Nahr el-Bared Palestinians protest with cartoons outside UNRWA, Beirut

“UNRWA Director!  Bring back the UNRWA Emergency Program for NBC”!

signed: Families of the Nahr el-Bared camp

On 18-20 September, 150 Palestinian refugees from Nahr el-Bared camp (NBC), North Lebanon, staged a sit-in and erected tents in front of the Lebanon Field Office, Beirut. They protested against the cuts in UNRWA Emergency Program for NBC.

The whole NBC was destroyed in 2007 in the fighting of Lebanese army and Fatah al Islam fighters. Over 30 000 camp residents escaped. The reconstruction of the camp is slow. Most of the displaced refugees are still waiting their return to NBC in temporary shelters around the construction site or in other camps. In this precarious situation they cannot accept the cuts of the Emergency plan of UNRWA. They need education for their children, social work, healthcare, decent housing and cultural services like all families in the world.

World Comics Finland organized with Psychologists for Social Responsibility (FiPSR) in 2005 and 2007 training courses for the young activists of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland supported the training. The working tool of grassroots comics for campaigns was very well received amongst the young activists.

Posted by Sirkku Kivistö

Coordinator of Lebanon projects

FiPSR

www.vastuu.fi/libanon

“No entrance for people from Nahr el-Bared Camp”

The sit-in demonstration outside UNRWA, Beirut.

 (All photographs by Sirkku Kivistö)