00:01:40:02
Narration
Life for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon is very difficult.
Palestinians living in refugee camps like Bourj el Barajneh, have neither hope for the future or an acceptable standard of living in the present.
Lebanese regulations continue to make it almost impossible to work or to gain an education.
And resettlement to another country is not an option for most, as Palestinians are restricted from travelling.
The people here have survived Lebanon’s civil war, Israeli invasion and various camp sieges.
Although the situation now is not life threatening… it is almost worse.
00:02:21:22 (overview graphic of the camp)
Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp is approximately one square kilometre. Here over 17,000 people are living in cramped conditions.
00:02:51:24
I spent three months living here. Beyond what I feared or imagined from so many news reports. I wanted to find out what Palestinian refugees are really like as people.
00:03:12:16
Like most young men in the camp, Ahmad is disillusioned with his life and wants to travel.
As Palestinian refugees from Lebanon are rarely given visas for European countries, Ahmad has decided to travel illegally.
00:03:28:03
Ahmad (speaking in English) Title: Ahmad age 21
If I go outside the camp, and I mean outside all of this country, maybe I can help more than now. Because outside I can, you know, relax my mind.
Anyone he can travel from here, he will travel.
00:03:49:05
Narration
Manar is 18 years old. Unlike her brother Ahmad, Manar can get a visa for Australia. Two and a half months ago Manar was engaged to an Australian Lebanese man.
00:04:03:20
Manar (speaking in Arabic) Title: Manar age 18
My fiancée saw me on a video that my
cousin had and he asked her about me.
00:04:10:09
Then he started talking to me on the phone
for six months and we started to get along.
00:04:16:14
He then came to Lebanon,
and we got engaged.
00:04:21:18
I like the camp a lot.
00:04:25:15
I am very happy,
I am going to see my fiancée.
00:04:30:09
But at the same time I am sad
because I am leaving the camp.
00:04:32:20
All my family
and friends are here.
00:04:38:00
Narration
Abu Hassan was a friend and neighbour to Ahmad and Manar before they left for overseas.
Although he desperately wants to travel to Europe, every visa application he has made has been turned down.
And he does not have enough money saved to travel illegally.
00:04:56:14
During my stay in the camp, Abu Hassan’s family welcomed me into their home.
Abu Hassan feels trapped inside the camp. But like everyone else I spoke to, he still appreciates the strong sense of community.
00:05:13:10
Abu Hassan (speaking in English) Title: Abu Hassan age 22
I think when you came to the camp, to visit the camp, you will have this feeling. You are not in village, you will feel you are in house. One house, big house. Because our camp small street, many houses, very close. You can see everything. Nothing under the table, as they say it. You can see everything.
00:05:39:10
Sara (speaking in English) Title: Sara Eskandar age 21
They help a lot each other and this is something very special here. And because of this we didn’t give up until now, I think.
00:05:50:14
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
The most different here, than any place in the world. You can see one family… from 17,000, this family… We control ourselves. When we fight… the family solves the problem, not government.
History
00:06:28:13
Narration
Mohammad is 66 years old. And Fatmeh is 64. They are both old enough to remember life in Palestine.
00:06:42:14
Fatmeh (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fatmeh Za’a Zou age 64
There was a small village called
Nahariya next to ours.
00:06:48:02
They used to come to our village
to buy calves and other goods.
00:06:53:00
We didn’t go to the doctor in Acre.
00:06:55:17
We used to go to a Jewish doctor, Dr Natan in
Nahariya and another Doctor called Mariam.
00:07:03:07
We used to go to their clinic
and they used to visit us.
00:07:08:13
We didn’t have any kind of racism.
00:07:12:07
There was no difference
between this a Jew and this is an Arab.
00:07:17:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Title: Mohammad Sobhi Al Za’bouti age 66
In Safad there were three religious groups
Christian, Muslim and Jewish.
00:07:26:13
There was no difference between us
the Jewish, the Muslim and the Christian.
00:07:31:17
When the British forces entered Palestine
they began to cause trouble between us.
00:07:35:14
The British began to encourage feelings
that there were differences between us.
00:07:39:05
We stayed with the Christians as one
and we were expelled from our country.
00:07:44:00
In Safad
nobody stayed except the Jewish.
00:07:58:00
Narration
On the northern edge of the camp, people are remembering Palestine, as they observe the 55th anniversary of Al Nukbar. Al Nukbar is the catastrophe for the Palestinian people.
00:08:15:16
(Animated map sequence begins)
00:08:18:17
Narration
In1947 the United Nations divided Palestine into Jewish and Arabic areas.
Before, during and after the Arab Israeli war that followed, over 75,000 Palestinian Arabs, Muslims and Christians, fled Palestine to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Some of these people left to avoid the fighting. Others were forced to leave their homes and land by the newly forming Israel.
About 100,000 of these people came to Lebanon… mainly from the northern part of Palestine.
They, with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, remain in Lebanon today, in various refugee camps around the country.
00:09:05:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
I was 11 years old when I left Palestine
and came to South Lebanon.
00:09:09:08
The United Nations took care of us.
They said, ‘you are going back to Palestine...
00:09:13:09
...maybe today, maybe tomorrow’.
They kept promising us that we will go back.
00:09:17:14
We have been here in Lebanon for 55 years
and we still hope to go back to Palestine.
00:09:23:20
Fatmeh (speaking in Arabic)
I have been here for 55 years,
I was only nine years old when we left.
00:09:29:02
Even if I live for 55 more years, I will
never forget a moment I spent in Palestine.
00:09:35:17
In Palestine,
my real homeland.
Childhood
00:09:50:00
Narration
Nadia is Manar and Ahmad’s mother. She is 43 years old and has raised six children. Over time, Nadia has become more pessimistic about the future of children in the camp.
00:10:05:20
Nadia (speaking in Arabic) Title: Nadia age 43
When a baby is born here
you feel it has no future.
00:10:11:06
He has no guarantees of anything.
00:10:15:22
The Palestinian situation is so difficult
here in Lebanon.
00:10:21:19
The parents feel if a boy or girl is born
in the camp, they are ruining its life.
00:10:27:13
The parents feel like they have
brought a child into this life to suffer.
00:10:39:00
Narration
One of Abu Hassan’s best friends is Bassam.
00:10:45:00
Bassam (speaking in English) Title: Bassam Fadel Al Adawi age 22
You know, special things, I see it in Abu Hassan similar to my life, similar to parts of my life.
I think… you know I see in his face… some of my lost life, a part of my life… how I was lost, and I see in his face the same steps.
And Abu Hassan had the same experience… some relative for him promised to take him to some country and he lied to him.
00:11:25:10
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Bassam he is one of my best friends… Bassam he is too much tragedy guy… I like him. He has a nice mind. He’s a friend of me when we were children. We were together in nice time. We have memory together, for this we laugh… We have many things to have fun together, me and Bassam…
But Bassam he is a private guy… I respect him… and I believe, and I am sure, he can do many things nice, if he has the chance… or if we will give him… the way…or give him the… hope.
00:12:10:24
Narration
Like other people in the camp, Bassam remembers his childhood, with mixed feelings.
00:12:18:18
Bassam (speaking in English)
It’s all special. Every road you walk… I see my childhood. I always played in these streets.
00:12:49:16
(Children playing in lane)
00:12:43:00
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Before… in my father’s age, when he was 10, 11, 12 and 13… Palestinian without shoes… always… he walk without anything, he don’t have shoes… so you know he is Palestinian. And now small children… they have sometimes, many of them they have shoes but they don’t ware it… they like just to walk without.
00:13:09:10
Samah (speaking in Arabic) Title: Samah Abed Al Hussein age 13
For sure, as I have said, the happiness of
not only me but of all the children here...
00:13:14:22
comes from the fact we are Palestinian
and we feel with each other.
00:13:20:12
That is why all the children in the camp
are always together.
00:13:24:17
Even if they fight a little bit
they get along right away.
00:13:28:17
This is what makes me happiest,
we don’t make any difference between us.
00:13:32:10
If we face any difficulties in the camp
all the children hold hands with each other.
00:13:37:24
This is what makes me happy, no matter
what happens, we will always be one hand.
00:13:44:20
Bassam (speaking in English)
My childhood, you know, I don’t remember it as a childhood. I remember that I was young.
All that I remember is the… bombing and the shelling… this is what I remember.
But playing as a child it was fun. I played too much.
00:14:07:10
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
But I miss… we were children together beside us, we were playing and having fun. Really I miss this, I miss these days too much.
My mind was empty, it was so clear… but now my mind is not clear, and not empty.
Identity
00:14:31:00
Narration (with map sequence)
There are now over 300,000 registered Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, 10% of Lebanon’s population.
Altogether, in the Middle East, there are more than 4 million registered Palestinian refugees.
00:14:46:24
(End of map sequence)
These people have always expected to go back to Palestine. Under international law they have the right to return.
Israel will not allow Muslim and Christian Palestinians to return to their homes and land. This is because Israel’s aim is to maintain a Jewish majority in their state.
After four generations of living outside their homeland. I wanted to find out what it means for the people here, when they say they are Palestinian.
00:15:17:18
Translator (off screen, speaking in Arabic)
What makes you feel Palestinian?
00:15:20:10
Fadi (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fadi Mahmoud Al Ashwah age 32
I am a Palestinian,
but I was not born in Palestine.
00:15:23:22
Our parents and grand parents
they were born there.
00:15:27:02
They were forced to leave Palestine
and they came to Lebanon.
00:15:32:20
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
If I didn’t tell my… children… you are Palestinian. What will I tell them? We are from the moon.
00:15:42:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Every day and night
I remember Palestine.
00:15:47:15
Because I was born there
and I lived there.
00:15:51:03
As a child, I grew up in my homeland
with my family, in our home, on our land.
00:15:59:00
I still remember Palestine everyday,
most of the time I cry.
00:16:06:10
Bassam (speaking in English)
Not because… not only because our grandparents spoke about Palestine our homeland and they said this is your homeland… This is a feeling from the inside.
00:16:21:20
Samah (speaking in Arabic)
Everyone around me is Palestinian.
00:16:25:02
That is why I speak Palestinian
and that is why I feel Palestinian.
00:16:28:09
There is a big tragedy in the camp,
we live as if we were living in Palestine.
00:16:33:00
But we feel we are less worse off than
the Palestinians who live in Palestine.
00:16:38:00
Fadi (speaking in Arabic)
At the beginning of the Intifada
(uprising against the occupation) in Palestine,
00:16:45:14
I sold less American goods,
but later, like now, I am selling their cigarettes.
00:16:50:22
The people couldn’t keep on
with their boycott.
00:16:58:00
Some people tried to smoke
these French cigarettes...
00:17:01:00
or other cigarettes from Europe.
00:17:04:00
I am one of the first people who didn’t like
smoking European or French cigarettes.
00:17:07:14
It was too difficult so I went back
to smoking American cigarettes.
00:17:13:12
Translator (off screen, speaking in Arabic)
Do you expect or hope
to go back to Palestine?
00:17:17:01
Fatmeh (speaking in Arabic)
If God wills.
00:17:19:19
My big hope is in God.
00:17:23:20
Bury me in Palestine
not here.
Wedding
00:17:30:08
Narration
The day before Manar left the refugee camp, to join her fiancé in Australia, Manar’s family through a wedding party for her on their roof.
00:17:40:00 (music and footage of the wedding)
00:18:20:20
Manar (speaking in Arabic)
At the party last night
I was very happy
00:18:23:24
I saw that my family were very happy
and they were dancing.
00:18:26:19
But at the same time I felt so sad.
00:18:29:15
It was the last day for me here in the camp
with my brothers and sisters.
00:18:34:12
But at the same time I was
very, very happy last night.
00:18:37:20
My parents we very happy, my neighbours
and my friends, everyone was happy.
00:18:42:01
But I was very sad
because it was the last day for me.
00:18:48:10
Honestly I am going
to miss everybody here.
00:18:51:05
Everyone in the camp, I will miss them
because I was raised with them.
00:18:56:07
Not only my family, also my cousins,
my uncles, my neighbours, my friends.
00:19:01:19
You can see how close the homes are,
my neighbours are all like my parents.
00:19:24:00
Narration
I was surprise to learn that Nadia is not Palestinian, she is actually Lebanese, and grew up outside the camp.
When she was 18, A Palestinian from the camp named Sobhi admired Nadia and started courting her.
00:19:40:10
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
My parent’s home was on the main street
close to Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp.
00:19:48:07
By coincidence Sobhi saw me
and he admired me.
00:19:53:15
We started talking
and things went well.
00:20:01:10
God’s will
it was meant to be.
00:20:07:09
It was our destiny
so there was admiration...
00:20:12:09
and love and something like that...
00:20:18:00
and enough, stop!
Around Camp
00:20:24:00
Narration
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are denied social and civil rights.
Most Palestinian refugees rely entirely on United Nations Relief and Works Agency. With limited funds this organisation is the sole provider of education, health and social services.
Over time the people living in Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp have done what they can to make life more bearable.
00:20:54:06
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Now it is very OK, my camp now is very OK than before… Now it is like a villa for us. We have many villas in camp.
Even if this land is not for me, but I built this house, I built it with my hands… and I paint… I work as a carpenter… we worked everything…
if not me, my friend… and he don’t want to take money also… because he help me I will help him.
00:21:25:15
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
In the beginning we lived in tents,
these tents were tied down by ropes.
00:21:31:10
Especially in winter when there was a storm
and when there were rough winds...
00:21:36:01
our tents would blow away!
We used to stay there, with no protection.
00:21:39:00
Over time we were able to build
concrete walls and roofs.
00:21:42:06
This is one way the camp has changed
over time.
00:21:47:20
Bassam (speaking in English)
The highest house in the camp consists of four stories, you know. But during the war it was not like this, the highest house consisted of two stories.
We used to plant there in Palestine and we are planting here on the roof.
00:22:11:17
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
But we like green. We make the green on the roof and we live under. So from up it is like paradise, if you can… look.
Economics
00:22:35:15
Narration
Ghada is Bassam’s sister. She is 32 years old. Unlike her brother, Ghada has regular work.
00:22:45:20
Ghada (speaking in English) Title: Ghada Fadel Al Adawi age 32
I work in the factory, for making plastic things. And it is very hard work. Really… I come everyday very tired and… suffering a lot…
because it is not good for me this work… it is for the men… guys… but I need… work in any way.
I would like to work in an office, like… in a library or something like this… that is good for me… for a girl.
00:23:22:07
Title: Beirut
00:23:33:10
Narration
In 1991 Lebanon’s civil war ended.
00:23:43:00
On the surface Beirut is changing fast.
00:24:03:13
Lebanon has a very wealthy upper class.
00:24:09:13
However most Lebanese people are struggling economically.
00:24:23:13
As they are considered foreigners in Lebanon, Palestinians are forbidden to work in over 70 professions.
The few Palestinians who can find labouring or manual jobs, are paid very low wages.
More than a third of the people living in Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp are registered as special hardship cases with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
Many families are saved by relatives living overseas who send them money.
00:24:53:10
Fadi (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fadi Mahmoud Al Ashwah age 32
My main job was decoration
but I had to stop it.
00:24:57:00
In this country the Palestinians are
forbidden to work in this kind of job.
00:25:01:16
Life was too difficult so I borrowed
money and I opened this shop.
00:25:07:09
Until now this job is not that useful
it doesn’t feed my family.
00:25:12:24
But decorating is more profitable
and you can earn more money.
00:25:20:00
Sometimes my shop is broke, to fill it
I have to borrow goods or money.
00:25:23:22
I have six kids to look after.
00:25:31:10
Sara (speaking in English) Title: Sara Eskandar age 21
We don’t have rights at all in this country… nothing.
Sometimes I feel that… in this country they treat animals better than us.
00:25:45:08
Fadi (speaking in Arabic)
I sell only the necessities,
people buy only the basic things here.
00:25:51:15
The most expensive thing I sell is milk powder
which is 18,000 L ($12 USD, £6.50 GBP)
00:25:56:17
and clothes washing detergent,
this costs 16,000 L ($10.70 USD, £5.80 GBP).
00:26:01:24
We depend on children, they might
buy a juice, potato crisps or sweets.
00:26:05:03
A little bit here and there, thats all
500 L or 1000 L (50c or $1 AUD).
00:26:10:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Title: Mohammad Sobhi Al Za’bouti age 66
In Lebanon
I am not allowed to own a home.
00:25:13:05
If my children are working abroad
and they send me money...
00:26:18:02
I cannot use it to buy a home
outside the camp.
00:26:22:04
What use is the money if I am stuck
living in a room in the camp...
00:26:26:09
and this room is surrounded by flies,
cockroaches, mice and rats?
00:26:30:09
I cannot have my freedom
in this country, Lebanon.
Nadia and Sobhi
00:26:48:06
Narration
At the age of 19, Nadia married Sobhi and came to live with him in the camp. They have been together now for more than 24 years. I asked Nadia how she felt about her decision to marry a Palestinian refugee.
00:27:07:19
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
Absolutely I feel no regrets,
in the end I am the one who chose
00:27:14:22
Nobody forced me
it wasn’t in spite of my nose.
00:27:22:02
We were convinced
that it was our fate.
00:27:27:11
We believe in destiny,
that it was our destiny to be together.
00:27:35:00
Despite the difficulties in life, I am very happy
I have seen my children grow up.
00:27:42:02
I would never feel regret.
Frustration
00:28:04:10
Narration
At six o’clock in the morning, Abu Hassan has just woken up. Before he has to go to work, he makes time to enjoy some coffee.
Abu Hassan now works in a laundry… but he still remembers how frustrating it is to be unemployed.
00:28:24:07
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Since three years, you don’t have work, you are just sitting… and your brother is working or your sister and you are sitting… and you begin to feel board you can’t… hear any word from anyone… because you are tired.
00:28:41:00
Fadi (speaking in Arabic)
The young men, if they don’t work
and if no one in their family works...
00:28:45:07
I am not able to sell.
00:28:47:04
Nine years ago more Palestinians
were able to work and earn money.
00:28:51:16
My business was better then.
00:28:56:05
In this job now I am not happy
and if I have the chance...
00:28:59:08
if any European country would
receive me and my six children...
00:29:03:13
if they offered me citizenship
I would accept this nationality.
00:29:07:09
It doesn’t matter if it is Canada,
Australia, or any country.
00:29:11:18
I am ready to leave my shop and my money
I am not happy here.
00:29:17:08
Bassam (speaking in English)
Daily life is very boring… now, its very, very boring.
Everyday looks similar to the other day, to the next day and to the previous day.
The only thing that is changing… in my daily life is that… I am growing up… I am becoming older.
00:29:43:04
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Many of the guys in the camp they are always in the camp… because they don’t have money. In camp its ok… he feels as if he is in his house… the camp is not just a camp… it’s a house… for me when I put my leg in the camp… I feel I am in my home.
00:30:02:13
Bassam (speaking in English)
Today I never did anything… just watched TV… and feel frustrated… because my people in Palestine is… killed, everyday… living in a very hard time.
Marriage
00:30:36:20
Narration
I asked Nadia, if Manar was attracted to marrying someone from Australia, as it allows her to leave the camp and go overseas. Something so many people in the camp dream of doing.
00:30:51:00
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
We do not think
that life is opportunity.
00:30:57:09
Instead we believe,
especially for the girl, that it is her fate.
00:31:01:20
I cannot stand in the way of God’s will,
it was her fate to get married to this person...
00:31:07:18
and to live in another country.
At the same time...
00:31:11:24
I cannot say that she won't
have better opportunities there.
00:31:18:10
My feeling is that I miss her so much.
00:31:22:23
For sure,
the house feels empty since she left.
00:31:28:19
But I say her future is more important
and if she is happy I am happy.
00:31:38:07
But I mean, I miss her.
00:31:42:18
Narration
Finically, most young are not able to offer young women what is needed to make marriage possible.
00:31:50:20
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
I am… I am one of these guys….
Four years ago I used to have a girl called Fat-han.
Yeah, I loved this girl a lot… a lot…
In summer a guy came and he wanted to fiancé her and she asked me… and I agree, I say yes do it, you will go and have a good life. Your children will grow in a nice way… I can’t do this for you here… impossible.
And after she… get married and now she is in Denmark… and she has… two boys I think. Because still I am asking about her.
00:32:47:15
Narration
Bassam has a similar story. He was also in love. But he knew he had nothing to offer her.
00:32:57:11
Bassam (speaking in English)
Day by day… I started to think about her… every night I didn’t sleep, ok, thinking and… and tomorrow what will I do and how will I meet her.
But I was at that time thinking in my mind… that one day we will be separated… OK, I loved her so much, and I hoped that she would be mine. But I thought in my mind that one day, that maybe I couldn’t get her, OK, so why do I continue with her… maybe some Palestinian guy from overseas comes and takes her… and I will be… I will feel regret and sad and you know. So from the beginning, I say its OK… I cut.
Dreams
00:34:16:20
Narration
Under these circumstances, what do people living in the camp dream?
00:34:26:07
Ghada (speaking in English) Title: Ghada Fadel Al Adawi age 32
I don’t want to think my dream is… here nothing, really nothing. Maybe you find it strange but… really I don’t dream. I live my life like this… I know this. And even if I dream of something… I know that it will not come true… Because our life is very, very hard. If you live like us, you will… you will… you will not dream.
00:35:07:00
Bassam (speaking in English) Title: Bassam Fadel Al Adawi age 22
I will say it again… (Title: Bassam’s drawings)
that I dream… to be in Palestine… or to have a good life… ok, to be free in Palestine.
00:35:21:22
Fadi (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fadi Mahmoud Al Ashwah age 32
Generation after generation has been dying
but we are still dreaming of Palestine.
00:35:25:11
Why are we trying to leave
to European countries?
00:35:27:21
Because we know we won't
be allowed to go back to Palestine.
00:35:30:16
We will not enter it.
00:35:32:00
Who is going to go?
Maybe the next generation.
00:35:35:16
Only if there is some solution...
00:35:39:10
between Israel, the Palestinians,
and the Arab countries, then it is possible.
00:35:44:06
This generation, we hope
to go to a European country...
00:35:47:10
to get away from living here,
living here is not possible.
00:35:52:18
Samah (speaking in Arabic) Title: Samah Abed Al Hussein age 13
I want to finish my education
and if I have the opportunity...
00:35:58:18
I would like to become a lawyer.
00:36:01:23
I like law, and for sure if I become a lawyer
I could defend my homeland.
00:36:09:14
But it is not possible for my dream
to come true if I stay here.
00:36:13:02
All we can do here are other jobs
like becoming a teacher.
00:36:18:10
To become a lawyer is impossible
if I stay here in the camp.
00:36:22:23
I might do a small thing, it may come true
only small things.
00:36:26:20
But here in the camp and in Lebanon
it is impossible for me to practice law.
Future
00:36:35:00
Narration
24 years ago, Nadia felt optimistic enough to marry into the camp. Now her children are doing whatever they can to leave. They are like most Palestinian refuges living here, they see no future for themselves in Lebanon.
00:36:51:04
Sara (speaking in English)
But if the situation will be like this… there’s no future… it will be the same life… for years.
00:37:01:00
Samah (speaking in Arabic)
I do not think about my future very often
00:37:04:18
Because I feel I am going to lose my future
if we do not get our land back.
00:37:09:18
Even those of us who are educated
will still lose our future.
00:37:17:00
We want to think of a future
and find a way to liberate our land.
00:37:23:07
But here we can do nothing,
we will get educated and sit at home.
00:37:27:16
That is why we will lose our future
if we stay here.
00:37:31:06
Bassam (speaking in English)
All the things in the camp didn’t change too much. Nothing changes, with time… the things are the things in the camp… only time is changing in the camp.
Ahmad
00:38:49:22
Narration
A few weeks after Ahmad left the camp, to travel to Europe illegally. Nadia heard news from her son.
00:38:59:22
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
I was scared a lot.
00:39:01:24
I was scared that something bad
would happen to him.
00:39:07:10
Because he is in a new country
that he doesn’t know.
00:39:12:22
He doesn’t speak its language
and he arrived there illegally.
00:39:19:16
This made me feel more scared.
But there was nothing here for him.
00:39:25:13
Even to travel illegally,
is better than staying in Lebanon.
00:39:34:02
In this country
he can do nothing.
00:39:42:00
I was so pleased and I was so happy
that I thanked God when he arrived safely.
00:39:49:04
He is with his uncles
and they are looking after him.
Hope
00:40:08:18
Narration
Amongst all their difficulties, people in the camp find ways to see a positive side to life.
00:40:16:16
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
We like this life. This life… we look to her from nice way… even if its bad, if it treats us bad.
00:40:29:00
Bassam (speaking in English)
You know, we create laughing when we sit with each other.
Really I laugh from all my heart. And you can see us, when you sit with us… how is laughing will be.
But here, happiest moment in the daily life in my camp… there is no happiest moment… there are happy time yes. But happiest moment… I don’t think I passed by it.
00:41:06:16
Sara (speaking in English)
But I give myself hope… and my friends give me hope, my family give me hope.
Something good will happen, I’m sure… if it is not soon… it will not be the same forever, it will not be like this forever.
Conclusion
00:41:44:00
Narration
In reality, these people are survivors of ethnic cleansing by Israel, and racial and religious discrimination in Lebanon.
Yet against the odds, the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon get on with their lives with a strong sense of community and their cultural values intact.
One can only hope that something will change soon, so these people will have a future that they can embrace.
00:42:13:00
Samah (speaking in Arabic)
I would like to tell the children
who are my age...
00:42:15:11
who are living overseas
and who have all their rights...
00:42:19:00
I hope you see me and understand
what I am saying.
00:42:22:07
The Palestinian children here
are deprived of all their rights.
00:42:26:06
I do not think if there is a child overseas
that is deprived of their rights...
00:42:30:00
they would leave him just like that,
they would do the impossible to help him...
00:42:34:16
to help him to get his rights back.
00:42:38:16
Despite these difficulties,
we are patient...
00:42:42:23
and we are still hoping
that our dreams will come true.
00:42:49:17
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
The people here want to be something,
and they want to get just a little bit of justice.
00:42:59:18
Just a little bit of justice,
and for the world to be fair with them.
00:43:11:03
For the Palestinian people inside
forgotten camps.
00:42:18:09
Nobody remembers them,
maybe nobody has even heard of them.
00:43:27:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Finally I can send a message to Safad,
my hometown in Palestine.
00:43:31:10
To the flying bird
In the sky of Lebanon
00:43:35:03
Go to Palestine for me
And fold her shadows with your wings
00:43:38:03
If you stop by Safad
Give my regards to her
00:43:41:06
Give her my longing,
my sadness and my tears
00:43:54:09
Credit
A film by Stefan Markworth
00:44:07:03
Text on screen
After he arrived in Europe,
it took Ahmad six months to settle in.
In the beginning Ahmad was very unhappy.
He considered returning to Lebanon.
Ahmad still hasn’t found work.
Ahmad is happier now.
He lives on his own, close to his uncles.
00:44:21:11
Text on screen
In the beginning
Manar missed the camp very much.
Her husband and his family
gave her a lot of support.
Manar is now very happy in Australia
Manar has just given birth to a baby boy
named Omar.
Manar telephones her mother in camp often,
every two or three days.
Credits
Video left side of screen, Credits on the right side of the screen
00:44:38:17
Bassam (speaking in English)
But I feel bad because you are taking the picture and those are behind me.
I hope that you take the image from here.
Why you take this?
00:44:57:20
Voice off screen
It is nice with the colours.
00:45:00:06
Bassam (speaking in English)
Fuck… this is better.
00:45:08:00
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Look to my shoes… I have two different.
This, this is from my boss at work. Fuck, there is a big difference.
Really there is a big difference between this shoe and this.
Really, I can’t believe I did this. How, how I didn’t see… I didn’t feel also.
Four hours, five… in this wrong shoes, walking in the camp, in Hamra and everywhere.
Before I walk without shoes I know, but not in wrong.
End
00:45:55:00
Additional parts for international version
00:46:36:00
START with no English title text.
Inserts into 00:01:00:00 to 00:45:55:00 of program.
00:48:16:00
END with no English text or credits.
Inserts into 00:43:48:22 to 00:02:20:22 of program.
00:50:43:00
HISTORY international version section with English text explanations on the maps. Inserts into 00:06:27:01 to 00:09:40:04 of program.
00:54:20:00
IDENTITY international version section with English text explanations on the maps. Inserts into 00:14:30:00 to 00:17:20:08 of program.
Narration
Life for Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon is very difficult.
Palestinians living in refugee camps like Bourj el Barajneh, have neither hope for the future or an acceptable standard of living in the present.
Lebanese regulations continue to make it almost impossible to work or to gain an education.
And resettlement to another country is not an option for most, as Palestinians are restricted from travelling.
The people here have survived Lebanon’s civil war, Israeli invasion and various camp sieges.
Although the situation now is not life threatening… it is almost worse.
00:02:21:22 (overview graphic of the camp)
Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp is approximately one square kilometre. Here over 17,000 people are living in cramped conditions.
00:02:51:24
I spent three months living here. Beyond what I feared or imagined from so many news reports. I wanted to find out what Palestinian refugees are really like as people.
00:03:12:16
Like most young men in the camp, Ahmad is disillusioned with his life and wants to travel.
As Palestinian refugees from Lebanon are rarely given visas for European countries, Ahmad has decided to travel illegally.
00:03:28:03
Ahmad (speaking in English) Title: Ahmad age 21
If I go outside the camp, and I mean outside all of this country, maybe I can help more than now. Because outside I can, you know, relax my mind.
Anyone he can travel from here, he will travel.
00:03:49:05
Narration
Manar is 18 years old. Unlike her brother Ahmad, Manar can get a visa for Australia. Two and a half months ago Manar was engaged to an Australian Lebanese man.
00:04:03:20
Manar (speaking in Arabic) Title: Manar age 18
My fiancée saw me on a video that my
cousin had and he asked her about me.
00:04:10:09
Then he started talking to me on the phone
for six months and we started to get along.
00:04:16:14
He then came to Lebanon,
and we got engaged.
00:04:21:18
I like the camp a lot.
00:04:25:15
I am very happy,
I am going to see my fiancée.
00:04:30:09
But at the same time I am sad
because I am leaving the camp.
00:04:32:20
All my family
and friends are here.
00:04:38:00
Narration
Abu Hassan was a friend and neighbour to Ahmad and Manar before they left for overseas.
Although he desperately wants to travel to Europe, every visa application he has made has been turned down.
And he does not have enough money saved to travel illegally.
00:04:56:14
During my stay in the camp, Abu Hassan’s family welcomed me into their home.
Abu Hassan feels trapped inside the camp. But like everyone else I spoke to, he still appreciates the strong sense of community.
00:05:13:10
Abu Hassan (speaking in English) Title: Abu Hassan age 22
I think when you came to the camp, to visit the camp, you will have this feeling. You are not in village, you will feel you are in house. One house, big house. Because our camp small street, many houses, very close. You can see everything. Nothing under the table, as they say it. You can see everything.
00:05:39:10
Sara (speaking in English) Title: Sara Eskandar age 21
They help a lot each other and this is something very special here. And because of this we didn’t give up until now, I think.
00:05:50:14
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
The most different here, than any place in the world. You can see one family… from 17,000, this family… We control ourselves. When we fight… the family solves the problem, not government.
History
00:06:28:13
Narration
Mohammad is 66 years old. And Fatmeh is 64. They are both old enough to remember life in Palestine.
00:06:42:14
Fatmeh (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fatmeh Za’a Zou age 64
There was a small village called
Nahariya next to ours.
00:06:48:02
They used to come to our village
to buy calves and other goods.
00:06:53:00
We didn’t go to the doctor in Acre.
00:06:55:17
We used to go to a Jewish doctor, Dr Natan in
Nahariya and another Doctor called Mariam.
00:07:03:07
We used to go to their clinic
and they used to visit us.
00:07:08:13
We didn’t have any kind of racism.
00:07:12:07
There was no difference
between this a Jew and this is an Arab.
00:07:17:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Title: Mohammad Sobhi Al Za’bouti age 66
In Safad there were three religious groups
Christian, Muslim and Jewish.
00:07:26:13
There was no difference between us
the Jewish, the Muslim and the Christian.
00:07:31:17
When the British forces entered Palestine
they began to cause trouble between us.
00:07:35:14
The British began to encourage feelings
that there were differences between us.
00:07:39:05
We stayed with the Christians as one
and we were expelled from our country.
00:07:44:00
In Safad
nobody stayed except the Jewish.
00:07:58:00
Narration
On the northern edge of the camp, people are remembering Palestine, as they observe the 55th anniversary of Al Nukbar. Al Nukbar is the catastrophe for the Palestinian people.
00:08:15:16
(Animated map sequence begins)
00:08:18:17
Narration
In1947 the United Nations divided Palestine into Jewish and Arabic areas.
Before, during and after the Arab Israeli war that followed, over 75,000 Palestinian Arabs, Muslims and Christians, fled Palestine to Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Some of these people left to avoid the fighting. Others were forced to leave their homes and land by the newly forming Israel.
About 100,000 of these people came to Lebanon… mainly from the northern part of Palestine.
They, with their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, remain in Lebanon today, in various refugee camps around the country.
00:09:05:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
I was 11 years old when I left Palestine
and came to South Lebanon.
00:09:09:08
The United Nations took care of us.
They said, ‘you are going back to Palestine...
00:09:13:09
...maybe today, maybe tomorrow’.
They kept promising us that we will go back.
00:09:17:14
We have been here in Lebanon for 55 years
and we still hope to go back to Palestine.
00:09:23:20
Fatmeh (speaking in Arabic)
I have been here for 55 years,
I was only nine years old when we left.
00:09:29:02
Even if I live for 55 more years, I will
never forget a moment I spent in Palestine.
00:09:35:17
In Palestine,
my real homeland.
Childhood
00:09:50:00
Narration
Nadia is Manar and Ahmad’s mother. She is 43 years old and has raised six children. Over time, Nadia has become more pessimistic about the future of children in the camp.
00:10:05:20
Nadia (speaking in Arabic) Title: Nadia age 43
When a baby is born here
you feel it has no future.
00:10:11:06
He has no guarantees of anything.
00:10:15:22
The Palestinian situation is so difficult
here in Lebanon.
00:10:21:19
The parents feel if a boy or girl is born
in the camp, they are ruining its life.
00:10:27:13
The parents feel like they have
brought a child into this life to suffer.
00:10:39:00
Narration
One of Abu Hassan’s best friends is Bassam.
00:10:45:00
Bassam (speaking in English) Title: Bassam Fadel Al Adawi age 22
You know, special things, I see it in Abu Hassan similar to my life, similar to parts of my life.
I think… you know I see in his face… some of my lost life, a part of my life… how I was lost, and I see in his face the same steps.
And Abu Hassan had the same experience… some relative for him promised to take him to some country and he lied to him.
00:11:25:10
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Bassam he is one of my best friends… Bassam he is too much tragedy guy… I like him. He has a nice mind. He’s a friend of me when we were children. We were together in nice time. We have memory together, for this we laugh… We have many things to have fun together, me and Bassam…
But Bassam he is a private guy… I respect him… and I believe, and I am sure, he can do many things nice, if he has the chance… or if we will give him… the way…or give him the… hope.
00:12:10:24
Narration
Like other people in the camp, Bassam remembers his childhood, with mixed feelings.
00:12:18:18
Bassam (speaking in English)
It’s all special. Every road you walk… I see my childhood. I always played in these streets.
00:12:49:16
(Children playing in lane)
00:12:43:00
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Before… in my father’s age, when he was 10, 11, 12 and 13… Palestinian without shoes… always… he walk without anything, he don’t have shoes… so you know he is Palestinian. And now small children… they have sometimes, many of them they have shoes but they don’t ware it… they like just to walk without.
00:13:09:10
Samah (speaking in Arabic) Title: Samah Abed Al Hussein age 13
For sure, as I have said, the happiness of
not only me but of all the children here...
00:13:14:22
comes from the fact we are Palestinian
and we feel with each other.
00:13:20:12
That is why all the children in the camp
are always together.
00:13:24:17
Even if they fight a little bit
they get along right away.
00:13:28:17
This is what makes me happiest,
we don’t make any difference between us.
00:13:32:10
If we face any difficulties in the camp
all the children hold hands with each other.
00:13:37:24
This is what makes me happy, no matter
what happens, we will always be one hand.
00:13:44:20
Bassam (speaking in English)
My childhood, you know, I don’t remember it as a childhood. I remember that I was young.
All that I remember is the… bombing and the shelling… this is what I remember.
But playing as a child it was fun. I played too much.
00:14:07:10
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
But I miss… we were children together beside us, we were playing and having fun. Really I miss this, I miss these days too much.
My mind was empty, it was so clear… but now my mind is not clear, and not empty.
Identity
00:14:31:00
Narration (with map sequence)
There are now over 300,000 registered Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, 10% of Lebanon’s population.
Altogether, in the Middle East, there are more than 4 million registered Palestinian refugees.
00:14:46:24
(End of map sequence)
These people have always expected to go back to Palestine. Under international law they have the right to return.
Israel will not allow Muslim and Christian Palestinians to return to their homes and land. This is because Israel’s aim is to maintain a Jewish majority in their state.
After four generations of living outside their homeland. I wanted to find out what it means for the people here, when they say they are Palestinian.
00:15:17:18
Translator (off screen, speaking in Arabic)
What makes you feel Palestinian?
00:15:20:10
Fadi (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fadi Mahmoud Al Ashwah age 32
I am a Palestinian,
but I was not born in Palestine.
00:15:23:22
Our parents and grand parents
they were born there.
00:15:27:02
They were forced to leave Palestine
and they came to Lebanon.
00:15:32:20
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
If I didn’t tell my… children… you are Palestinian. What will I tell them? We are from the moon.
00:15:42:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Every day and night
I remember Palestine.
00:15:47:15
Because I was born there
and I lived there.
00:15:51:03
As a child, I grew up in my homeland
with my family, in our home, on our land.
00:15:59:00
I still remember Palestine everyday,
most of the time I cry.
00:16:06:10
Bassam (speaking in English)
Not because… not only because our grandparents spoke about Palestine our homeland and they said this is your homeland… This is a feeling from the inside.
00:16:21:20
Samah (speaking in Arabic)
Everyone around me is Palestinian.
00:16:25:02
That is why I speak Palestinian
and that is why I feel Palestinian.
00:16:28:09
There is a big tragedy in the camp,
we live as if we were living in Palestine.
00:16:33:00
But we feel we are less worse off than
the Palestinians who live in Palestine.
00:16:38:00
Fadi (speaking in Arabic)
At the beginning of the Intifada
(uprising against the occupation) in Palestine,
00:16:45:14
I sold less American goods,
but later, like now, I am selling their cigarettes.
00:16:50:22
The people couldn’t keep on
with their boycott.
00:16:58:00
Some people tried to smoke
these French cigarettes...
00:17:01:00
or other cigarettes from Europe.
00:17:04:00
I am one of the first people who didn’t like
smoking European or French cigarettes.
00:17:07:14
It was too difficult so I went back
to smoking American cigarettes.
00:17:13:12
Translator (off screen, speaking in Arabic)
Do you expect or hope
to go back to Palestine?
00:17:17:01
Fatmeh (speaking in Arabic)
If God wills.
00:17:19:19
My big hope is in God.
00:17:23:20
Bury me in Palestine
not here.
Wedding
00:17:30:08
Narration
The day before Manar left the refugee camp, to join her fiancé in Australia, Manar’s family through a wedding party for her on their roof.
00:17:40:00 (music and footage of the wedding)
00:18:20:20
Manar (speaking in Arabic)
At the party last night
I was very happy
00:18:23:24
I saw that my family were very happy
and they were dancing.
00:18:26:19
But at the same time I felt so sad.
00:18:29:15
It was the last day for me here in the camp
with my brothers and sisters.
00:18:34:12
But at the same time I was
very, very happy last night.
00:18:37:20
My parents we very happy, my neighbours
and my friends, everyone was happy.
00:18:42:01
But I was very sad
because it was the last day for me.
00:18:48:10
Honestly I am going
to miss everybody here.
00:18:51:05
Everyone in the camp, I will miss them
because I was raised with them.
00:18:56:07
Not only my family, also my cousins,
my uncles, my neighbours, my friends.
00:19:01:19
You can see how close the homes are,
my neighbours are all like my parents.
00:19:24:00
Narration
I was surprise to learn that Nadia is not Palestinian, she is actually Lebanese, and grew up outside the camp.
When she was 18, A Palestinian from the camp named Sobhi admired Nadia and started courting her.
00:19:40:10
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
My parent’s home was on the main street
close to Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp.
00:19:48:07
By coincidence Sobhi saw me
and he admired me.
00:19:53:15
We started talking
and things went well.
00:20:01:10
God’s will
it was meant to be.
00:20:07:09
It was our destiny
so there was admiration...
00:20:12:09
and love and something like that...
00:20:18:00
and enough, stop!
Around Camp
00:20:24:00
Narration
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are denied social and civil rights.
Most Palestinian refugees rely entirely on United Nations Relief and Works Agency. With limited funds this organisation is the sole provider of education, health and social services.
Over time the people living in Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp have done what they can to make life more bearable.
00:20:54:06
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Now it is very OK, my camp now is very OK than before… Now it is like a villa for us. We have many villas in camp.
Even if this land is not for me, but I built this house, I built it with my hands… and I paint… I work as a carpenter… we worked everything…
if not me, my friend… and he don’t want to take money also… because he help me I will help him.
00:21:25:15
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
In the beginning we lived in tents,
these tents were tied down by ropes.
00:21:31:10
Especially in winter when there was a storm
and when there were rough winds...
00:21:36:01
our tents would blow away!
We used to stay there, with no protection.
00:21:39:00
Over time we were able to build
concrete walls and roofs.
00:21:42:06
This is one way the camp has changed
over time.
00:21:47:20
Bassam (speaking in English)
The highest house in the camp consists of four stories, you know. But during the war it was not like this, the highest house consisted of two stories.
We used to plant there in Palestine and we are planting here on the roof.
00:22:11:17
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
But we like green. We make the green on the roof and we live under. So from up it is like paradise, if you can… look.
Economics
00:22:35:15
Narration
Ghada is Bassam’s sister. She is 32 years old. Unlike her brother, Ghada has regular work.
00:22:45:20
Ghada (speaking in English) Title: Ghada Fadel Al Adawi age 32
I work in the factory, for making plastic things. And it is very hard work. Really… I come everyday very tired and… suffering a lot…
because it is not good for me this work… it is for the men… guys… but I need… work in any way.
I would like to work in an office, like… in a library or something like this… that is good for me… for a girl.
00:23:22:07
Title: Beirut
00:23:33:10
Narration
In 1991 Lebanon’s civil war ended.
00:23:43:00
On the surface Beirut is changing fast.
00:24:03:13
Lebanon has a very wealthy upper class.
00:24:09:13
However most Lebanese people are struggling economically.
00:24:23:13
As they are considered foreigners in Lebanon, Palestinians are forbidden to work in over 70 professions.
The few Palestinians who can find labouring or manual jobs, are paid very low wages.
More than a third of the people living in Bourj el Barajneh refugee camp are registered as special hardship cases with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
Many families are saved by relatives living overseas who send them money.
00:24:53:10
Fadi (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fadi Mahmoud Al Ashwah age 32
My main job was decoration
but I had to stop it.
00:24:57:00
In this country the Palestinians are
forbidden to work in this kind of job.
00:25:01:16
Life was too difficult so I borrowed
money and I opened this shop.
00:25:07:09
Until now this job is not that useful
it doesn’t feed my family.
00:25:12:24
But decorating is more profitable
and you can earn more money.
00:25:20:00
Sometimes my shop is broke, to fill it
I have to borrow goods or money.
00:25:23:22
I have six kids to look after.
00:25:31:10
Sara (speaking in English) Title: Sara Eskandar age 21
We don’t have rights at all in this country… nothing.
Sometimes I feel that… in this country they treat animals better than us.
00:25:45:08
Fadi (speaking in Arabic)
I sell only the necessities,
people buy only the basic things here.
00:25:51:15
The most expensive thing I sell is milk powder
which is 18,000 L ($12 USD, £6.50 GBP)
00:25:56:17
and clothes washing detergent,
this costs 16,000 L ($10.70 USD, £5.80 GBP).
00:26:01:24
We depend on children, they might
buy a juice, potato crisps or sweets.
00:26:05:03
A little bit here and there, thats all
500 L or 1000 L (50c or $1 AUD).
00:26:10:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Title: Mohammad Sobhi Al Za’bouti age 66
In Lebanon
I am not allowed to own a home.
00:25:13:05
If my children are working abroad
and they send me money...
00:26:18:02
I cannot use it to buy a home
outside the camp.
00:26:22:04
What use is the money if I am stuck
living in a room in the camp...
00:26:26:09
and this room is surrounded by flies,
cockroaches, mice and rats?
00:26:30:09
I cannot have my freedom
in this country, Lebanon.
Nadia and Sobhi
00:26:48:06
Narration
At the age of 19, Nadia married Sobhi and came to live with him in the camp. They have been together now for more than 24 years. I asked Nadia how she felt about her decision to marry a Palestinian refugee.
00:27:07:19
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
Absolutely I feel no regrets,
in the end I am the one who chose
00:27:14:22
Nobody forced me
it wasn’t in spite of my nose.
00:27:22:02
We were convinced
that it was our fate.
00:27:27:11
We believe in destiny,
that it was our destiny to be together.
00:27:35:00
Despite the difficulties in life, I am very happy
I have seen my children grow up.
00:27:42:02
I would never feel regret.
Frustration
00:28:04:10
Narration
At six o’clock in the morning, Abu Hassan has just woken up. Before he has to go to work, he makes time to enjoy some coffee.
Abu Hassan now works in a laundry… but he still remembers how frustrating it is to be unemployed.
00:28:24:07
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Since three years, you don’t have work, you are just sitting… and your brother is working or your sister and you are sitting… and you begin to feel board you can’t… hear any word from anyone… because you are tired.
00:28:41:00
Fadi (speaking in Arabic)
The young men, if they don’t work
and if no one in their family works...
00:28:45:07
I am not able to sell.
00:28:47:04
Nine years ago more Palestinians
were able to work and earn money.
00:28:51:16
My business was better then.
00:28:56:05
In this job now I am not happy
and if I have the chance...
00:28:59:08
if any European country would
receive me and my six children...
00:29:03:13
if they offered me citizenship
I would accept this nationality.
00:29:07:09
It doesn’t matter if it is Canada,
Australia, or any country.
00:29:11:18
I am ready to leave my shop and my money
I am not happy here.
00:29:17:08
Bassam (speaking in English)
Daily life is very boring… now, its very, very boring.
Everyday looks similar to the other day, to the next day and to the previous day.
The only thing that is changing… in my daily life is that… I am growing up… I am becoming older.
00:29:43:04
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Many of the guys in the camp they are always in the camp… because they don’t have money. In camp its ok… he feels as if he is in his house… the camp is not just a camp… it’s a house… for me when I put my leg in the camp… I feel I am in my home.
00:30:02:13
Bassam (speaking in English)
Today I never did anything… just watched TV… and feel frustrated… because my people in Palestine is… killed, everyday… living in a very hard time.
Marriage
00:30:36:20
Narration
I asked Nadia, if Manar was attracted to marrying someone from Australia, as it allows her to leave the camp and go overseas. Something so many people in the camp dream of doing.
00:30:51:00
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
We do not think
that life is opportunity.
00:30:57:09
Instead we believe,
especially for the girl, that it is her fate.
00:31:01:20
I cannot stand in the way of God’s will,
it was her fate to get married to this person...
00:31:07:18
and to live in another country.
At the same time...
00:31:11:24
I cannot say that she won't
have better opportunities there.
00:31:18:10
My feeling is that I miss her so much.
00:31:22:23
For sure,
the house feels empty since she left.
00:31:28:19
But I say her future is more important
and if she is happy I am happy.
00:31:38:07
But I mean, I miss her.
00:31:42:18
Narration
Finically, most young are not able to offer young women what is needed to make marriage possible.
00:31:50:20
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
I am… I am one of these guys….
Four years ago I used to have a girl called Fat-han.
Yeah, I loved this girl a lot… a lot…
In summer a guy came and he wanted to fiancé her and she asked me… and I agree, I say yes do it, you will go and have a good life. Your children will grow in a nice way… I can’t do this for you here… impossible.
And after she… get married and now she is in Denmark… and she has… two boys I think. Because still I am asking about her.
00:32:47:15
Narration
Bassam has a similar story. He was also in love. But he knew he had nothing to offer her.
00:32:57:11
Bassam (speaking in English)
Day by day… I started to think about her… every night I didn’t sleep, ok, thinking and… and tomorrow what will I do and how will I meet her.
But I was at that time thinking in my mind… that one day we will be separated… OK, I loved her so much, and I hoped that she would be mine. But I thought in my mind that one day, that maybe I couldn’t get her, OK, so why do I continue with her… maybe some Palestinian guy from overseas comes and takes her… and I will be… I will feel regret and sad and you know. So from the beginning, I say its OK… I cut.
Dreams
00:34:16:20
Narration
Under these circumstances, what do people living in the camp dream?
00:34:26:07
Ghada (speaking in English) Title: Ghada Fadel Al Adawi age 32
I don’t want to think my dream is… here nothing, really nothing. Maybe you find it strange but… really I don’t dream. I live my life like this… I know this. And even if I dream of something… I know that it will not come true… Because our life is very, very hard. If you live like us, you will… you will… you will not dream.
00:35:07:00
Bassam (speaking in English) Title: Bassam Fadel Al Adawi age 22
I will say it again… (Title: Bassam’s drawings)
that I dream… to be in Palestine… or to have a good life… ok, to be free in Palestine.
00:35:21:22
Fadi (speaking in Arabic) Title: Fadi Mahmoud Al Ashwah age 32
Generation after generation has been dying
but we are still dreaming of Palestine.
00:35:25:11
Why are we trying to leave
to European countries?
00:35:27:21
Because we know we won't
be allowed to go back to Palestine.
00:35:30:16
We will not enter it.
00:35:32:00
Who is going to go?
Maybe the next generation.
00:35:35:16
Only if there is some solution...
00:35:39:10
between Israel, the Palestinians,
and the Arab countries, then it is possible.
00:35:44:06
This generation, we hope
to go to a European country...
00:35:47:10
to get away from living here,
living here is not possible.
00:35:52:18
Samah (speaking in Arabic) Title: Samah Abed Al Hussein age 13
I want to finish my education
and if I have the opportunity...
00:35:58:18
I would like to become a lawyer.
00:36:01:23
I like law, and for sure if I become a lawyer
I could defend my homeland.
00:36:09:14
But it is not possible for my dream
to come true if I stay here.
00:36:13:02
All we can do here are other jobs
like becoming a teacher.
00:36:18:10
To become a lawyer is impossible
if I stay here in the camp.
00:36:22:23
I might do a small thing, it may come true
only small things.
00:36:26:20
But here in the camp and in Lebanon
it is impossible for me to practice law.
Future
00:36:35:00
Narration
24 years ago, Nadia felt optimistic enough to marry into the camp. Now her children are doing whatever they can to leave. They are like most Palestinian refuges living here, they see no future for themselves in Lebanon.
00:36:51:04
Sara (speaking in English)
But if the situation will be like this… there’s no future… it will be the same life… for years.
00:37:01:00
Samah (speaking in Arabic)
I do not think about my future very often
00:37:04:18
Because I feel I am going to lose my future
if we do not get our land back.
00:37:09:18
Even those of us who are educated
will still lose our future.
00:37:17:00
We want to think of a future
and find a way to liberate our land.
00:37:23:07
But here we can do nothing,
we will get educated and sit at home.
00:37:27:16
That is why we will lose our future
if we stay here.
00:37:31:06
Bassam (speaking in English)
All the things in the camp didn’t change too much. Nothing changes, with time… the things are the things in the camp… only time is changing in the camp.
Ahmad
00:38:49:22
Narration
A few weeks after Ahmad left the camp, to travel to Europe illegally. Nadia heard news from her son.
00:38:59:22
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
I was scared a lot.
00:39:01:24
I was scared that something bad
would happen to him.
00:39:07:10
Because he is in a new country
that he doesn’t know.
00:39:12:22
He doesn’t speak its language
and he arrived there illegally.
00:39:19:16
This made me feel more scared.
But there was nothing here for him.
00:39:25:13
Even to travel illegally,
is better than staying in Lebanon.
00:39:34:02
In this country
he can do nothing.
00:39:42:00
I was so pleased and I was so happy
that I thanked God when he arrived safely.
00:39:49:04
He is with his uncles
and they are looking after him.
Hope
00:40:08:18
Narration
Amongst all their difficulties, people in the camp find ways to see a positive side to life.
00:40:16:16
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
We like this life. This life… we look to her from nice way… even if its bad, if it treats us bad.
00:40:29:00
Bassam (speaking in English)
You know, we create laughing when we sit with each other.
Really I laugh from all my heart. And you can see us, when you sit with us… how is laughing will be.
But here, happiest moment in the daily life in my camp… there is no happiest moment… there are happy time yes. But happiest moment… I don’t think I passed by it.
00:41:06:16
Sara (speaking in English)
But I give myself hope… and my friends give me hope, my family give me hope.
Something good will happen, I’m sure… if it is not soon… it will not be the same forever, it will not be like this forever.
Conclusion
00:41:44:00
Narration
In reality, these people are survivors of ethnic cleansing by Israel, and racial and religious discrimination in Lebanon.
Yet against the odds, the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon get on with their lives with a strong sense of community and their cultural values intact.
One can only hope that something will change soon, so these people will have a future that they can embrace.
00:42:13:00
Samah (speaking in Arabic)
I would like to tell the children
who are my age...
00:42:15:11
who are living overseas
and who have all their rights...
00:42:19:00
I hope you see me and understand
what I am saying.
00:42:22:07
The Palestinian children here
are deprived of all their rights.
00:42:26:06
I do not think if there is a child overseas
that is deprived of their rights...
00:42:30:00
they would leave him just like that,
they would do the impossible to help him...
00:42:34:16
to help him to get his rights back.
00:42:38:16
Despite these difficulties,
we are patient...
00:42:42:23
and we are still hoping
that our dreams will come true.
00:42:49:17
Nadia (speaking in Arabic)
The people here want to be something,
and they want to get just a little bit of justice.
00:42:59:18
Just a little bit of justice,
and for the world to be fair with them.
00:43:11:03
For the Palestinian people inside
forgotten camps.
00:42:18:09
Nobody remembers them,
maybe nobody has even heard of them.
00:43:27:00
Mohammad (speaking in Arabic)
Finally I can send a message to Safad,
my hometown in Palestine.
00:43:31:10
To the flying bird
In the sky of Lebanon
00:43:35:03
Go to Palestine for me
And fold her shadows with your wings
00:43:38:03
If you stop by Safad
Give my regards to her
00:43:41:06
Give her my longing,
my sadness and my tears
00:43:54:09
Credit
A film by Stefan Markworth
00:44:07:03
Text on screen
After he arrived in Europe,
it took Ahmad six months to settle in.
In the beginning Ahmad was very unhappy.
He considered returning to Lebanon.
Ahmad still hasn’t found work.
Ahmad is happier now.
He lives on his own, close to his uncles.
00:44:21:11
Text on screen
In the beginning
Manar missed the camp very much.
Her husband and his family
gave her a lot of support.
Manar is now very happy in Australia
Manar has just given birth to a baby boy
named Omar.
Manar telephones her mother in camp often,
every two or three days.
Credits
Video left side of screen, Credits on the right side of the screen
00:44:38:17
Bassam (speaking in English)
But I feel bad because you are taking the picture and those are behind me.
I hope that you take the image from here.
Why you take this?
00:44:57:20
Voice off screen
It is nice with the colours.
00:45:00:06
Bassam (speaking in English)
Fuck… this is better.
00:45:08:00
Abu Hassan (speaking in English)
Look to my shoes… I have two different.
This, this is from my boss at work. Fuck, there is a big difference.
Really there is a big difference between this shoe and this.
Really, I can’t believe I did this. How, how I didn’t see… I didn’t feel also.
Four hours, five… in this wrong shoes, walking in the camp, in Hamra and everywhere.
Before I walk without shoes I know, but not in wrong.
End
00:45:55:00
Additional parts for international version
00:46:36:00
START with no English title text.
Inserts into 00:01:00:00 to 00:45:55:00 of program.
00:48:16:00
END with no English text or credits.
Inserts into 00:43:48:22 to 00:02:20:22 of program.
00:50:43:00
HISTORY international version section with English text explanations on the maps. Inserts into 00:06:27:01 to 00:09:40:04 of program.
00:54:20:00
IDENTITY international version section with English text explanations on the maps. Inserts into 00:14:30:00 to 00:17:20:08 of program.