German embassy screen ‘Hamada’ to highlight refugees’ conditions

By Mobarik A. Virk
December 07, 2019

Islamabad :The German embassy in Islamabad on Thursday evening screened a feature-length documentary, ‘Hamada’, highlighting the life of refugees living somewhere in desolate Sahara desert without a nationality and striving to find political entity.

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The documentary, focusing on the aspirations of three Saharawi young persons, Sidahmed, Zara (female) and Taher, caught in a refugee camp in the Sahara desert living a mundane life while dreaming about their future.

The documentary ‘Hamada’, a joint production of Momento Film of Sweden, ma.ja.de of Germany and Fuglene of Norway, took the audience to a stony refugee camp right in middle of swirling sand dunes somewhere in Sahara desert.

Reminding those who have lived in the desert areas of Cholistan the imperils of life, the documentary revolved around three friends, Sidahmed, Zara and Taher, each one following their own dreams and desires in life.

With Sidahmed always dreaming to go to Spain, Zara too eager to learn driving or any skills to land her a job and Taher a mechanic, teaching Zara to learn driving and mechanical skills to repair a car, the three friends are helping each other to materialize the goals they have set for themselves.

In the end Sidahmed managed to go to Spain but immediately regretted his decision as he was unable to be looked down upon and scorned as a refugee in that country and craving to return to live in the refugee camp in Sahara. Zara, after trying to get a job as a mechanic or become a helper in a hospital in the camp, eventually learned to drive with help of Taher!

Ms Christine Rosenberger, the Head of Press and Cultural Section in the German Embassy, speaking briefly before screening of the documentary said that human rights are an integral part of the German federal government’s foreign policy that I why the German Embassy decided to be part of the EU delegation’s Human Rights Film Festival and organized screening of the film and subsequent panel discussion on human rights.

The embassy invited Igor Ivancic, Assistant Representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) AND ASMA Rabi, a student of Media Studies from the Peshawar University to be panellists for the for the discussion.

“The film we have chosen depicts the daily life of young refugees from Western Sahara. We can get an insight into their daily life, their wishes and dreams for the future,” Ms Rosenberger said.

“The film was selected on the basis of its expressive documentation of the life of refugees and it is in this context that the film is part of the EU human rights film festival,” she added.

The auditorium was filled to the capacity, mostly young students from different universities, and some guests even have to remain on their feet through the screening. The ensuing discussion took up various issues being faced by the Afghan refugees living in Pakistan, many for almost three decades now.

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