photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Kari Bernardini | profile | all galleries >> Shatila refugee camp, Beirut tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Shatila refugee camp, Beirut

The refugee camp of Shatila in the western suburbs of Beirut is a haunting place. Founded in 1948, it is perhaps the most infamous of all camps in Lebanon, and the reason is this: In September of 1982 a massacre took place here, and the number of deaths vary between 300 and 5000, depending on who you ask. The Palestine Red Crescent organization estimates 2000 dead. The massacre lasted around two days, with the camp sealed off, so that there was no escape.
The killings were carried out by Lebanese Phalangist forces, in addition the Israeli Kahan commission concluded that the Israeli defence minister at the time, Ariel Sharon, was considered to be indirectly responsible and was forced to resign from his post.

The images below show Shatila of today, thousands of people, mainly Palestinians still live in conditions not worthy of human beings. In spite of this they smile at you, they want to chat, to invite you into their homes to share what little they've got. They never give up hope.
To me, these people are heroes.

To read more about this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabra_and_Shatila_massacre
Children playing
Children playing
Children playing
Children playing
Children's playground
Children's playground
Memorial of the 1982 massacre
Memorial of the 1982 massacre
Survivor of the massacre
Survivor of the massacre
Camp entrance
Camp entrance
Yassir Arafat, a hero to many
Yassir Arafat, a hero to many
Shatila boy
Shatila boy
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
Streets of Shatila
Streets of Shatila
Still standing
Still standing
Local heroes
Local heroes
Martyrs
Martyrs
Shy at first
Shy at first
Linda and Natalia
Linda and Natalia
No room for cars
No room for cars
Try and stop me
Try and stop me
Dirt road
Dirt road
Hanging out
Hanging out
Josef
Josef
Friends?
Friends?
Shoes off
Shoes off
The hope of the future
The hope of the future