Hi am a Palestinian, I lost several family members in the war in Palestine. I went on a hunger strike to protest against the war. I don’t believe in war there is enough suffering in this world. My parents were victims of war and died 6 months apart from each other. My first 10 years of life was brought up around the fear of bombs and the sounds of low flying aircraft. When I went out to play I was always fearful that I would not return home. Children are the ones that suffer the most from war and experiences of war don’t just go away but the thoughts remain with you a life time and change your young perception of life into nightmares.
Before the hunger strike, I had disabilities, I am now physically disabled but this hasn’t put me off to have my voice heard. I want to speak out and say “ we want a cease fire” in Palestine. Children shouldn’t fear bombs and fear they will be hurt or loose their parents through war.
I also have had experience of receiving treatment on the wards here in the UK. The lack of staff was very evident, call bells not being answered for long periods of time. Elderly people calling for help or falling because they need to use the toilet but no nurse to come.
I would like to promote disability rights, vulnerable people are suffering because budgets are being cut. This means many people with disabilities that had been receiving a service have seen there services cut or come to an end. For those people who do not have anyone or anything to fill that gap can be left on there own to fend for tvhemselves when they are unable to manage with no recourse to legal aid because this has been impacted as well. I want to say the most vulnerable in society is suffering.
Lastly, I too was a refugee. We constantly see and hear in the news about the high numbers that have come to the uk shores looking for refuge. Yes the sad tragedy is that people are running from wars such as I did. Seeking a safe place for them and their family to call home. If people can understand that refugees can and do benefit society they bring different skills to our shores, if the system was set up for immigration to process cases quicker to give refugee’s the right to work and earn their way, refugees could pay into our system to ensure that our economy is supported for all the extra social support needed. In turn this would then benefit all.