Iceland review - 2015, Qupperneq 58

56 ICELAND REVIEW
who also received protection in Iceland last
year, describes a similar experience. “I was
sure that I would get a positive because of
the situation in my country but the wait was
still really difficult,” he says.
RESPONDING TO THE INCREASING
NUMBERS
A dedicated reception center, based on
centers in other European countries, is also
being planned where accommodation, as
well as all the facilities and expertise needed
to deal effectively with asylum seekers, will
be located. According to Áshildur, this will
allow the authorities to better assess their
situation, whether there are any particular-
ly vulnerable cases such as trafficking vic-
tims—there have been suspected cases—or
cases of individuals suffering from trauma,
as well as determine quickly which cases
will clearly not be investigated.
Until 2013, Reykjanesbær, where the
town of Keflavík is located, was the only
municipality in Iceland responsible for
accommodating asylum seekers. In 2014,
Reykjavík began taking over part of the
services in an effort to reduce prejudice
towards them, the idea being that they
would blend in more in a larger communi-
ty, as well as have easier access to services
and activities.
However, in February the number of
asylum seekers in both Reykjanesbær and
Reykjavík exceeded the number the munic-
ipalities had agreed to take on and find-
ing housing for them has been an issue.
As a temporary measure, the Directorate
of Immigration stepped in and has been
putting up new arrivals in guesthouses
in both municipalities. With summer fast
approaching and a record number of tour-
ists expected to visit and fill up hotels in
the country, authorities are working to
find a solution to the housing problem.
“Everyone is working together to find a
solution to this as quickly as possible. It’s a
priority,” Áshildur says.
Toshiki acknowledges that the system is
much better now than it was 15 years ago
but criticizes the authorities for accepting
so few applications. “Before there wasn’t
really any formal system for receiving asy-
lum seekers. This has changed. However,
one thing that has not changed is the atti-
tude of the authorities. When you compare
it to 20 years ago, it hasn’t really changed:
they presume they are lying.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
The increase in asylum seeker arrivals
has caused much debate in Iceland. The
so-called ‘leak affair,’ concerning the leak of
confidential information about two asylum
seekers, Nigerians Tony Omos and Evelyn
Glory Joseph, caused waves in Iceland. The
leaked document claimed that Tony, whose
deportation from Iceland was being protest-
ed, was suspected of being party to human
trafficking, claims that were later reported
to be unproven. Gísli Freyr Valdórsson,
former assistant to former Minister of the
Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir, was
relieved of his duties after confessing to
the leak. He admitted he had leaked the
information to influence media coverage of
the individuals in question. Gísli received
a suspended sentence and Hanna Birna
stepped aside as minister.
Toshiki says the media coverage on
asylum seekers has changed for the better
in recent years. He recalls when an asylum
seeker committed suicide at FIT Hostel
(where some asylum seekers are accommo-
dated) around 15 years ago, that there was
only a very short piece about it in the paper.
“No one wanted to talk about it,” he says.
He argues that in general people are more
sympathetic to asylum seekers now than in
the past. “Of course, some people still want
to get rid of them but generally people have
been more positive, I feel.”
In February, however, a negative dis-
cussion, including on the issue of national
security, was sparked when it was reported
that an asylum seeker had declared support
for IS. Áshildur says that while negative dis-
cussion in general has the potential to take
up a lot of their energy, it’s her team’s job
to focus on ensuring that all asylum seek-
ers have their cases properly investigated.
“We’re trying to win asylum cases and our
priority is to ensure that the negative dis-
cussion doesn’t influence the decisions, to
make sure the decisions are made according
to the law.” Björn believes that a change in
attitude among the public is sorely needed
in Iceland, adding that the Red Cross is
undertaking a large project to combat prej-
udice against foreigners, including refugees
and asylum seekers.
CHANGING ATTITUDES
And nowhere is it needed more than in
Reykjanesbær, Southwest Iceland, where
the majority of asylum seekers in Iceland
live. Attitudes among the municipality’s
inhabitants are significantly more negative
ASYLUM