers, not to mention the fact that witnesses to a fire in an illegal immigrant detention camp were deported before they could give evidence on the matter, she having given assurances to the investigator that they would be retained till they are not needed anymore.

This is the catalogue of events that makes the Dutch vote her as the most popular politician and an Iron Lady, warped as this might seem, it is difficult for an expatriate like me to convince the everyday Dutch person that Mrs Verdonk is anything but nice.

We should soon expect the bombshell of civilizations, we have been intimated that there would for now be no ban on the burka, if the VVD wins, expect a ban of being a minority.

References

The Verdonk trail

Finest quality Ecstasy from the Police

Rotten electioneering looms

With Dutch elections looming in November, a number of things have to come to the fore to excite the voting masses into probably making the wrong choices.

Somehow, electioneering with hot-button issues like immigration, integration and crime seems to develop a life of its own which suddenly gets beyond the control of the instigators and hopeful helps the electorate make the right choices.

In the Netherlands, we should expect no less tugging at these matters, one of which has already caused outrage – politicians can seem to act tough through their mandarins in government organisations, but people who usually have not sold their souls step back thinking, this is not the kind of Dutch people we want to be.

Immigration to the fore

So, it transpired that a Chinese woman who is a failed asylum seeker was committed to detention in readiness for deportation – that is no news – however, she has an 8-year old son, like any decent mother, she refused to have her son placed with strangers – professional foster parents who would pitifully lavish minimal parental care for the moneys that make up their livelihood.

If I had a child, I’ll rather feed it to crocs than have it stay with such leeches.

Herein, was the outrage, not so much that the woman decided to take her son with her to detention – that was her comfort and expression of love and I am all for that – but that the organisation in charge could not arrange an alternative scenario where mother and son would not end up in detention.

Not looking good at all

The issue is even more complicated because the son, by reason of being born in the Netherlands is Dutch, representing a clash of parenthood and the state – in this case, one would hope that the bond of parenthood is of greater significance.

The point has now been made again that the Dutch through their government is tough on immigration; however, once again – like in the Ayaan Hirsi-Ali case just 4 months ago; a face-saving strategy has to be concocted to shift the blame of both the political masters and the officials.

The woman appears to have produced some more information which has lead to her release from detention and we are told this has nothing to do with her battles for residency or the outrage concerning the detention of her son – Exactly. We, the people just have to be taken for fools on the premise that the rules have just been followed to the letter – as the Dutch are wont to.

Meanwhile, plans are afoot to rescind the decision to deport them to China, I wish them luck.

Asylum seekers milking health

In the same electioneering gloom, the Health minister has intimated the house that asylum seekers get more healthcare benefits than the Dutch; not only did this outrage the MPs who thought real problems healthcare problems were not being addressed; it would outrage the electorate.

Whilst ministers can use selective language like asylum seekers, since we do not carry visible labels on our heads depicting our status in the Netherlands, asylum seekers could very well become synonymous with all immigrants, fuelling all sorts of negative feeling to legally resident but different people – surely, the politicians know what game they are playing.

Finest Ecstasy from the police

Finally, it appears, the politicians might not be able to take laurels for being strong on law enforcement – 250 policemen had been found to be failing in the level of integrity required of law enforcement. Surprise! Drug trading, drug peddling and joy-riding seem to feature in the rap sheet of crooked and bent policemen.

Somehow, they have able to link lacking experience with integrity violations – my view, the oldies have learnt how not to get caught. It is no secret that I think the Dutch police are bone-idle, bureaucracy laden, pen-pushing abusers of the law – quick to levy petty criminals but completely lame when pursuing serious criminals.

Inquiry – my foot!

An inquiry is to be instigated – I have questions.

Why are you surprised the police are corrupt?

What is the secret to not getting caught?

Can I now report a crime against the person in any police station in a city, especially, if that police station is outside the nearest emergency treatment centre though the crime happened elsewhere in the city?

References

Chinese boy freed from IND expulsion centre

Asylum seekers 'sponging off healthcare'

Inquiry into 'shocking' rise in police crimes

No nice words for Mrs Verdonk

An Engaging Reality Show – the Dutch Parliament in session

The Dutch have a penchant for straight talking but always seem to act towards a form of consensus or compromise.

Nowhere was that more evident than in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament when an emergency debate was called to address the Ayaan Hirsi Ali issue with the minister – Mrs Rita Verdonk.

Expatriates like myself hardly watch Dutch television, but somehow expatriates had a compelling desire to witness the events in the Dutch Parliament which ran on till about 3:00AM.

This is, I think, the fourth time in less than 2 years that Mrs Verdonk has been called to the parliament to address issues the legislature think border on abuse of power, abuse of privilege, the lack of due process and abrogation of procedure.

The Hirsi Ali case had a considerably high profile, being that the decision Mrs Verdonk made automatically meant Mr Ali cannot continue to be a Member of the Dutch Parliament.

Backslash, Slash, Backspace, Backslash - Questions

The MPs had a field day posing questions and questioning rationale, it looked like we were going for the full showdown, but for all the times that Mrs Verdonk has like a chastised school pupil appeared before the house, things have almost gone to the brink, but there was always a pull back.

There is no doubt that Ms Ali used false information to register as an asylum seeking, there might have been reason for any asylum seekers to use a false name for expedient reasons of leaving behind their history and making them untraceable till such a time as they are ready to be exposed.

Mrs Verdonk as also right within the remit of her ministerial duties to institute an investigation to ascertain the circumstances in which Dutch citizenship was granted and the validity of that exercise.

Communications schizophrenic

However, whilst the letter send to Ms Ali indicates that her Dutch citizenship is invalid, it gives her leave to appeal within 6 weeks, but in play of words that definitely exasperated a not few MPs Mrs Verdonk opined that she observed rather than affirmatively indicated that situation.

The debate that ran through issues like the minister’s truthfulness, understanding of the law, appreciation of the power of parliament and deference to its demands, hardly any MPs could find words of praise at her actions.

Rather, one ex-leader of her party did express surprise at the speed of resolution of the inquiry alluding to the fact that the backlog of claims in the immigration department would have been cleared up if things were that efficient. They are not – that department is an utter bureaucratic mess.

Called to order

In the end, Mrs Verdonk – The Iron Lady and my Lady Oddjob has been ordered, yes, ordered, to review the case of Ms Ali on the status of her citizenship and where it is found that her claim is valid, it should be accelerated.

Yesterday, I discerned that we would not hit the streets in protest, but expect the Dutch to do something about it – this compromise is as good as it gets – the minister does not entirely lose face, the government does not collapse and parliament gets to impose its will.

There is a Dutch ambivalence to this issue, in that the many I have chatted to, on the face of it commend Mrs Verdonk for following the law, but when I raise issues of the exercise of the law requiring a human face and the possible negative effect on expatriates or the fact that a Dutch a language that thrives on exceptions cannot seem to seen exceptions in the imposition of the law, Mrs Verdonk’s esteem falls.

This is probably part of my integration, trying to understand the Dutch psyche – where I would have thought a big slap on the wrist would have sufficed with an admonition and liberal sanction, the obstinate adherence to laws has undone all the parties involved.

The chastised Verdonk

Mrs Verdonk can as well put paid to the idea of leading her party at the end of May – it is a case of an opportunist being overtaken and outplayed by the opportunity. Like Samson, his exercise of power in trying to destroy his enemies also brought the building down on himself.

I would not rejoice too early, but I cannot wait to see Mrs Verdonk come second best in the leadership race for the Liberal Party.

However, it is only in Dutch politics that the most high profile minister of the realm is a minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Justice.

Apart from the Prime Minister who has had a makeover from his erstwhile Harry Potter looks, one wonders who those who run portfolio ministries are – Finance, Interior Matters, Foreign Affairs, Justice and Defence – they all probably have not been mentioned once for anything significant, this year.

Bizarre, but that is living in the Netherlands – amazing place!

References

The Verdonk Archive

Expatica's Dutch news in English: MPs order Verdonk to reconsider Hirsi Ali's status:

Expatica's Dutch news in English: Hirsi Ali: fast decision amazes ministers:

Lady Oddjob draws ire and fire

I need not say anymore, the Liberal Party has been accused of scandalous opportunism in supporting Mrs Verdonk’s actions.

The Verdonk Archive

Lady Oddjob decapitates Poster Child

Ruthless Rita

Not that we feared that this would be the result of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s tribulations, but the swiftness with which Mrs Rita Verdonk, the never elected but influential minister of Integration and Immigration has discounted 14 years of acquiescence to the Dutch way of life is legendary and without precedent.

Basically. Ms Ali has now been told, she was never a Dutch citizen, and hence, by inference she cannot continue to be a Member of Parliament.

Mrs Verdonk personally called her last night to deliver the message.

There are more than enough mitigating circumstances for Ms Ali’s Dutch citizenship to be revalidation in spite of her misdemeanours of 14 years ago.

She, like I have said before, is probably the most high profile integrated immigrant in the Netherlands besides the Princess Maxima who is Argentinean by birth but married to the Crown Prince Willem-Alexander.

No encouragement whatsoever

It provides no encouragement for those of us who strive to begin appearing relevant in more ways than just paying rates and taxes in the Netherlands.

This is not to say that adherents of Islam would be shedding a tear nor would it bring the general ethnic communities unto the streets – however, it should bring the Dutch out in protest against unconscionable intolerance masquerading as enforcing the ministerial prerogative of the law. [1]

Basically, on this matter, Mrs Verdonk has been a shameless opportunist who has sacrificed the Dutch citizenship of a fellow countrywoman for the quest to appear tough in immigration with the hope that her Liberal Party would vote she in as leader.

I do sincerely hope that the Party does see through this charade of political expediency and deny her any opportunity to foist that on more that the already unfortunate few that have come under her gaze.

Seriously, that a minister who has never faced an electorate can invalidate the election of a representative of a Dutch constituency sets new precedent – we are in wildly uncharted waters.

Good Luck and Godspeed, Ms Ali

Meanwhile, we can only wish Ms Ali good fortune in her new endeavour with the AEI as she considered her position in the Netherlands and the way irrational ministers are allowed to thrive in notoriety to the demolition of everything the Dutch hold dear.

I do not for once condone the fact that Ms Ali lied in her asylum application, but we have to see beyond the possibly, harangued and frightened 22-year-old who had escaped the throes of Africa for bright possibilities in Europe and how well she has done to account for her misdeeds.

A humanity that cannot forgo the illiberal for the tolerant and apply mercy in the face of obvious guilt cannot hope to rehabilitate who have fallen to a state of acceptance.

The figurehead for that view of humanity should likewise depart for wiser and more mature heads to facilitate fairness, justice and mercy in keeping with up with the civility of this age. This is just so, not Dutch, at all.

About Oddjob

The Oddjob nickname comes from the James Bond film, Goldfinger where there Korean bodyguard called Oddjob uses his bowler hat with a shard steel rim as a Frisbee which could decapitate victims.

This got ascribed to Mrs Verdonk when she threw her hat in the ring to contest the leadership of the Liberal party. Hence, Lady Oddjob.

As it now transpires, Lady Oddjob has decapitated the Poster child of Dutch integration.

References

[1] Hirsi Ali – Reactions

[2] Hirsi Ali to quit

The Lady Oddjob Archive

A short weekend in Dutch politics

A week, they say is a long time in politics, where expediency to populism matters, days are like an eternity.

Just as we are absorbing the news of the already well-documented terminological inexactitudes of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, one cannot say if this occasion provides opportunity or catastrophe.

Only on Friday, Lady Oddjob, the Minister for Disintegration and Emigration (tongue in cheek) who at this time is running to the leadership of the Liberal Party, said, Ms Ali has nothing to fear regarding the lies she told 14 years ago. [1]

Iron Lady Jelly Backbone takes pressure

However, this works against the grain of Dutch culture, which allows for people to break the law with impunity as long as they do not get caught and then imposes the entire weight of the law in exacting sanctions on those caught. This part of a group of other attitudes called gedogen.

Besides, this has generated so much commentary from the press; experts and some personnel who were part of the hoodwinked assessors in 1992, that it now appears the minister in the person of Lady Oddjob cannot be seen to be doing nothing about it. [2]

In fact, you cannot be running for leadership of a party and be prospecting to become the first female Prime Minister and then be found condoning the submission of false material for asylum – this is beside the point that that false pretence has created a useful and commendable member of the Dutch political society.

About face in turn about

So, in an about face typical of those who watch the polls and have a weekend to think about it, Mrs Verdonk, the minister has now instituted an inquiry to investigate the claims of Ms Ali probably leading to the toughest sanction of withdrawing her Dutch citizenship. [3]

We all need someone who has an open mind, a resolute perspective and can make tough decisions, between Friday and Monday morning, I think the weekend should have helped Mrs Verdonk consider pulling out of the leadership race too.

If we are to move from a Prime Minister who cannot sail no matter how the wind blows to one who lists wherever the wind blows, then we have definitely mortgaged our futures to the kind of populism that would make Chavez and Ahmadenijad look like students in Populism 101.

A middle finger leap to the States

Whilst Ms Ali might be under pressure about lies she has already revealed many times before apart from some minor disputed facts, she is about to give the middle finger to all this brouhaha.

She has been offered a tenure with the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in the United States from September [4], an offer that might come with a green card if the Dutch sell her up, just as they exchanged Manhattan for Suriname.

My views about think tanks are probably already well known, and the Bush administration has been infiltrated with AEI alumni, ideas and policy initiatives – the neo-cons find their oxygen in its tents.

Celebrating Opportunism as Concern

You have to give Ms Ali credit for wending her way through the storms of life as other politicians try to catch the fallout for some pecuniary advantage – despicable does not begin to describe my utter disgust for opportunists – but who is a politician but one who can represent opportunism as concern?

Now! I am really sick to the stomach as the voice of my congratulations to Ms Ali is drowned out by the spasms of violent regurgitation.

References

[1] Liberals don't care Hirsi Ali lied to get asylum in 1992

[2] Lying can lead to loss of asylum - expert

[3] MP Hirsi Ali faces inquiry over naturalisation lies

[4] Hirsi Ali to leave Netherlands for job with US think tank

Poster child hung in a frame of lies

More Dutch than the Dutch

The most prominent integrated immigrant in the Netherlands is probably Ayaan Hirsi-Ali, a Member of Parliament in the Liberal Party (VVD).

Being a Somalian, we have to date been fed with tales of how she had suffered brutality borne of religious intolerance and coercion, part of which led to her escaping from an enforced arranged marriage to eventually seek refuge in the Netherlands.

The then 22-year-old told a sorry tale that convinced the immigration authorities in a slightly more liberal Netherlands to give her asylum in a record short time of five weeks.

She has done well, earning a degree in Political Science and being a strong advocate for the emancipation of female rights in Islam, whilst speaking up for immigration and asylum issues.

Beyond that, some of her views on Islam and immigration have alienated the very set of people who would constitute her naturally wider constituency.

Representative African – Not!

Having an African heritage, it is unlikely that many Africans see the Netherlands through the same lenses as her. Her work in the film Submission, whilst it cannot be condemned for matters of freedom of expression, has polarised communities to the extent that she lives in secluded and secure protection, especially since the film-maker was murdered on an Amsterdam street.

The question becomes what the point of integration is if you have sacrificed your liberty and freedom for the pulpit of knocking down the self-same traditions that constituted part of your upbringing.

There might be things that are inspiring about the lady, but as a whole package, she is hardly a role model for those who come from similar backgrounds.

We live here as products of multiple cultures; we cannot abrogate our history and culture for the domination of Dutch culture in the quest to be more Dutch than the Dutch. Rather, we must elect the best of all our cultures together with the host culture to present ourselves as equitable, respectable and worthy members of our host societies.

Lost constituency

It informs my concerns that whilst the articulate and erudite Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a poster child to the West of those who have thrived out of Africa as refugees and speak up for the Western stereotype, she might for the West be worthy of nomination for the Nobel Prize, but not for doing anything in relation to helping people in similar circumstances integrate better beyond the opportunistic political sound-bite.

It transpires that she has been caught in a number of lies regarding how the immigration service was hoodwinked by her sorry tale. The then head of the immigration service, who has recently aligned himself with more right-wing causes, has called for the revocation of her Dutch citizenship.

That is a bit too drastic, but then he is not known for being the most level-headed man. My best minister, aspiring for leadership of the Liberal Party and the minister in charge of emigration and dis-integration (tongue in cheek), has condemned lying but would not exact sanctions - A rare example of ministerial magnanimity.

However, what is most interesting is the way this story unfolds as some condemn the lies and others seek to shield the poster child – albeit within a frame of probably more lies.

References

Ayaan Hirsi Ali: hero or phony?

Liberals don't care Hirsi Ali lied to get asylum in 1992

Lying can lead to loss of asylum - expert

Understanding freedom, responsibility and tact