ASJA, relatives want Trinidad and Tobago nationals brought home: 'Refugees in Syria deserve compassion'

THE Anjuman Sunnat ul Jamaat Association Inc (ASJA) has urged the Trinidad and Tobago government to take immediate and decisive action to expedite the repatriation of nationals  detained in refugee camps in Syria.

In a statement on December 12, signed by general secretary Rahimool Hosein, and acting president general Ahamad Hosein, ASJA said the people, who are mainly women and children, have endured years of suffering in conditions that are both inhumane and unsustainable.

It said it was fully prepared to collaborate with the government in the repatriation, as well as in  subsequently rehabilitating and reintegrating the women and children.

“Our support can include assisting in verifying that these women and children are TT nationals by going to the camps; providing human resources for counselling and reintegration, including psychologists and psychiatrists; and working alongside international human-rights groups where necessary. Please know that many of us stand ready to support any initiatives undertaken in this regard.”

ASJA said it commended the efforts of the repatriation committee appointed by the Prime Minister,while acknowledging that its efforts were stymied. It said further postponement would only exacerbate the trauma and harm vulnerable individuals were already experiencing.

“The plight of these Trinidadians cannot be overstated. Reports from international humanitarian organisations consistently describe the appalling living conditions in these camps, characterised by inadequate access to food, water, medical care and basic human rights.

"Many of these refugees, including innocent children, are victims of circumstances beyond their control. They deserve compassion and the opportunity to rebuild their lives in a safe and supportive environment.”

The statement said the ongoing turmoil in Syria, including escalating violence and instability, exacerbates the urgency of the matter.

“As their homeland, TT has a moral and legal obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens. Prolonged inaction not only risks further endangering their lives but also tarnishes our nation’s reputation as a country that upholds human rights and humanitarian values.”

The statement comes shortly after Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally called on government to do what it could to repatriate any TT children detained in camps in Syria, and repatriation committee member Nizam Mohammed said the committee had been sidelined by the National Security Ministry’s Task Force Nightingale.

Their statements came after the overthrow of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad on December 8.

Tajmeed Ali, who has several relatives being detained in Syria, including six grandchildren, said in 2020, he met with a representative of then national security minister Stuart Young, who initially told Ali the children would be brought home in November 2020. He was then told Task Force Nightingale would handle the matter.

“Task Force Nightingale is a kind of secret thing. It’s a committee formed by Young, and they went to sleep, into hibernation, for four years. I tried to get meetings with them and they don’t want to meet us because they have nothing to say, while these little children – one was one year old when she went in there in 2019, now she’s six – and you’re calling her a terrorist.”

In 2021 Ali brought a case against the State over the failure of the National Security Minister to make a decision in accordance with section 4(1) of the Immigration Act Chapter 18:01 to admit nationals (women and children) of TT in the Al Hol Refugee Camp, Syria.

“Justice Joan Charles dismissed it and we decided to appeal it. We had a hearing on December 10 and the judge told the lawyers, ‘Come nuh, man, this thing has to be completed, these people have to come back, what is happening? Let us sort this out.’

"He gave both lawyers until February 20 to sort out a whole lot of stuff and come before him in March so they could deal with it.”

Ali said Gilbert Peterson, SC, was one of the representing attorneys for the government. Peterson, responding to WhatsApp questions from Newsday, said the attorneys were given directions in the interim before the case was adjourned to February.

Ali said Assad did not have a say in the camps where the women and children were, and his ouster should not have an effect on them.

“All we need is travel documents from our government and they can come home tomorrow. All I need is for our country to realise what this government is doing to women and children.”

ASJA appealed to the Prime Minister to address this humanitarian crisis.

“(It) is not merely a matter of policy but a testament to the values of compassion, justice and solidarity that define us as a nation. By taking immediate action, your administration has the opportunity to not only save lives but also to demonstrate bold leadership on the international stage.

“We trust in your commitment to the people of TT and remain hopeful that this urgent matter will receive the attention it so desperately deserves.”

National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds spoke in April about bringing legislation to Parliament to deal with repatriating TT nationals from conflict zones in Syria and Iraq. He said government had a Returnees Bill which would manage their safe return  in line with best international practice. Attorney General Reginald Armour was mandated to draft the bill.

Multiple attempts to reach Hinds, Armour, and the Ministry of the Attorney General by phone and WhatsApp message were unsuccessful.
Foreign and Caricom Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne referred questions on the issue to the National Security Ministry.