Families of women, children at ISIS refugee camp file legal action for repatriation

THE families of a group of women and children being held at the Kurdish-run al-Hol refugee camp in northern Syria have filed judicial review proceedings in the high court challenging a delay by the National Security Minister to have them repatriated.

The filing of legal proceedings, which seeks to get the court’s permission to advance their claim, comes after they received no response to a series of letters to the Attorney General.

There are at least ten TT women and children at the al-Hol camp, and recent reports suggest they are facing the threat of covid19. At least five of the children were born in Syria.

The application, filed by attorneys Criston J Williams and Shanice Edwards, said the women and children form part of a vulnerable group because of their refugee status and were at risk of exploitation and abuse.

It said several attempts were made to have the issue of repatriation addressed since April, last year.

It also added that conditions at the camp were unsafe and unhealthy with hardly any food or water and there is an infestation of flies. Toilet facilities are holes dug into the ground.

The families complain that they are concerned about the women’s safety at the camp. They also pointed out that at least five countries have repatriated their citizens from the camp, including France, the US and the UK which started repatriating children.

It said the International Committee of the Red Cross was willing to assist in the repatriation of the women and children if a request is made by the Government.

In one of the letters sent to the National Security Minister, the attorneys for the family said it has been one year and seven months since their pleas for repatriation were raised with him.

The families will be asking the court to order the minister to allow the group admission into TT or give an assurance they will not be denied entry into the country.

Last Thursday, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, in response to former PNM senator Nafeesa Mohammed’s claim of Government being uncaring towards nationals in refugee camps in Syria, said he has introduced legislation to bring home people in an organised way but “cannot, knowing that these people are ISIS supporters.”

“Let me make this absolutely clear and talk to Trinidad and Tobago. Nafeesa is saying to TT, these persons who are citizens of TT, their husbands were killed in action. What action? ISIS? Could it be? Did they volunteer to leave this country as ISIS fighters, take their wives who went willingly in support of ISIS, have children and God forbid they should expose their children…”

Al-Rawi added that wives who went willingly in support of ISIS were in breach of anti-terrorism laws.

“Would you be okay with that? They didn’t leave on holiday, they were killed in action of ISIS and have you seen what ISIS did?” he asked.

He said the Prime Minister, Minister of National Security and National Security Council do not act capriciously.”

The matter has been set for hearing on Friday before Justice Joan Charles.