On the surface, Hong Kong transmits an image of prosperity, comfort and convenience. But beyond the façade of pristine skyscrapers and bustling shopping malls, a darker life exists for some of the territory's newest residents. Deep into Hong Kong's New Territories, close to the border with Mainland China, lies Ping Che, a decrepit village that has become a prison for many of its inhabitants. One of them is Arif, 26, a wiry, long-haired asylum-seeker from Bangladesh. His house, barely more than a few slabs of sheet metal propped against decaying beams, runs along open sewers. Flies circle near the improvised toilet -- basically a hole in the kitchen floor. The water is dirty and the electricity supply unreliable.
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Advocates say Hong Kong government policies make refugees' lives 'a living hell'
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Barred from work, refugees are given poor housing, meager food, and little medical care
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Refugees wait years for their claims to be processed, but are almost always rejected
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Human rights advocates say Hong Kong's international reputation is at risk
Arif
@placeholder's nightmarish living situation is typical for the hundreds of people who arrive in Hong Kong each year to escape torture or persecution in their home countries.
Bangladesh
Nine years ago, he escaped @placeholder after terrorists seized his retail business and tried to kill his family.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
They conclude that @placeholder is safe, but they would've rather died.
Ping Che
If things don't improve soon, Hong Kong's treatment of refugees will continue to fall short of the international standards it claims to embrace, and @placeholder will continue to wither.