Published : 28-09-2019
Palestinian blogger from Syria Tghrid Dawas has embarked on an online campaign entitled “I am a refugee . . . I am a human being” in an attempt to underscore the heavy burden brought about by “the travel document” which Palestinians from Syria should obtain to gain access to another country.
The activist said Palestinians from Syria have been unable to reunite with their family members in Arab Gulf states or any other destination following travel bans slapped by governments under the guise of unrecognized refugee documents.
Taghrid Dawas, who fled Yarmouk Camp to Germany in 2014, said she has not met with her daughter and husband in Abu Dhabi ever since she leaved Yarmouk Camp. Following several attempts to reach out to the UAE embassy in Berlin over her family reunification demand, Taghrid gave up the endeavor as staff members kept telling her that the embassy does not recognize refugee documents.
At the beginning of her campaign, Taghrid was seeking ways to mobilize support for her appeals to see her daughter Layan, whom she has not met for five years. Sometime later, Taghrid got in touch with activist Lama Salah, the mother of six-year-old Fayza who has been living in Dubai. Both activists agreed to speak up for thousands of Palestinian refugees who, just like them, have been torn apart from the warmth of family.
A number of Arab governments continue to ban the entry of Palestinian refugees holding travel documents issued in such countries as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
A handful of such measures was opted for and put into effect by the Saudi authorities and the United Arab Emirates in an attempt to force the Palestinians to seek refuge outside of their territories.
Most of the Gulf countries along with Turkey and a number of Arab governments have outlawed granting visas to Palestinians with Syrian travel documents.
In 1955, the League of Arab States prohibited granting dual citizenship to Arab nationals and ruled that Palestinian refugees be not granted another Arab nationality to preserve his/her Palestinianhood. At the same time, the Syrian, Lebanese, and Iraqi authorities issued travel documents for Palestinian refugees in order to smooth their movement across the region.
Palestinian blogger from Syria Tghrid Dawas has embarked on an online campaign entitled “I am a refugee . . . I am a human being” in an attempt to underscore the heavy burden brought about by “the travel document” which Palestinians from Syria should obtain to gain access to another country.
The activist said Palestinians from Syria have been unable to reunite with their family members in Arab Gulf states or any other destination following travel bans slapped by governments under the guise of unrecognized refugee documents.
Taghrid Dawas, who fled Yarmouk Camp to Germany in 2014, said she has not met with her daughter and husband in Abu Dhabi ever since she leaved Yarmouk Camp. Following several attempts to reach out to the UAE embassy in Berlin over her family reunification demand, Taghrid gave up the endeavor as staff members kept telling her that the embassy does not recognize refugee documents.
At the beginning of her campaign, Taghrid was seeking ways to mobilize support for her appeals to see her daughter Layan, whom she has not met for five years. Sometime later, Taghrid got in touch with activist Lama Salah, the mother of six-year-old Fayza who has been living in Dubai. Both activists agreed to speak up for thousands of Palestinian refugees who, just like them, have been torn apart from the warmth of family.
A number of Arab governments continue to ban the entry of Palestinian refugees holding travel documents issued in such countries as Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
A handful of such measures was opted for and put into effect by the Saudi authorities and the United Arab Emirates in an attempt to force the Palestinians to seek refuge outside of their territories.
Most of the Gulf countries along with Turkey and a number of Arab governments have outlawed granting visas to Palestinians with Syrian travel documents.
In 1955, the League of Arab States prohibited granting dual citizenship to Arab nationals and ruled that Palestinian refugees be not granted another Arab nationality to preserve his/her Palestinianhood. At the same time, the Syrian, Lebanese, and Iraqi authorities issued travel documents for Palestinian refugees in order to smooth their movement across the region.
