CITIZENS OF NOWHERE Living without a nationality
STATELESS
CITIZENS OF NOWHERE Living without a nationality
words by laura secorun tetiana iakovlieva
IMAGINE HAVING NO BIRTH cerificate, no national ID, no passport- It is not a nomad’ s fantasy or a spy movie. It is the daily reality of 12 million stateless people around the world; and it is a tragic one because, instead of being able to move freely, their lives are on hold.
Not only are they prevented from travelling, but they have no right to work, drive, get married, access healthcare or vote. Ibrahim Bagwam is officially stateless.“ Without a nationality you have no life. It is not only my human rights but my dignity that they have taken away,” he says.
Bagwam is a 36-year-old Palestinian who fled Gaza to seek asylum in the UK. He left behind his wife and two children and now, after two years, he is leaving the country against his will.
“ They cannot force me to go but they have made it impossible for me to stay. They took away my small benefits, left me on the street and told me‘ go back, many people live in Gaza with no problem.’ They are sending me back to hell,” he says, while waiting for the car that will take him to Heathrow airport.
Statelessness has existed since borders first appeared. The causes are varied- discrimination against minority groups in a country, displacement or war. Palestinians are the largest and best known stateless community in the world.
Bagwam used to be an accountant and came to the UK because he feared for his life and hoped to provide for his family.“ My kids are suffering with no electricity, no food, no medicine … and they won’ t let me work,” he says. Instead he volunteers as an Arabic translator for other asylum seekers.
Living in limbo has taken its toll on his mental health and Bagwam has been diagnosed with depression.“ They want me to take pills and sleep through it. But if I stay like this, I will go crazy.”
“ I would like to work, go to the gym … but I can’ t do any of this so I am forced to stay at home and just think about my family and my poor mum.” >>
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