Published : 30-11-2015
By: Yaser Ali
It is a family like other families.They lived in the Yarmouk camp andwere considered one of the rich families. I witnessed their story from the very beginning... not tragic, not unique, but it is a model for most families... Their story can be a subject for a scenario of a documentary on Palestinian families in Syria.
This family lives in Sidon, southern Lebanon. Anyone to hear the story of this family will become an expert in smuggling to Europe and its methods. Asa followerof cases of Palestinians of Syria, whenever I tell them about a new method of smuggling, I realize that they are alreadyfamiliar with it and already know its disadvantages... One of these methods is travelling by plane from Beirut to Al-Qamishli Airport and then to Turkey... The mother told me,“We know this way, but theKurds there may take the infiltrator for smuggling then return himback to the Syrian land.”
The family left the camp and headed to Lebanon,while the father remained in Damascus to manage the property of the family. When «UNRWA» team came to follow- up their situation in order to help them, the family apologized,and theeldest sonsaid,”We are not refugees; we have enough money to survivefor a year.”Indeed, after a year,the family was not able to live in the same situation.
Then, the family's first attempts was to deport the eldest son to Europe,and they chose (Damascus airport _Alexandria _ Italy) way. He left Beirut to Damascus and then to Egypt by plane. Many people warned him a lot and said that many smugglers werecoordinating with the state. Smugglers put him in an apartment with some young people, but the police raided the flat and arrested most of his friends.Fortunately, hegot awaybecause he was not in the apartment... After several attempts, he lost all his money so he was forced to borrow moneyin order to try a fifth attempt. He succeeded and reached Italythen Germany.
However, during this period time of waiting, he reached the legal age which prevents him from perusing the process of family reunion. As a result, the family tried new attempts but all were in vain. There were talks about the following ways:
1. Libya - Italy - Germany
2. Sudan - France - Germany
3. Sudan -Libya - Italy
4.Algeria or Tunisia - Libya - Italy - Germany
5. Turkey - Greece
6. Turkey - Bulgaria
7. Cyprus - Greece
8. Lebanon - Latin America - Europe
9. Lebanon - Africa - Europe
The decision was contingent on the high cost or risk of smuggling and fraud (foreign passports in Africain particular)...So, the attempts of travelling were suggested not to be done due to these reasons.
Relatives, migrants, refugees, and those who will be reunited with their families visited them until the number of those who came from Damascus to Lebanon and lived with them for weeks or even months exceeded more than thirty people. All of them succeeded in traveling, and the family became familiar with various ways and smugglers. Their cousin, who used to stay with themleft in a small boa. He was moved at midnight from Tripoli in northern Lebanon to Mersin in Turkey, and arrived exhausted after seven hours. The family decided to take the same route, but the Lebanese authorities arrested a boat in the same area, so they decided to cancel everything.
The first daughter got engaged to a Lebanese citizen living in Sweden, so she received the residency in Lebanon, and will be reunited with her groom in Sweden.
The rest of the family members tried to emigrate throughseveral ways but they did not succeed until the savior came to rescue them miraculously.Circumstances prevented their travel at the last minute (the smuggler was arrested under many charges including forgery and smuggling),after theyhad sold everything they hadand left their home. They became severely despairedand all options became invalidso they decided to leave in any way.
The family took a dramatic decision which was available at the beginning;they decided to leave within 24 hours. The mother left with her two daughters while the engageddaughter stayed in Lebanon. They took their 16-year-cousin with them because he can do transactions of family reunion for the rest of the family.
The family left to Syria then to Tartous and to Aleppo then to Turkey... We lost contact with them,but we will follow the rest of their adventure via satellite channels.
Wewill watchthousands who were scattered in Greekislands, plains of Macedonia and Serbia, and train stations in Hungary up towards Germany and Austria... Perhaps we could find our neighbors whom we lived with for three years and with them we share memories.
By: Yaser Ali
It is a family like other families.They lived in the Yarmouk camp andwere considered one of the rich families. I witnessed their story from the very beginning... not tragic, not unique, but it is a model for most families... Their story can be a subject for a scenario of a documentary on Palestinian families in Syria.
This family lives in Sidon, southern Lebanon. Anyone to hear the story of this family will become an expert in smuggling to Europe and its methods. Asa followerof cases of Palestinians of Syria, whenever I tell them about a new method of smuggling, I realize that they are alreadyfamiliar with it and already know its disadvantages... One of these methods is travelling by plane from Beirut to Al-Qamishli Airport and then to Turkey... The mother told me,“We know this way, but theKurds there may take the infiltrator for smuggling then return himback to the Syrian land.”
The family left the camp and headed to Lebanon,while the father remained in Damascus to manage the property of the family. When «UNRWA» team came to follow- up their situation in order to help them, the family apologized,and theeldest sonsaid,”We are not refugees; we have enough money to survivefor a year.”Indeed, after a year,the family was not able to live in the same situation.
Then, the family's first attempts was to deport the eldest son to Europe,and they chose (Damascus airport _Alexandria _ Italy) way. He left Beirut to Damascus and then to Egypt by plane. Many people warned him a lot and said that many smugglers werecoordinating with the state. Smugglers put him in an apartment with some young people, but the police raided the flat and arrested most of his friends.Fortunately, hegot awaybecause he was not in the apartment... After several attempts, he lost all his money so he was forced to borrow moneyin order to try a fifth attempt. He succeeded and reached Italythen Germany.
However, during this period time of waiting, he reached the legal age which prevents him from perusing the process of family reunion. As a result, the family tried new attempts but all were in vain. There were talks about the following ways:
1. Libya - Italy - Germany
2. Sudan - France - Germany
3. Sudan -Libya - Italy
4.Algeria or Tunisia - Libya - Italy - Germany
5. Turkey - Greece
6. Turkey - Bulgaria
7. Cyprus - Greece
8. Lebanon - Latin America - Europe
9. Lebanon - Africa - Europe
The decision was contingent on the high cost or risk of smuggling and fraud (foreign passports in Africain particular)...So, the attempts of travelling were suggested not to be done due to these reasons.
Relatives, migrants, refugees, and those who will be reunited with their families visited them until the number of those who came from Damascus to Lebanon and lived with them for weeks or even months exceeded more than thirty people. All of them succeeded in traveling, and the family became familiar with various ways and smugglers. Their cousin, who used to stay with themleft in a small boa. He was moved at midnight from Tripoli in northern Lebanon to Mersin in Turkey, and arrived exhausted after seven hours. The family decided to take the same route, but the Lebanese authorities arrested a boat in the same area, so they decided to cancel everything.
The first daughter got engaged to a Lebanese citizen living in Sweden, so she received the residency in Lebanon, and will be reunited with her groom in Sweden.
The rest of the family members tried to emigrate throughseveral ways but they did not succeed until the savior came to rescue them miraculously.Circumstances prevented their travel at the last minute (the smuggler was arrested under many charges including forgery and smuggling),after theyhad sold everything they hadand left their home. They became severely despairedand all options became invalidso they decided to leave in any way.
The family took a dramatic decision which was available at the beginning;they decided to leave within 24 hours. The mother left with her two daughters while the engageddaughter stayed in Lebanon. They took their 16-year-cousin with them because he can do transactions of family reunion for the rest of the family.
The family left to Syria then to Tartous and to Aleppo then to Turkey... We lost contact with them,but we will follow the rest of their adventure via satellite channels.
Wewill watchthousands who were scattered in Greekislands, plains of Macedonia and Serbia, and train stations in Hungary up towards Germany and Austria... Perhaps we could find our neighbors whom we lived with for three years and with them we share memories.
