To: The UNHCR Regional Representative in Egypt, Ariane Rummery, Senior Communications Officer, UNHCR, Karin De Gruijl, Senior Communications Officer, UNHCR, Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Embassy of ...
UNHCR-Egypt: Resettle Darfuri Activist Abdel Rahman Siddiq Hashim Karo
The light of Darfur is in diaspora. Torchbearers such as Darfuri activist Abdel Rahman Siddiq Hashim Karo have demonstrated exemplary leadership qualities, and an enduring human dignity amid oppressive adversity in Egypt, which makes him an ideal candidate for urgent resettlement.
Why is this important?
Our most recent petition campaign was successful in supporting Abdel Rahman to attain a Blue Card from UNHCR-Egypt on September the 2nd of this year, after over a decade of life-threatening racial, ethnic, economic and religious persecution in the inhospitable host state of Egypt. [1]
I have lived, studied, and worked in Egypt for over a year in 2007-2008, and 2010, specifically focusing on community-based self-education efforts in African refugee communities. This is how I met Abdel Rahman, as he was the director of the El-Wafaa Refugee Culture Center, a non-political, non-tribal, non-religious community education organization in Ain Shams, Cairo.
More than anything, this is a plea for the physical safety of a respected community leader, who has shown a remarkable contribution to international research, and education initiatives. For example, after 40 years of isolation, Abdel Rahman brought the American University of Cairo to the impoverished Cairo suburb of Ain Shams, to facilitate English courses for refugees and asylum seekers from Africa living in Egypt.
Abdel Rahman belongs to the Zaghawa ethnic group in Darfur, one of the three major indigenous groups subjected to systematic genocide by the Sudan-government backed Janjaweed militias in Darfur from 2003 up to the present. Due to this ongoing strife, Abdel Rahman became a refugee, and continues to seek resettlement out of Egypt, where he has also lived through life-threatening forms of social and institutional persecution.
Abdel Rahman is originally from Darfur, and has been living in Cairo, Egypt for over a decade, suffering the agonies of life as an African refugee. On Sunday March 23rd, Abdel Rahman was brutally assaulted at night in Cairo, and represents the countless many who face such challenges on a daily basis. (We have a translated police report proving the details of the incident, for any interested in following up.) He then successfully reopened his file with the UNHCR-Cairo office, and now seeks immediate relocation out of Egypt. [2]
In 1951, Egypt made reservations to refugee rights chartered by the UNHCR Refugee Convention, also known as the Geneva Convention, effectively disallowing refugees the right to access public relief and humanitarian assistance. Most of Egypt's refugees are hopelessly unemployed, and in dire need of educational, and professional opportunities, especially those further marginalized by race, ethnicity, and religion, as is the case with African refugees in Cairo, Egypt.
Most refugees in Cairo are suffering from third-rate medical care. In many cases refugee patients have received false medication, leading to further complications. Egypt, as elsewhere in Africa, is known by its diversion of humanitarian aid for the interest of its own poor rural citizens. Refugees in Egypt live in perilous situations, often with specific needs that can not be addressed in the country where they have sought protection.
Meanwhile, resettlement countries such as the UK, the U.S., and Canada pledge to provide legal and physical protection, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals, effectively allowing refugees to become naturalized citizens.
[1] http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/unhcr-egypt-reopen-emergency?source=c.em.mt&r_by=8673541
[2] http://www.nationofchange.org/refugee-rights-egypt-cairo-s-african-refugee-demonstrators-call-peace-and-civil-rights-syria-sudan-a
I have lived, studied, and worked in Egypt for over a year in 2007-2008, and 2010, specifically focusing on community-based self-education efforts in African refugee communities. This is how I met Abdel Rahman, as he was the director of the El-Wafaa Refugee Culture Center, a non-political, non-tribal, non-religious community education organization in Ain Shams, Cairo.
More than anything, this is a plea for the physical safety of a respected community leader, who has shown a remarkable contribution to international research, and education initiatives. For example, after 40 years of isolation, Abdel Rahman brought the American University of Cairo to the impoverished Cairo suburb of Ain Shams, to facilitate English courses for refugees and asylum seekers from Africa living in Egypt.
Abdel Rahman belongs to the Zaghawa ethnic group in Darfur, one of the three major indigenous groups subjected to systematic genocide by the Sudan-government backed Janjaweed militias in Darfur from 2003 up to the present. Due to this ongoing strife, Abdel Rahman became a refugee, and continues to seek resettlement out of Egypt, where he has also lived through life-threatening forms of social and institutional persecution.
Abdel Rahman is originally from Darfur, and has been living in Cairo, Egypt for over a decade, suffering the agonies of life as an African refugee. On Sunday March 23rd, Abdel Rahman was brutally assaulted at night in Cairo, and represents the countless many who face such challenges on a daily basis. (We have a translated police report proving the details of the incident, for any interested in following up.) He then successfully reopened his file with the UNHCR-Cairo office, and now seeks immediate relocation out of Egypt. [2]
In 1951, Egypt made reservations to refugee rights chartered by the UNHCR Refugee Convention, also known as the Geneva Convention, effectively disallowing refugees the right to access public relief and humanitarian assistance. Most of Egypt's refugees are hopelessly unemployed, and in dire need of educational, and professional opportunities, especially those further marginalized by race, ethnicity, and religion, as is the case with African refugees in Cairo, Egypt.
Most refugees in Cairo are suffering from third-rate medical care. In many cases refugee patients have received false medication, leading to further complications. Egypt, as elsewhere in Africa, is known by its diversion of humanitarian aid for the interest of its own poor rural citizens. Refugees in Egypt live in perilous situations, often with specific needs that can not be addressed in the country where they have sought protection.
Meanwhile, resettlement countries such as the UK, the U.S., and Canada pledge to provide legal and physical protection, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights similar to those enjoyed by nationals, effectively allowing refugees to become naturalized citizens.
[1] http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/unhcr-egypt-reopen-emergency?source=c.em.mt&r_by=8673541
[2] http://www.nationofchange.org/refugee-rights-egypt-cairo-s-african-refugee-demonstrators-call-peace-and-civil-rights-syria-sudan-a