Aliaa, the joy and drama of the political refugees, loneliness, nostalgia, and liberty !

 

The problem of refugees from war in general is that they sometimes are very different: some of them are engaged in a struggle for freedom, for example humanist, feminist, atheist, (real "political refugees")… but others, not. Worse, it happens they are from an opposite engagement! among them, there is also educated, intellectuals, ignorant, rich, poor, middle class, exploited etc.. and sometimes a formerly hate!

Some of them are just people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time and the wrong ethnicity/religion/genre. And when ONG humanitarian organizations manage to exfilter them, most of the time they are gathered together in camps or in the same places ; despite themselves, they become neighbours, (in emergency, no way to do otherwise) sometimes in the same house !!! So, hard tensions are inevitable. Those who just where "in the wrong place" frequently accuse the others for their voluntary engagement that led them where they are.. while "innocent" (!) as they are (!) have not chosen their misfortune (worse, to be responsible of it, especially if they are famous in all the world.) They take the place of others, for instance of their relatives who for instance were not allowed to come and are at risk of being killed in their home country, (or killed indeed!).. they "profit", nevertheless they are already favoured people who did not need any help at all. They have deserved their fate! And, worse, they will put at risk all of them if they are famous!  

.

Alphonse de Waelhens

Worse, when this is added to an opposing engagement [for example, when, in 1970, I was in Belgium -my first husband was in danger in his country for his political engagement- we were staying in a castle! that served as home to political refugees, with -probably- Iranians fundamentalists -!- who considered us as mortal enemies, and congolese, nicer -may be Massanba's suporters- ; every days, we had to share kitchen, happily a very big one, and bathing room (!) with them; we should be wary of them as they were wary of us..] the atmosphere can be deleterious, even if you have more confort and respect you never would expected.. Here I want to thank the Belgiums, especially M° de Waelhens (link) philosopher specialist of Husserl, who, when I thanked him for giving us a job and housing, replied me "You don't have to thank us, it is we who are honored by you to choose Belgium to take refuge".. I have never forgotten this wonderful phrase of welcome.

But it also happens it is a chance for those who, in the country which has welcomed them, can then study and have a better life than they never could expect in their country home. Finally, they can be free that would never have been possible if they had remained. Even after the end of war, they don't want to go back and they are right. Because their home country is never very safe for them, (wounds are recent and unhealed) : when they return -just for holidays for instance- it happens they see their neighbours, their formerly enemies, (but also former friends before, sometimes!) have taken (stolen) their houses and goods.. and of course, intend to keep all of that, their booty, including if they have to kill the owners, the survivors (unexpected!) who came back and may be attempt reclaim their property.