Mass Arrest of Refugees

I spent a little over a week in bed with the flu. It seems to be hitting hard around the world. The walls seem to be closing in on me the last few weeks as I have remained inside my tiny studio for so long. My productivity and job search have slowed and that feels frustrating.

Whenever I can, I work with the refugees. There are crises daily. When we feel that things are getting under control, we are suddenly hit by a greater crisis than before. We may feel we have control with the 800 or so people packed into the temporary shelters in Tel Aviv when we look outside to find 200 new people fresh from the Egyptian border in flip flops and no jackets in 45 degree weather.

Or, the following occurs:

Yesterday, I felt a little under the weather and did not report to the shelters to volunteer. I received an SMS message on my mobile warning of mass arrest roundups of refugees in and around the shelters. I called a neighbor to the newest shelter in a dilapidated building that happens to be in a wealthy neighborhood. I told her to tell the refugees that there may be a police raid and to get away from the shelter for the time being. I had met the neighbor the prior day when she was bringing food and supplies to their new refugee neighbors. That day, I also met Moshe Dayan’s daughter, Yael, who is the Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv. Yael was sympathetic toward the refugees and committed to supplying portable toilets and supplies. She gave me the equivalent of $200 to buy them food and emergency supplies.

When I showed up at the shelters in the poor neighborhood near the Central Bus Station today, I found no other volunteers and the shelters in horrendous condition. The shelter known as Har Zion houses women and children on the top floor and men underneath in what would be considered the bomb shelter.

I noticed local vagrants sleeping in the hallways among the trash. Nearly every square foot of floor space is used for a body to sleep. Often, well-meaning citizens will drop off a truckload of clothing, toys, and books. Much of the clothing is for women and children. Mainly, men’s shoes and jackets are what are needed. As we have no place for storage and no organization to deal with surplus supplies, these donations end up in the trash. Often, refugees tear open the bags, sift through and throw the majority on the floor. These pile up and clog the hallways. It is not long before they become wet and mixed with other garbage and food waste. Today was no exception. The bottom of the stairwell was piled with old food, garbage, and clothing. As I turned to go up the stair at the point where I wrote about the junkies shooting heroin, I nearly bumped into the old vagrant man that I saw earlier. His pants were at his knees as he leaned over and defecated next to the steps. He was in mid-stream of something. I resisted the urge to kick him from his leaning position down the adjacent steps.

The steps on the way up to the women’s shelter were wet with something and there were scattered cans and garbage all the way up to the 4th floor. There are random wires and piles of trash on various steps. At the top I was told that women had been arrested unless they were responsible for minors. I was there to check on a sick child. A man explained that he had already been to the hospital but only needed his prescription filled.

The men’s shelter at the bottom was nearly empty due to the arrests. There was also food and garbage piled up in the stairway. I felt that I communicated in French to the few Ivoirians that were there that they still had to keep the place clean in order to prevent disease. On the way out, I saw the Ivorian leader for that shelter. He told me that he was fired from his job due to the crisis of the arrests. He had so many phone calls that he could not concentrate on his job. He had hoped to be able to save enough money soon to rent an apartment. He immediately put his people in action to clean the wet food/clothing/garbage pile and take it to the street. The refugees that were in the shelters had no place to go. They face their destiny. If there were to be arrested, so be it.

Many of the refugees were arrested that were under UN protection. Others had appointments to get such protection. http://www.wtop.com/?nid=105&sid=1351784
There is a protest tonight by Israelis to free the refugees. Most, if deported, feel they would be killed if they are returned to their home countries. As horrible as are their shelter accommodations, they feel that they are free to roam and safe from the risk of being killed. The Israeli citizens have embraced them in general.

In my month in the country, I have met four Knesset members, the Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv, The Chief of Staff under the Barak administration, been interviewd for television, and by a Newsweek reporter. Someone is taking notice of these refugees. I may attend the protest this afternoon.

Randy