|
|
 Re: مضربون عن الطعام لليوم الثالث في لبنان (Re: عبد المنعم موسى)
|
« Are Feminists Good People?.UNHCR Calls the Cops on Sudanese Refugees attending World Refugee Day
17
tweets
retweetYes. It’s true. Yesterday, we went to Vantage Points, a film festival organized by UNHCR in Metropolis Sofil to mark World Refugee Day. This was happening while 20 Sudanese refugees had been on hunger strike for 15 days to protest their maltreatment. We escorted 4 refugees on hunger strike and their families (including 8 children). The kids handed out flyers to the attendees that explain the reasons behind the hunger strike. Check photos here.
They were completely ignored by UNHCR. When the film started, we went into the theater and lifted a banner (photo below) and they held up posters that said “Why won’t you meet with us?” The cinema staff asked us to get out of the theater and not disrupt the film screening. So we got out and sat in the lobby. An hour passed and still nobody from UNHCR would talk to the refugees. One person earlier only asked them if they wanted to see the movie.
After an hour, Tony, who works at Sofil came to tell us that he was obliged to notify the authorities of our presence. We asked why and he said because we were bring disruptive. Note that we had only been sitting in the lobby for an hour quietly, waiting for the audience to finish the movie, thinking maybe they might want to talk to the Sudanese refugees then. Tony had asked us to leave before, but we insisted on staying. He then warned us that the police might come. Why? we asked. He repeated that we had been disruptive. I asked him if UNHCR had asked him to call the police and he said yes – although UNHCR staff then denied that they had called the cops. You can call Tony yourself and ask him.
The police arrived, asked us to leave, and we insisted on staying. They agreed that we weren’t being disruptive and told us we could stay but couldn’t do any action on the premises. So we stayed. 15 minutes later, a second police patrol came with a higher-ranking officer. UNHCR finished their movie and came out into the lobby to have wine and snacks. They stood there eating, drinking, and chatting, with the police standing between them and the refugees (kids, again).
The level of ignoring at the event was surreal to me. Not a word, nothing. Not a hello, how do you do, nothing. The Sudanese families were completely invisible. UNHCR kept chatting with their audience at the event, saying they couldn’t do anything about their situation. But how could they not even say hello? If it is true that it’s not in their hands, why can’t they just meet with the refugees and explain everything and reach a compromise? How could they treat them with such indifference and impertinence? It was pretty obvious that they had circulated an internal memo asking their staff not to talk to the refugees at all. I’m pretty sure they were expecting some action at their event. They seemed unsurprised and unaffected.
It was one of the most depressing things I’ve ever seen – to be so invisible to people in power. Our Sudanese friends were less shocked than we were, having experienced this sort of treatment for years. What else did you expect? they asked us. Perhaps I was expecting a tad bit more humanity and compassion from the people who make their living off of helping others.
.hunger strike, refugees, sofil, Sudan, unhcr, world refugee day
| |
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: مضربون عن الطعام لليوم الثالث في لبنان (Re: عبد المنعم موسى)
|
OptionsSarah Baba
Day 16 of Sudanese refugees on hunger strike
Sudanese Refugees in Lebanon: Stuck in Limbo
english.al-akhbar.com
Photo Blog by Haitham Moussawi Text by Zeinab Merhi Little Ammar wants to go back home, but that is not an option now. His parents are busy getting ready for a sit-in in the hope
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: مضربون عن الطعام لليوم الثالث في لبنان (Re: عبد المنعم موسى)
|
Action Alert: Hunger Strike Continues- Day 23
July 3, 2012
We, the undersigned Twenty-one refugees from the Sudanese community are continuing our hunger-strike in front of the UNHCR premises in Beirut. This hunger-strike started on the morning of Monday, June 11, 2012
Our main demands are:
● That the UNHCR holds itself fully responsible toward people who are registered with the Agency as refugees and asylum seekers in Lebanon and grant all their rights as per the rules and regulations of the agency.
● That the UNHCR maintains transparency throughout its interactions with their partners, refugees and the media.
● That the UNHCR assist in appointing a defense lawyer for each asylum seeker/refugee when arrested on grounds of illegal entry/stay or violation of a deportation order.
● That the UNHCR provides adequate financial assistance to cover all needs of refugees with regards to housing, education and children, especially children with disabilities.
● That the UNHCR allows asylum seeking detainees to be legally represented during the refugee determination process carried out in detention.
● That resettlement states immediately act upon resettlement requests for recognized refugees who fulfill the requested criteria, taking into consideration the urgency of the refugees’ situation.
● That the Lebanese state pushes for producing an immediate, strict policy in terms of dealing with incidents of racism or discrimination towards migrants and refugees at schools.
● That the Lebanese state treats the refugees detained in Lebanese prisons with respect and regard to their rights as asylum seekers.
● That the Lebanese state amends the law regarding illegal entry and exit and not put Refugees or asylum seekers in the same category with other individuals which illegally trespass the Lebanese borders.
The refugees are on strike at the doors of UNHCR alongside their families, wives and children who join them in the mornings. The situation of refugees and asylum seekers in Lebanon, especially who are of Sudanese nationality, is particularly deplorable: Sudanese asylum seekers and refugees face constant racism and discrimination and in some cases some were violently and physically attacked based on their race. Moreover, those refugees are always at risk of arbitrary detention and illegal deportation to their country of origin. Men and women have difficulties finding work that would allow a decent pay, given that they don’t have any legal stay permit. Asylum seekers’ children are not allowed to pursue their education and when they do, even with the UNHCR refugee status (that is issued with a certain deadline that has no legal grounds in Lebanon). The situation in Sudan is exacerbating and it keeps deteriorating every day. Hence, the refugees can’t consider going back to Sudan because of the risks and consequences they might face.
Signed,
Sudanese Refugees on Hunger-Strike in front of UNHCR Offices – Beirut, Lebanon
Share
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
عبد المنعم موسى
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست