Reader's corner
Logically not
Sir-- Franklin Lamb's 'Disemboweling the right of return' (19- 25 August Al-Ahram Weekly) argues that the US-Israel objective is to limit the extension of rights to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. Yet logically, the more Palestinians enjoy rights and economic integration in Lebanon, the less impetus they have to insist on a right of return, thus serving Israel's goal. In all, the premise is convoluted and serves only to not-too-subtly accuse certain Lebanese partisans of being stooges of the US and Israel.
John Zucker
New Jersey
USA
Without permission
Sir-- I am writing to express my concern about the situation of residents of Al-Sahabi in central Aswan who complained to the governorate about plans to demolish their homes. The 1,500 affected families have not been consulted about this decision by the authorities and the alternative housing available to them is insufficient for their needs and located far from schools and healthcare facilities.
On 27 June the governor of Aswan announced a development plan which designated Al-Sahabi as an "unsafe area made of makeshift buildings which threaten the residents" and which is to be demolished. The governor said that residents would be offered 320 alternative housing units. These are very small, one-bedroom flats located in Al-Sadaqa Al-Qadima, some 30km south of Aswan. It has poor access to health and education services and the residents whose homes are due to be demolished consider that the alternative housing available to them is both insufficient for their number and inadequate.
The Aswan governorate failed to conduct any genuine consultations with the residents before announcing their demolition plans and, as yet, residents have received no written notice setting out the legal basis of the decision. The vice- president of Aswan recently visited the area and informed residents of the decision to "develop" the area and to evict them, but he did not disclose when the evictions were to commence and is reported to have told residents that the authorities will use force to bulldoze the area if residents resist and that those who do resist could be imprisoned under administrative detention orders issued under the state of emergency law. The governorate has already conducted a count of the families living in Al-Sahabi, a procedure which normally precedes eviction and relocation.
The residents, many of whom are state employees, said they would support alternative development plans, including widening roads. They also requested better compensation for any losses. Officials confirmed that most of Al-Sahabi would be demolished but told them he would communicate their demands to the governor of Aswan.
I am urging the governor of Aswan to suspend the eviction of the residents of Al-Sahabi and ensure no eviction is carried out before all safeguards against forced eviction are in place, including official notice to the residents of the eviction order in writing. Furthermore, I am calling on the authorities to carry out genuine consultations with the residents of Al-Sahabi to explore all alternatives to eviction as well as development plans for the area. Finally, I urge you to provide information on which buildings endanger the lives in Al-Sahabi area.
Lea-Kristin Martin
Aswan
Egypt
Visa selections
Sir-- I would like to share with you the experiences that relatives in Egypt have had in trying to get tourist visas from the American Embassy in Cairo. There have been several attempts to get tourist visas but the embassy is always vague on why they have been denied. This is just a case of family members wanting to visit each other. They do not want to stay in the US. However, we see young men come here on tourist visas and work illegally and stay here and either go to a lawyer or find an American to marry. We have asked the embassy what criteria they use to allow these people into the United States, without reply. My 84-year-old mother was refused a tourist visa. She will not stay in the US to live or work in. Her life is in Egypt.
I am on retirement/disability from the US Department of Agriculture and a leukemia patient. I just want these members of my family to come visit me. I would like to know if my family was treated fairly and equally as required by law. In addition, what are the criteria for making a decision? Does section 214 (b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act treat all applicants fairly and equally? I tried for several years to get answers but the embassy and the State Department are vague in their replies.
Moustafa Moustafa
New Jersey
USA
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