5 Juillet 2005
J'ai decide d'aller visiter le camp de refugies de Shufat au nord Est de Jerusalem.
Le camp est tres pauvre et surpeuple, officiellement ils sont il y a des enfants partout qui se font tres pressants autour de l'appareil photo. Je suis venue car je sais que le Mur va commence a etre construit ici et effectivement quand j'arrive les enormes caterpillars etaient en train de creuser. Le Mur va separer le camp des colonies qui sont si proches, mais va ainsi separer le camp de refugie de Jerusalem. Or la plupart de srefugues sont inscrits a Jerusalem dont ils dependent pour de nombreux services (ironie, ils payent meme des impots aux Israeliens pour ces services!).
J'ai ete invitee par une des familles dont la maison a recu un avis de demolition car elle est adjacente au trace du Mur. Plus d'une centaine de maisons seraient menaces. Si elles sont detruites ou iront les habitants alors que le camp est deja surpeuple?
La famille m'invite a visiter la maison et les travaix qu'ils effectuent pour l'agrandir. Ils sont huit enfants donc dix en tout. Je partage un repas. Les soldats sont en Presque en permanence postes a cote de la maison et on peut voir la jeep de la fenetre d'une des chambre des enfants. Tout a coup une jeep militaire passe a fond devant nous et nous entendons des tirs alors que tout le quartier regorge d'enfants. Ces tirs ne sont pas a quelques km mais bien a quelques metres. Je ne peux m'empecher de sursauter tandis que les enfants autour de moi ne reagissent absolument pas. Le bebe continue a jouer avec le peigne, les autres a rire.
Cela en dit beaucoup. Leur absence de reaction n'est pas rassurante mais au contraire elle est terrifiante.
Ps: Le 9 Juillet, un an pres l'avis de la Cour internationale de Justice declarant le Mur dans son trace comme illegal: mobilisation mondiale contre le Mur. Mobilisons nous, boycottons les produits israeliens (et les companies qui soutiennent l'occupation comme caterpillars)!
ENGLISH
Yesterday I went to visit the Shufat refugees camp, north Eeast of Jerusalem, because I heard that the Israelis are going to build the Wall there. And indeed, the caterpillars are starting doing their job, digging just a few meters from some houses of the camp. The settlements are just on the opposite side, so close to the camp.
The camp is overcrowded; the alleys are so narrow that one can barely see the sunlight. Poverty is everywhere and garbage are not taken away, due to the failure of the municipality to provide basic services to the camp. The children are all over and run after me to have one picture taken. What can they do during their two months vacations?
The Shufat camp is located within the boundaries of the municipality of Jerusalem, therefore the residents of the camp heavily depend on services from Jerusalem (ironically they pay taxes to the Israelis). Once the Wall will be built, their situation will therefore dramatically deteriorate. Furthermore many houses have received demolition orders and one can wonder where the people will go as the camp is already so overcrowded. I am invited to one of these houses. The family is lovely. They are ten living in just a few rooms so they have started to expand the house. They were desperate to receive the demolition order. Absence of permit was used as an excuse but the real reason is that the house is located just next to the route of the Wall. From the room of some of the children we could see a military jeep, standing there almost permanently. And once we started eating, a military jeep rushed into the street full of children and soon there were shootings. I mean not a few kms away but just a few meters. I could not help shuddering but what amazed me is that the baby still played and the children just continued to laugh. This tells a lot. Their absence of reaction is far from being reinsuring but rather terrifying.
Ps: On the 9 of July, one year after the ICJ released its advisory opinion on the Wall and declared it illegal in its route, there will be a world-wide mobilization against the Wall.
Take action, boycott Israeli goods and also the campanies such as caterpillar which support the occupation!
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