Extract from HUMAN CROSSINGS – 9 STORIES ABOUT REFUGEES

This is a part of Khaled Deakin’s story. This was written in Arabic then translated into English so that it could be published. His story so far. He has married the girl he loved and they have had a baby daughter. He has just been kidnapped and threatened with death for something that was nothing to do with him. His story continues…

We decided to go to Tripoli in northern Lebanon, because it would be safer there, being a Muslim area, not Druze. We had to go through Beirut, so we went to the UNHCR office to complain. We were given an appointment a few days later. So now we were on the streets, with my wife still breastfeeding our baby daughter. At night I held tiny Lemar in my arms, sheltering her from the cold air. When the day came for our appointment, we were full of hope. But our hopes were dashed. The UN official had no sympathy for us, despite the fact that Dalal was exhausted from nursing our baby daughter and lack of sleep. Instead of showing us kindness, the woman kicked us out saying “Do you expect us to give you your own private security guard? Go and complain to the police.”

It was little consolation to know that all Syrians were treated like this in Lebanon. Because of their reputation for always complaining, Syrians were regarded as liars.

Tripoli: living in a car repair workshop
On the long bus journey north, Lemar was crying continually. You wouldn’t believe how desperate we felt when we arrived. We just stood in the street with no idea what to do, or how to find a place to sleep. I pitied myself, I felt heartbroken for my wife and daughter.

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Diane Hands