|
 People
with disabilities are united by the
pursuit of a common goal. The goal
being the full and equal
participation in the life of their
respective societies.
Disabled people yearn to end the
hurtful discrimination that exists
in all the countries of the Middle
East. Access to employment,
education, religious worship and
basic services are our human right
and in saying this, it is without
doubt every disabled person’s
aspiration to achieve equality and
access without sympathy.
Lebanon has unfortunately once again
proved it is unable to fulfil its
duties towards people with
disabilities, often treating
disabled men and woman as
second-class citizens and often
segregating or separating
individuals from society. Lebanon’s
government choses to impose its laws
only on the vulnerable, poor, the
sick or the needy. Instead of
protecting they chose to torture
those that bare such a heavy load in
life.
I vigorously ask and urge that you
do not take the details of my story
in anyway or even suggests that I am
seeking sympathy. Speaking out may
help the world realise that
Lebanon’s government is neither
caring nor legal, and that the
people that are burdened mostly are
the needy.
On June 6,2004 I flew out of Sydney
bound for Helsinki-Finland where I
coached The Australian Electric
Wheelchair Hockey team in the team’s
first World Cup campaign. Six months
of hard work soon paid off with the
relatively new Australian team
finishing in fourth place and
earning an invitation to compete in
next years European cup in Italy.
Electric Wheelchair Hockey is
striving to become a Paralympic
Sport by the year 2008.
Countless hours of fly time, climate
adjustment and a week of intense
competition had finally come to an
end, and it was now time to continue
on my journey to Lebanon.
On my arrival to Beirut
International Airport on June 15,
2004, it was clearly evident that
Lebanon was not equipped with the
facilities required to accommodate
to the needs of people with
disabilities, however the purpose
for the visit was to give my mum the
opportunity to see my aging
grandmother and thus the visit would
be deemed worthy under any
reasonable difficulties. Mum was
scheduled to meet my dad and me, a
week after our arrival, once the
specialist had cleared her to travel
after a knee operation.
Whilst being processed through
customs, I felt concerned. The
Lebanese government attempts to
portray a Lebanon that has overcome
previous equality problems and is in
line with world standards in respect
to discrimination and human rights
issues however my fears were still
unmistakable, even though I knew my
disability created most of the
abnormal attention. After a short
delay my passport was stamped with a
visa.
I was not told on my arrival, that I
might have difficulties on my
departure. In fact I was hopeful
that on my departure I would have no
concerns because I had planned to
have my Lebanese identity documents
established (Akhraj aid). I would be
departing as a Lebanese citizen.
After a stay of two and a half
months, which included more surgery
on my mum’s knee and airline delays
we finally had the 24th
August 2004 confirmed as our
departure date.
On the 24th August 2004
we entered Beirut International
Airport unaware that the systematic
betrayal and injustice that the
Lebanese people have had to endure
from all government bodies and
officials over many years was just
about to be carried out on us.
Once our emotional goodbyes
completed. we entered customs at
12:37pm for the initial baggage
check and immediately faced
problems, with the wheelchair
controller deemed to be dangerous.
The baggage check officer had
suggested that we place the
controller in the larger suite case,
as this was going to be position in
the cargo area of the plane and was
unreachable. After explaining that
the item was to value of three
thousand ($3000) the officer then
explained that he was willing to let
the item stay in our possession
however the concluding baggage
checks might not allow this and
might take the controller into their
possession during the flight. We
explained that this was a better
option and proceeded to the
Malaysian check in counter.
At the check in counter our names
were taken and the appropriate staff
were called to attend to the needs
that were conveyed to them by the
travel agent via the appropriate
documentation that were required by
the airline, before our initial
departure from Sydney.
The manager approached us and began
to explain the procedures that would
be carried out through customs. The
manager explained that I would need
to hand my wheelchair over to them
immediately and that I was unable to
proceed with my wheelchair to the
gate, unlike the procedures
exercised at other International
airports. A wheelchair was to be
organised to take me to the plane
but this however became of great
concern to my father and I because
of the fact I have a stainless steal
rod in my back that requires support
given by the backrest and cushion on
my own wheelchair.
Several attempts to persuade the
manager that I required my own
wheelchair were made without any
success. The manager repeatedly
saying that the airport was not
equipped with a lift to transfer the
chair from the gate to the cargo
area of the plane and that he was
not willing to return the chair
through customs to have it
transported down.
I was shocked to learn that the
wheelchair they wanted me to sit in
was not actually a wheelchair used
to transport people with
disabilities around in normal
situations but in fact it was a
wheelchair meant only for usage
inside aeroplanes. No side supports,
foot rests or proper back cushioning
meant that this chair would normally
be required to be used for a maximum
of ten minutes under normal
conditions.
Forced to accept I knew that my only
chance of minimal suffering and or
damage would be to have support from
my father which meant that he would
basically have to hold and support
me in the chair provided.
It was now 1:30pm and after waiting
for the manager to assign a helper,
we headed towards customs to submit
our departure documents. At the
first checkpoint, we submitted our
passports only to learn that the
departure cards that were meant to
be completed by us hadn’t been given
to us by the airline.
The man assigned to aid us, returned
to get them and then helped us to
complete them. Once presented, we
were told to proceed to the final
customs checkpoint.
At the final checkpoint the officer
accepted the appropriate documents
and one by one began stamping the
departure cards until he reached my
documents. He then suddenly stopped
and requested one of the superior
officers. After deliberating, the
superior officer left and entered
his office where he seemed to take
forever to return. He returned to
collect the other documents and
whilst doing so, the officer
suggested that maybe by stamping the
passport with a visa he would solve
the problem.
At this point it was still unclear
what the problem was, however we
interrupted and presented the
superior officer with my Lebanese
Identity document. He took the
documents and re-entered his office.
Several minutes past before the
superior officer emerged and whilst
walking towards us advised us that I
would need a document from The
Ministry of Defence excusing me from
serving in the Lebanese Army and if
I didn’t have this now I wouldn’t be
allowed to board the plane.
My dad unable to let go of me
because of my seating asked my mum
who was herself, feeling the pain
after being subjected to over an
hour of standing, to support me so
that he could reach for an Identity
document that proved I was the only
son. This is one of the criteria’s
used to gain pardoning from serving
in the army.
The superior officer then asked my
father to follow him with the
document into the office. My dad
repeatedly explained that he
couldn’t leave me because of my
inability to support myself and that
my mum was also unable to do so.
Their inability to comprehend meant
that my dad followed him only to
return fuming at what he had heard.
Whilst with the superior in the
office, the superior made a phone
call to explain the situation to the
head of customs, which is situated
on the second floor (one floor above
us). The head of customs bluntly
rejected clearing my departure and
ordered us to obtain the specified
paperwork before I could depart.
At this point it became impossible
to keep the matter under control, as
both my parents could not hold back
their anger and emotions. I managed
to calm them and gained their
attention, reminding my dad that I
had applied for and obtained a
Disability card whilst in Lebanon
which was issued by a government
body and approved by a government
doctor in Tripoli.
At this point they asked us to move
to a different location, which was
closer to the office and whilst
doing so my dad suggested the
Disability card to the officer.
Unaware that the card might be of
some use we left it with my aunty
who had left the airport. After
gaining some positive feedback from
the officer I made the call to my
aunty to head back to the airport
with the card. The aid assigned to
help us volunteered to wait for my
aunty outside in order to save some
time. The plane was scheduled to
take off at 3 pm and the time was
fast approaching.
Whilst waiting for the arrival of
the card the superior officer seemed
to get frustrated with our presence
and the tension began to deepen. My
dad offered to show him the scares
of my operation for the rod but he
refused to even look and soon after
offered my dad the opportunity to
meet the head of customs on the
second floor to plead our case,
however my dad refused and explained
that he was unable to leave me and
if the head of customs did not
believe what you had conveyed to him
why would he believe me.
My dad then asked the superior
officer to contact the head of
customs and ask him to come down and
see for himself that I am not only
unable to serve in the army but that
I have sufficient evidence to excuse
me from the army without the
documentation from The Ministry of
Defence but the officer laughed,
saying he could only provide us with
the number. My dad quickly refused
knowing all to well that the only
reason they wanted him to go up was
to be able to accept a bribe
completely out of the view of other
officers.
I made several attempts to talk to
the officer myself, but it was to no
avail. Almost at the age of thirty I
was being treated as a second-class
citizen. Equality was non-existent
in Lebanon. In fact I felt
non-existent.
The aid soon returned with the
Disability card and handed it over
to the officer. Once again he called
the head of customs, which we later
learned to be Officer Bou Khezem,
but like previously he declined to
issue me with clearance.
After exhausting all avenues with no
success it was now a quarter to
three. The officer disrespectfully
told us to return to the check in
desk and ask that our luggage and
wheelchair be returned to us from
the plane before the plane took off,
with them.
With no other option but to return
and my parents searing they began to
raise their voices, hollering abuse
at the dictatorial way the
government was and the actual puppet
regime that existed that has over
decades lead to the mistreatment of
the Lebanese people. Screaming and
yelling, “This is the Lebanon they
want us to return too”, “This is the
advanced Lebanon not the one they
try to portray” and “They want my
son to go to the army, this is their
civilised Lebanon”
It is rare that I would accept and
condone an activity that would bring
greater attention on myself, however
I felt that the actions of my
parents were not out of place and
surprisingly this was demonstrated
by some airport official’s who
seemed as surprised as we were, and
by other officials who would not be
game enough to respond, ask or
interrupt the actions of both my
parents.
The back pain that I was forced to
endure; after being subjected to
sitting in an inappropriate chair
meant that I was unable to fully
absorb the emotions of what had
taken place.
At the check in counter the young
lady by the name of Nisrin showed
great compassion. She organised to
have our luggage and my chair
returned to me, and repeatedly
attempted to calm my parents, often
saying that, this is the Lebanon,
which we have to live in, day in day
out. My father began to contact our
relatives to ask them to re-organise
the car, which we had rented for our
stay, as this was my only form of
transport. The trip to the airport
had required three cars to take our
luggage and the rented vehicle to
take my wheelchair and I.
On exiting the airport customs area
we were met by outraged relatives.
We obtained possible departure dates
at which was dependant on how
quickly we could obtain the required
documents, and requested the name of
the head of customs for our records.
Wednesday 25th August
2004 I visited a doctor to obtain a
medical opinion on my back. After a
thorough check up the Dr explained
that the pain would continue for a
few more days and that a repeat of
such trauma can lead to pressure
sours among other things that can be
life threatening. Painkillers were
prescribed and another appointment
scheduled.
The document required in order for
me to depart could be obtained
without my presence from the
Ministry of Defence so plans were
made to have a relative attend the
Ministry the next day.
Early Thursday 26th
August 2004, my relative obtained a
document allowing me to depart from
Lebanon. This was after a three-hour
wait at the Ministry of Defence.
This document is not a pardoning
from the army. In fact the document
states only that I am able to leave
Lebanon. The document excusing me
from serving in the army altogether
will not be complete until February
next year. Whilst at the Ministry
the events were described to an
official and his comments were that
it was unusual for such actions.
I contacted the Australian embassy
and endeavoured to talk to the
Australian ambassador. Unfortunately
the staff, at the embassy is deeply
influenced by the puppet regime.
Staff repeatedly said that they were
unable to do anything and that any
complaints were to be made in
person. Staff seemed desperate to
avoid what I had to say and wanted
to get rid of me as soon as
possible. Attempts to contact the
Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir
via his secretary were made without
any success.
Later that afternoon it was
confirmed that we could depart on
Friday 27th of August
2004 by the airline. The flight was
not direct and required us to spend
nine extra hours in Malaysia. We
decided to accept the flight because
if an issue arose it would be
possible to contact the various
institutions (Ministry or the Car
rental company) rather than fly out
on the weekend.
We departed on Friday the 27th
August and arrived in Sydney on
Sunday 29th August at 6
am.
Let it be known, I would be proud to
serve the Lebanese people by means
of serving in the army, however the
Lebanese people have been left
behind and are outsiders is deciding
vital national issues. Serving in
the army would currently be serving
the continued dictatorship that
exists in Lebanon.
In order to serve and uphold
Lebanon’s true identity we must unit
and support the cause of a free
democratic and sovereign Lebanon
Strength and knowledge in testifying
for the truth
will bring about equality and
justice.
Joe Chidiac
Sydney
29 September 2004
|