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SYRIA / CAMP CLOSURE
STORY: SYRIA / CAMP CLOSURE
TRT: 2.41
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: FEBRUARY 2010, AL-TANF REFUGEE CAMP, SYRIA
1. Wide shot children walk across camp
2. Wide shot Boy flies kite
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Anas, Refugee:
“What is there, this is desert. Nothing else, no food, no drinks or anything.”
4. Wide shot, children walk across camp towards camera
5. Med shot, child waves at camera
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Tareq Alsaleh Representative, Capoeira Arab:
“UNICEF and Terre Les Hommes had the idea to bring Capoeira there. Because they saw us working already in jails here in Syria. And about the positive impact and this was just fantastic for this place. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form what involves acrobatics, art, music, ritualised fighting, and dance. It involves respect for the others, peacefulness. It’s a very great tool for integration and social communication in every community.”
7. Wide shot, children playing Capoeira
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrizia Giffone, Psychosocial Consultant:
“Through the Capoeira they had the chance to express all their anger and frustration. Children can be very aggressive in situations like this and isolated. So it improved, very much, the health of the children in this sense.”
9. SOUNDBITE (Arab) Kuds, Refugee:
‘When they are playing Capoeria, I get happy. I like them, you know. I feel I am really very excellent at Capoeira.”
10. Various shots, children playing instruments and dancing
The closure last month (February 2010) of the Al-Tanf refugee camp on the Syrian-Iraqi border ends one of the sorriest chapters in the story of Iraq’s post-war refugee community.
Commonly referred to as a no-man’s land, this slither of unclaimed border housed as many as 1,000 Palestinian refugees who fled sectarian strife in Iraq.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Anas, Refugee:
“What is there? Nothing, There is not much food. There is almost nothing. It is just desert.”
Despite the challenging nature of the camp, it was also the scene of various bold initiatives designed to provide entertainment and support for the younger refugees.
SOUNDBITE (English) Tareq Alsaleh, Representative, Capoeira Arab:
“UNICEF and Terre Les Hommes had the idea to bring Capoeira there. Because they saw us working already in jails here in Syria. And about the positive impact and this was just fantastic for this place. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form what involves acrobatics, art, music, ritualised fighting, and dance. It involves respect for the others, peacefulness. It’s a very great tool for integration and social communication in every community.”
By introducing Capoeira in weekly sessions the camp residents began to see a marked improvement in the behaviour of younger inhabitants.
SOUNDBITE (English) Patrizia Giffone, Psychosocial Consultant:
“Through the Capoeira, they had the chance to express all their anger and frustration. Children can be very aggressive is situations like this and isolated. So it improved, very much, the health of the children in this sense.”
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Kuds, Refugee:
‘When they are playing Capoeria, I get happy. I like them, you know. I feel I am really very excellent at Capoeira.”
The closing of the Al-Tanf camp is an important step in securing the stability of refugees from the Iraq war. Young refugees from Al-Tanf have been relocated in a number of ways. Some have found homes abroad.
But others are to be moved to other refugee camps such as Al Hol in Syria. UNICEF will continue to safeguard their rights. Providing entertainment and physical recreation like Capoeira will remain an important element of UNICEF’s work.
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