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<a href="http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10246.shtml" eudora="autourl">
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article10246.shtml</a><br><br>
Refugees to prime minister: End military siege of our camp<br>
<br>
Open letter, <i>Residents of Nahr al-Bared refugee camp,</i> 27 January
2009 <br><br>
<img src="http://electronicintifada.net/artman2/uploads/2/081105-irin-nahr_1.jpg" width=483 height=322 alt="[]">
<br>
A Lebanese soldier stands near destroyed homes and shops in the Nahr
al-Bared refugee camp. (Hugh Macleod/IRIN) <br><br>
While Lebanese officials were publicly denouncing Israel's war on the
Palestinians of Gaza, the Lebanese cabinet was busy making sure the
Palestinians of Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in Lebanon never recover from
the war waged on their community more than a year ago. For more than
three months, the Lebanese army fought the Fatah al-Islam group that had
infiltrated the camp. On 16 January 2009, the cabinet approved a decision
to build a naval base in the area. The decision was met with stern
opposition by the people of Nahr al-Bared who wrote a letter of protest
addressed to Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and his ministers. The letter
was published in two major Lebanese newspapers, <i>As-Safir</i> and
<i>Al-Akhbar</i>, but has triggered little follow-up reaction in the
press so far. <br><br>
<i>Al-Akhbar's</i> Ghassan Saoud says the people in the camp these days
are weary of criticizing the Lebanese army out loud but more convinced
than ever that there is no will to rebuild the camp and properly resettle
its inhabitants. According to Saoud, people point to four developments
that seem to dim any chances of full reconstruction and rehabilitation of
the camp: the continued lack of adequate financial funds for
reconstruction; the call by most officials with the United Nations agency
for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) for people to "get used to" the
contemporary homes currently set up in the camp; the distribution of
returned refugees into isolated spots in the camp that prevents the
revival of a closely-knit community; and the continued siege of the camp
by the Lebanese army that suffocates the prospects of economic revival.
The decision to build a base can only exacerbate the last condition. The
letter is clear about the detrimental effect of such a siege. The
following is a translation of the Arabic-language letter published by
<i>Al-Akhbar</i> on Saturday, 24 January 2009: <br><br>
Mr. Prime Minister the Honorable Fouad Siniora,<br>
Honorable Ministers,<br><br>
We, the residents of Nahr al-Bared, are addressing this letter to you to
vehemently protest the Lebanese cabinet's latest decision on 16 January
2009 to build a naval base on the shores of the Nahr al-Bared refugee
camp. We also wish to protest earlier decisions to establish a land
military base in the area of Nahr al-Bared.<br><br>
Are you not aware that the land that you earlier agreed to build a
military base on is situated near the UNRWA's elementary and intermediate
schools? And that the same piece of land is in a residential area and
used to be a soccer field, the only sports venue in the camp and its
surroundings?<br><br>
And do you know that prior to the battle with Fatah al-Islam, one of the
tracts of land slated for the naval base used to house two wedding halls?
These wedding halls were an important outlet that hosted celebrations
symbolizing coexistence between us and our sister communities and
neighbors in the [areas of] Mahmara and Haneen and al-Abdeh and the Akkar
plain.<br><br>
Can you explain to us why, after our homes were destroyed and we lost our
belongings in a battle we had no hand in, we are being rewarded with
military bases?<br><br>
Is the aim of reconstruction to replace a site of celebration and fun and
a dignified existence with that of military and naval bases?<br><br>
How do you expect us after returning to our destroyed camp following a
three month battle to make sense of the looting and burning that our
houses were subjected to?<br><br>
For despite the slogans heralding the return of the rule of law, we do
not see any legal actions or retribution initiated against the
perpetrators of these crimes that took place on the army's watch.
Security is not achieved through setting up military and naval and land
bases and army and internal security offices in the absence of
transparency and the respect of law and people's rights.<br><br>
You asked us -- during the war and after -- to share the responsibility
and we evacuated our homes to facilitate the army's execution of its
duty. Why is our camp under siege with the erection of cement walls and
barbed wire and where we are barred from entry or exit except though
military checkpoints and using permits issued exclusively by the army's
intelligence services? And why is the media barred from entering the
camp?<br><br>
Are you aware, Mr. Prime Minister and ministers, that due to this
cordoning imposed on the camp, trade has come to a standstill and our
links to the Lebanese surroundings that reflected exemplary relations of
coexistence have been severed? Today, Lebanese sellers and buyers avoid
the camp due to the humiliation of waiting and wasting time at army
checkpoints at the gates of the camp or due to having to obtain an entry
permit from the army's intelligence office. Under these terms, the meager
economic aid of donor nations is useless because economic activity is
paralyzed due to the complicated security measures in place.<br><br>
Do you realize, Mr. Prime Minister, that until now and 17 months after
the end of the battle, reconstruction efforts of the three hundred
buildings in the new [area of the] camp has gone nowhere as a result of
the unjust law prohibiting Palestinians from owning land or real estate?
And do you know that until today, we are not allowed to return to our
homes situated near the old [area of the] camp?<br><br>
We also object to your request to finance a project for a "societal
police" of internal security worth 5 million dollars as part of
rebuilding the camp, a request you made without our knowledge or
consent.<br><br>
Mr. Prime Minister and Ministers,<br><br>
You, who are opposed to the siege of Gaza and the crazy war launched on
it, why don't you support this same people [the Palestinian] in Lebanon
by granting it a dignified existence without military constraints and
laws prohibiting the right to work or own or even bequeath property to
one's descendants.<br><br>
We thought we were partners and refused to believe in a conspiracy theory
that claimed the destruction of the camp was intended to allow for the
building of naval and land military bases. However, we have no choice but
offer a negative reading of the situation of inhumanity and humiliation
we live in.<br><br>
Having expressed our opinion and spoken of our reality and the unbearable
conditions being forced upon us, we shall assume that you are now aware
of it.<br>
And so we kindly urge you to review the condition of this camp and to
remove all military manifestations on its ground. We also urge you to
remove the barbed wire and barriers and to facilitate the movement of
people and the return of normal civilian life to its former
state.<br><br>
We also hope that you revisit the decisions issued in relation to Nahr
al-Bared camp after its destruction in light of the difficult times that
all Palestinians are going through, and we beseech you to place military
and naval bases far from Palestinian and Lebanese schools and
neighborhoods. <br><br>
<i>Translation and introduction by Hicham Safieddine, a Lebanese Canadian
journalist who contributes the regular Electronic Lebanon feature Meet
the Lebanese Press.</i> <br><br>
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