UNWANTED, Syrian refugees in Cairo
According to the Egyptian government, there are up to 300,000 Syrians who reside in Egypt, 136,067 are registered as refugees to the UNHCR (Avril 2014). http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=8
Since 2011 until the end of the presidency of Mohamed Morsi, Syrians were well welcomed in Egypt; they were able to get directly an entry visa with resident permit of 6 months. Access to health services and education was also given to them. But since the military coup that ousted Mohamed Morsi last July 2013, Syrian refugees of Egypt have faced restrictive permit of entering the country, it is now compulsory to apply for a visa and to get through a security clearance before coming to Egypt. They are also under discrimination, harassment and physical and mental violence coming from a part of the Egyptian population. Since the 3rd of July, flights with Syrians have been turned back and more than 476 refugees, adults as children have been deported. Others have been put under detention after trying to illegally escape from the country in order to start a new life in Europe. This situation comes from the political situation against the Muslim Brotherhood. While a few were at Pro Muslim Brotherhood protest, it is now the whole Syrian community of Egypt who's blamed for supporting Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood and accused to organise plots against the country. With a negative campaign against them coming from Official Egyptian authorities, Syrian refugees don't want to stay more longer in Egypt.
Yehya Omar Yehya Alyehya alias Abu Ali is a Kurdish Syrian who has been living in Cairo for a year and half with his family. Since 30th of June, he wish to leave Egypt as he wants a better future for his 4 children and his wife.
Abu Ali and his family are from the city of Al Qamishli, North East Syria. In 2012 they had to escape from it as Abu Ali was under threat by the regime of Bashar Al Assad, accused of helping the refugees from other cities. They went first to Turkey then Egypt as they heard that the life in Cairo was better than in Turkey. At first they were very happy but on the 30th of June everything has changed and life became more difficult.
I?ve followed Abu Ali and his family in their daily life, trying to tell what are the different issues they are facing and what are their life condition in Cairo. Most of the time stuck in their small appartment because scared of going out, the Alyehya family is desperate to leave the country with a last chance of reaching Europe by boat ; the most dangerous way to reach their dream...
This story was produced as part of the World Press Photo multimedia workshop for the project «Reporting change». The multimedia format can be watched here:
http://storiesofchange.worldpressphoto.org/stories/unwanted
Selon le HCR, il y a plus de 136 000 Syriens inscrits comme réfugiés en Égypte. Entre la révolution de 2011 et la destitution de Mohamed Morsi, les Syriens furent bien accueillis en Égypte. Ils reçurent immédiatement un visa d?entrée avec permis de séjour de 6 mois et accès aux services de santé et à l?enseignement. Depuis l?éviction militaire de Morsi, il est devenu obligatoire pour les Syriens de faire une demande de visa et d?obtenir une habilitation de sécurité avant de venir en Égypte. Des centaines de Syriens ont été refoulés à la frontière ou déportés. Parvenus en Égypte, ils constatent souvent qu?ils sont confrontés à la discrimination, au harcèlement et même à la violence.
Ce changement d?attitude tient en partie à l?opinion politique vis-à-vis des Frères Musulmans. Des Syriens ont emboîté le pas à des manifestants pro-Morsi pendant et après le soulèvement militaire. Aujourd'hui, les Syriens constatent qu'ils sont étiquetés comme supporters de l?ancien président et des Frères Musulmans désormais bannis, et accusés d'organiser des complots contre le pays. Confrontés à ces positions, de nombreux réfugiés syriens ne veulent plus rester en Égypte.
Abu Ali, sa femme et ses 4 enfants viennent de la ville d'Al Qamishli, au nord-est de la Syrie. En 2012, ils durent fuir, car Abu Ali était sous la menace du régime Assad, accusé d?avoir aidé des gens qui avaient fui d'autres villes. La famille s'est d'abord rendue en Turquie, puis au Caire où, selon les rumeurs, la vie était meilleure. Au début, ils étaient très heureux mais aujourd'hui, tout a changé. Ils feraient tout au monde pour pouvoir partir et parvenir en Europe, même en prenant l'option la plus dangereuse.
UNWANTED, Syrian refugees in Cairo
According to the Egyptian government, there are up to 300,000 Syrians who reside in Egypt, 136,067 are registered as refugees to the UNHCR (Avril 2014). http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/country.php?id=8
Since 2011 until the end of the presidency of Mohamed Morsi, Syrians were well welcomed in Egypt; they were able to get directly an entry visa with resident permit of 6 months. Access to health services and education was also given to them. But since the military coup that ousted Mohamed Morsi last July 2013, Syrian refugees of Egypt have faced restrictive permit of entering the country, it is now compulsory to apply for a visa and to get through a security clearance before coming to Egypt. They are also under discrimination, harassment and physical and mental violence coming from a part of the Egyptian population. Since the 3rd of July, flights with Syrians have been turned back and more than 476 refugees, adults as children have been deported. Others have been put under detention after trying to illegally escape from the country in order to start a new life in Europe. This situation comes from the political situation against the Muslim Brotherhood. While a few were at Pro Muslim Brotherhood protest, it is now the whole Syrian community of Egypt who's blamed for supporting Mohamed Morsi, the Brotherhood and accused to organise plots against the country. With a negative campaign against them coming from Official Egyptian authorities, Syrian refugees don't want to stay more longer in Egypt.
Yehya Omar Yehya Alyehya alias Abu Ali is a Kurdish Syrian who has been living in Cairo for a year and half with his family. Since 30th of June, he wish to leave Egypt as he wants a better future for his 4 children and his wife.
Abu Ali and his family are from the city of Al Qamishli, North East Syria. In 2012 they had to escape from it as Abu Ali was under threat by the regime of Bashar Al Assad, accused of helping the refugees from other cities. They went first to Turkey then Egypt as they heard that the life in Cairo was better than in Turkey. At first they were very happy but on the 30th of June everything has changed and life became more difficult.
I?ve followed Abu Ali and his family in their daily life, trying to tell what are the different issues they are facing and what are their life condition in Cairo. Most of the time stuck in their small appartment because scared of going out, the Alyehya family is desperate to leave the country with a last chance of reaching Europe by boat ; the most dangerous way to reach their dream...
This story was produced as part of the World Press Photo multimedia workshop for the project «Reporting change». The multimedia format can be watched here:
http://storiesofchange.worldpressphoto.org/stories/unwanted
Selon le HCR, il y a plus de 136 000 Syriens inscrits comme réfugiés en Égypte. Entre la révolution de 2011 et la destitution de Mohamed Morsi, les Syriens furent bien accueillis en Égypte. Ils reçurent immédiatement un visa d?entrée avec permis de séjour de 6 mois et accès aux services de santé et à l?enseignement. Depuis l?éviction militaire de Morsi, il est devenu obligatoire pour les Syriens de faire une demande de visa et d?obtenir une habilitation de sécurité avant de venir en Égypte. Des centaines de Syriens ont été refoulés à la frontière ou déportés. Parvenus en Égypte, ils constatent souvent qu?ils sont confrontés à la discrimination, au harcèlement et même à la violence.
Ce changement d?attitude tient en partie à l?opinion politique vis-à-vis des Frères Musulmans. Des Syriens ont emboîté le pas à des manifestants pro-Morsi pendant et après le soulèvement militaire. Aujourd'hui, les Syriens constatent qu'ils sont étiquetés comme supporters de l?ancien président et des Frères Musulmans désormais bannis, et accusés d'organiser des complots contre le pays. Confrontés à ces positions, de nombreux réfugiés syriens ne veulent plus rester en Égypte.
Abu Ali, sa femme et ses 4 enfants viennent de la ville d'Al Qamishli, au nord-est de la Syrie. En 2012, ils durent fuir, car Abu Ali était sous la menace du régime Assad, accusé d?avoir aidé des gens qui avaient fui d'autres villes. La famille s'est d'abord rendue en Turquie, puis au Caire où, selon les rumeurs, la vie était meilleure. Au début, ils étaient très heureux mais aujourd'hui, tout a changé. Ils feraient tout au monde pour pouvoir partir et parvenir en Europe, même en prenant l'option la plus dangereuse.
