Eternal Limbo ~ Gaza Refugee Camp (Jarash)

Eternal Limbo by Rula Zein-Iddin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A crumbling, dismal shantytown
A shambolic hovel of bricks and refuse
A forgotten, nay,  forsaken people
Struggling to survive in a jungle of aging asbestos

Leaking pipes, broken walls
Flimsy zinko rooftops
Corroded metal doors
Absent floors

They call this health hazard, "home"
They had little choice seventy years ago
Displaced not once but twice
Double the loss, double the sacrifice then
Options practically nonexistent now

It is bleak
It is dirty
Fragrant cooking aromas
Clash with offensively putrid air

Children roam unattended
Seemingly carefree and oblivious
Cheeky comments,  intelligent banter
Radiant smiles not quite reaching their weary eyes

Flashes of commotion
As a few lash out
But mostly free
Blissfully unaware,
At least for now

Quickly the narrow streets brimful
A steady stream of school-boys
Heavy bags eerily replicating coming burdens
Heading home, the afternoon shift complete

The schools barely take a breath
Awaiting the third shift of the day with despair
Caged in classrooms filled beyond capacity
What determined magician can think, let alone teach here?

Limited land, scarce resources
Infrastructure bursting at the seams
Dark, dank corridors of sheer hopelessness

"We would rather learn than eat" they say
Education is the fuel for our souls
Food is a secondary need
Studying voraciously is our way out

Third generation refugees
Eleven thousand over fifty years
Yield thirty thousand
Bleak mathematics
Cramped on the same piece of limited land

How can they fathom what was lost?
This is all they know
For some, it is all they will ever know

A few make it out
But forever remain connected
They live outside the borders of the camp
They never forget those they left behind
An incredible sense of selflessness
An overwhelming drive to make a difference

They have found a way to make a living
Against all odds
True survivors
Silent heroes

Why them and not us?
How to appease an uneasy conscience?
The cards could so easily have been dealt differently.

Refugees from a place that remains incarcerated
Neighbours living in an open air prison
Bombed, mentally and physically abused
Robbed of the most elemental human rights

A forgotten cause
An oppressively, dispossessed people
Humanity brutally stripped bare

Are they more free here?
Two sides of the same tarnished coin.
Which would you choose?

How do you live your life when there are so few choices available to you?
How do you make ends meet when so many opportunities are denied you?

How do you have a sense of self-worth when so many deny your existence?
How can you have the willpower to go on when the world has forgotten you?

The sense of community, is palpable
The generosity of those with so little, is humbling
Genuine invitations to share a meal are called out
Open arms proudly welcome you into dimly lit abodes

Their shared upbringing makes them stand united
Their hope for a better future is beyond inspiring
It blinds you.
For fleeting seconds you believe it is possible.

They believe in a better tomorrow
They are adamant that they will return
But to what? And where? And when?
And who can deny them hope when that is all they have got.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Gaza refugee camp in Jerash, Jordan is home to nearly 34,000 Palestinian refugees who fled from Gaza, Palestine in 1948 and 1967. The photos above provide a glimpse into the living conditions many of these refugees have had to contend with given the lack of political, social, and economic options at their disposal.

Za'atari's Mosques

In Za'atari they build their own mosques. Some are make shift affairs but most are comprised of caravans and standard issue UNHCR tents compiled together to emulate a place of worship for the thousands of Syrian refugees in the camp.

Every day except Friday, at one of the larger Mosques run by an incredibly empathetic Imam; it is a mesmerizing scene of relaxed rituals.

In the morning when the girls are at school the boys come pouring in to attend their reading & reciting Quar'an class. In the afternoon the roles are reversed.

Each boy quickly stacks his shoes at the entrance, grabs a Koran from the shelf and walks over respectfully to his designated Imam.

They sit calmly reading and reciting as the sun warms the room  and the sound of their sweet voices soothes the air.

They compete amicably for their turn to recite the prayer they have studied overnight as the Imam makes a show of selecting whose Qura'an he will accept.

Gently he corrects them as they eagerly stumble over the difficult words or mispronounce the complex deflections that shower the arabic language of old.


The devout scene is captivating, made more so by the rays of sunshine that create a mystical ambience.

This is a scene that was once replicated in their home towns. Villages that have been razed to the ground when their parents decided to escape to safety with their families and the clothes on their back.

I long for the day these children will return to the innocence of their childhood; but for now this semblance of normalcy and established routine will have to do.

The Fountain

The Syrians are well known for their love of beautiful courtyards, with lush green plants & musical fountains. It's a stereotypically cliche scene in every Syrian melodrama series on TV to observe the men folk gathered around the fountain sipping their tea debating over village politics whilst the women watch on; gossiping and giggling in the kitchen.

The attempt to recreate some semblance of normality in their lives by reverting to their inherited customs is a true mark of the resilience of the Syrian refugees in Za'atari. The Syrian man who built this fountain was aiming to add some beauty back into the lives of his family. As far as they are concerned this is to make their lives a little happier and in no way represents their intention to stay in Jordan.

In fact, when news broke out at the end of September that Obama was going to bomb Syria all such projects were immediately put on hold. I guess they are back in progress now.

There was such palpable joy in this small 'room' that it brought tears to my eyes. Stepping in from the dust & heat outside into this enclosure was surreal. At night when the children are asleep, the adults reclaim this space and listen to the songs of Um Kulthoom & Abdel Wahab as they smoke their argeelas and reminisce about a country that is only a stone's throw away.

Cooking with Pride

This Syrian refugee is cooking in the makeshift 'kitchen' created in between the caravan & covered by a tent. She was chatting to me whilst adding the rice to her chicken broth to make Kabsa...a spicy rice dish. The smell was fabulous and with great pride she filled a spoon with the stock and insisted that I try it. It tasted as good as it smelt. When you are a refugee there are very few things that you have control over and even fewer that you can take pride in. Cooking for your family is just one way to maintain some semblance of normality and reinforce family bonds.

This Syrian woman is one of the more fortunate in Zaatari since her brother-in-law is a real handyman and laid down a cement floor for her kitchen. #zaatari #refugee_life #refugee_camp #refugees #syria #syrian #jo #middleeast #humanitarian #photojournalism

Syrian Children at Za'atari Refugee Camp

Syrian children at the Zaatari Refugee Camp. Despite the difficult conditions they happily request to be photographed. When I engaged them and asked them to count to ten they did so in perfectly fluent English.

Should you happen to ignore a request for a photo from young boys then expect some retaliation & be prepared to have the occasional stones thrown at you. This is a tough environment for kids to grow up in. Dealing with the diaspora and the violence they have witnessed has been traumatic for many. As winter approaches its hard to imagine how these young children will be able to cope with the added hurdle of the bitter cold of the desert. FACT: About 13 Syrian children per day are born in the Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan. 21% are < 5 years old and 55% are <18. Source ~ UNHCR ~~~~ Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment. ~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~~~~

Lonely Sunset

Sunset over Zaatari Refugee Camp as a lone Syrian child walks home to her tent on the dusty hills.

#Zaatari #refugee #Syrian #refugee_life #children #silhoette #sunset #photo #jordan #jo

A Day in the Life of a Syrian Refugee

Transporting mattresses home at sunset. Wheelbarrows are the main source of transportation for shopping, goods....and children.

#instagram #photo #galaxy_zoom #samsung  #photojournalism #refugee_life #refugee #Syrian #syria #sunset #refugee_camp #Zaatari #jordan #jo

The Desert Run

A very young #Syrian girl runs across the #desert at #subset to join her friends.  The #refugee #children if #Zaatari refugee camp can be found playing outside towards the end of day when the oppressive heat finally starts to cool. Notice the size of the trash dumpster silhouetted in the distance.

Syrian Refugees harvest Tomatoes in Al-Ashrafayiya

Syrian refugees from Hama'a picking tomatoes in Ashrafiya, Mafraq. The land is leased from the Jordanian land owners by Palestinian who are bedoiun refugees from Beir Al-Sabi'e. The Palestinian bedouins employ the syrian refugees. They also live alongside the Syrians in tents opposite the tomato fields.

The tomatoes that are being harvested will be exported to the neighbouring Gulf countries.

The going rate per hour for harvesting tomatoes is JD 1 per hour.

The syrians typically work from 7am  till 12 pm  and then again from 2pm till 6pm. So the most that they will make for thus bacjbreaking labour is JD 9 per day.

Jordanians typically work for JD5 per day since they choose not to work in the afternoon when they prefer to go home to be with their kids after school. 

According to the wife of the Jordanian landowner the relationship between the  Palestinian lessor and the Syrian farmers changes from employer and employee after working hours whereby they are seen to socialise together whilst he also ensures that they have sufficient water and electricity for their daily needs.

# refugees #syrians #farming #mafraq #jordan