Under bombing

Dear friends,

I'm writing you this message while the Israeli airplanes bombing every where in Lebanon and some meters from my room, it was hard for me to sleep last night because of the bombing, the nearest was nearly 300 meters from my room on the (Almttar bridge) which means in Arabic the airport bridge.(Almttar bridge) which means in Arabic the airport bridge.

I used to go under that bridge nearly every day to by my food from the bazaar in Sabra which is market for poor people and we can find cheap food there. Sabra is very poor area mostly inhabitant by Palestinian, Iraqis refugees and Syrian workers.

I went this morning to see what happened there, I need 5 minutes to reach the bridge walking and I was sorry to see what happened to the bridge and the gardens around the bridge, the bridge is on the ground now and the buildings around it have big damage specially the glass of the window.

Today is the 3d day of the war between Lebanon and Israel. Yesterday morning I went to the office of the UNHCR in Beirut, Verdun and I found that the office is closed and the workers of UNHCR left the office and went to their homes. So now, we're the refugees whom living in Lebanon left alone without any one to look for us. The office is in safe area in middle of Beirut where many of forgone embassies are located and no danger of any kind there, so I felt strange that we don't find the UNHCR when we need them. I heard that in the time of old sailing ships, when a ship sings in the sea, the rats are the first one who leave the ship. I don't know if the community and donors give money for those who are working for the UNHCR to help the refugees at wartime and emergency or to stay at their homes!

One day before the war, one Iraqi refugee was luck to find protection in prison when the Lebanese police arrested him in front of the UNHCR just because he made protest against the UNHCR and he painted the flag of UNHCR on paper and burnt it. He is father for 10 children and received nothing from the UNHCR (like the majority of refugees in Lebanon) since 1998. This is our life.

The Lebanese in south suburb of Beirut left to live with their relatives in safer areas but the refugees don't have another place so we stayed in our rooms hoping the bombs will not come on us because we're protected by the UNHCR!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you all will stay safe till you read my next message and please wish more safely for those whom are working for the UNHCR.
Beirut 14/July/2006
See you soon.
Peace4all
The truth warrior
Osam Altaee
http://www.unhcr.info/ http://www.umacr.org/