York graduate joins Lebanon relief effort
As many of the estimated 100,000 Lebanese refugees fled to the Syrian border in July 2006 during the Israeli bombings of Lebanon, there was one woman in particular who felt frustrated at her inability to help fellow compatriots who were still trapped in villages and towns throughout the country.
York graduate Christine Hamieh, a Shiite Muslim from Southern Lebanon, had returned to her home during the summer vaction after completing her PhD to care for her sick father, but was forced to flee the country after war broke out between Israel and militant group Hezbollah. When a UN ceasefire was called between the two parties on 14 August, much of the aid which could not be given while the bombing continued could then be offered to those in need.
For Christine, she saw this as an opportunity to offer the help she was so desperate to give during the conflict. “[During the war] I was like any other Lebanese citizen, frustrated at not being able to anything, at just being paralysed, and the minute the ceasefire was declared I decided I wanted to go back to Lebanon and volunteer in the humanitarian field.”
Christine immediately returned home and took up a position with Oxfam (based in Beirut). She told Nouse of how, when she first arrived back in Lebanon to volunteer, the organisation was still very much in the emergency stages of offering aid with the main focus being on IDP (Internally Displaced People) centres, providing water, sanitation and hygiene packs to refugees still in the country.
With estimates suggesting 15,000 housing units are now inhospitable, many refugees returned to their homes finding they lacked basic needs. In effect, Oxfam began to concentrate further on replacing pumps and providing resevoirs to areas which lacked basic needs such as water and suitable sanitation. Christine spoke of how her main responsibility was to visit residential areas in Southern Lebanon that had been severely affected by Israeli shells and assess the needs of the area, reporting back with information.
While travelling the war-torn country Christine was in the perfect position to witness the effects the conflict had upon Lebanon. She said that even though “there was confusion” initially, the people are definately “very resentful” towards Israel rather than Hezbollah. She added that she felt the attitude of Lebanese people towards the West “has definately changed”, and that they blame the American government and UN secretary General Kofi Annan for the 33 day wait before a ceasefire was called.
For Christine, her work continued until late September, when she travelled back to York. At the University of York, Christine has been the Dean of James College, York GSA President and a lecturer and tutor to many Politics students.
Christine Hamieh has now left the University to work in a full-time position with Oxfam GB as a Field Policy Officer in Southern Lebanon.
