June 23,2014 , we arrived at Queen Alia international airport in Amman. We were exhausted after staying awake in the previous night as we had no place to sleep in waiting anxiously for our flight schedule.We went directly toward Ramtha / Irbid where our relative are living. We spent several days catching our breath and thinking what to do next ! we were concered with residency issue .
According to Jordan laws , visitor visa permits to stay in Jordan for one month , after which a fine is imposed on every person which is about 2 $ per day . A renewable annual residency is approved if we have a deposit of 30000 $ in the bank which is not sensible for us as we left almost everything behind us . We took a rapid decision that we have to register in UNHCR office in Amman so as to get their protection in Jordan .
Early in the next morning we took our passports , and all other certificates which prove that we are from Mosul , and went directly to Amman. The system in UNHCR is that you have to take an appointment for the registration interview before being registered as a refugee.
UNHCR office lies in Khalda / Amman , it is easy to reach as almost all the taxi drivers are familiar with it since the refugees are every where !
When we reached the office , the taxi driver dropped us near a road block and told us to walk through that narrow road to reach the main entrance. At the main getway , there were a firm security check , you should stand in line and wait your turn to enter the door at which a police officer is standing to ask you a series of questions and then lead you where to go.We waited for our turn in a big lounge then the officer called our number , he was surprised by the fact that we came from Mosul “ you are lucky to flee from there ! “ he said . He gave us an interview appointment just the next day .
Next day , we went there again at dawn . This time , they took us to another lounge and gave us forms to fill it with informations including our story and the causes behind our escape . The hall was over crowded , full of people from different countries mainly from Syria and Iraq , and you can see their dispirited faces while listening eagerly to the speakers to hear their names for the interview . It make you feel sad seeing all that people there , oldmen , women and children who escaped from the war and presecution in their homeland and have no guilt but to be born there. After waiting for along time , they called our names for the interview , they asked as question about our informations we ‘d filled in the forms and then gave us a certificate to prove that we are registered in UNHCR but not yet as refugees . They gave as an appointment date for interview that determine our legitmacy to be “refugees” which was tentatively scheduled after three months. Fortunately , after a week we received a call from UNHCR office telling us that they have rescheduled the date and made it the next day ! This call gave us some hope that the processing of our case is fast and they are considering us as an urgent case ! .
This interview was quiet different , it was even in another building away from the main office , we waited for hours before the time of interview , the waiting hours passed in deathly quiet , the hall was semi empty with several families were sitting and waiting in silence. Then the employee called us and told us that we will be interviewed seperately . You will absolutely feel anxious to death when you see the officer taking you to a seperate room with a recorder in his hand to record your answers , you must be very sure from your answer and honest with every word that you would say. The room was almost empty with only two chairs and desk ! The officer started to ask series of detailed questions regarding our story and you have to answer clearly and without hesitation as it may affect their decicion , what scary moments they were !
After the interview , they asked us to wait for the decision . Six hours of anxitey passed , finally the officer came out and called us “ you are now refugees , you are now protected by UN “ he said and he told us that the next step is “Resettelment in another country “ , but nothing is guaranteed and we have to wait for their call. We are now “ refugees” , that word which means that you are homeless.
The disappointing thing that even if you have the status of refugee , they consider you as illegal recidense and you still have to pay the fine of 2$ per day and the UN only protect you against being kicked out .
Living as a refugee is a matter of sufferance , we are losing hope , we are prohibited to work and we may be fired if we try to find a job . we are almost without any rights. Two years have passed , and we are still waiting for resettlement , no one is giving us a clear answer about it , every time we call them we hear the same answer “ your case is under studying , wait for our call “ , and that phone is still silent for 2 years. We have no other choice but to wait for their mercy , no other country gives visa for refugees and we have lost every thing home !
Please pray for us , pray for the refugees who have no guilt but to be victims of the war.
3 comments:
Hadia, When you were a school girl while Iraq was under control of American soldiers i used to read your blog regularly and later i translated some entries of you in Bengali language to make others know the situation of mosul, and Iraq altogether; once i informed you about that initiative. After two years i am reading your blog and feeling sad that you are outside your country aiming to take shelter. I think your family is with you, i mean your husband and others. At the same time it is a pleasure to see that you are continuing to write. I pray for your and your family members' well-being.----- Sankar
just now i came to know that you are a proud mother of Dima. She must be a very very sweet girl. All the best wishes for her.---- Sankar
Post a Comment