Emad Seyam (49): "I just want to have a normal life"

Al-Shati (Beach) Refugee Camp in Gaza City. Photo: Sara Bell, Fagforbundet.

March 6th, we were invited to drink tea in Emad Seyam’s house in Al-Shati Refugee Camp in Gaza City. The camp was established in 1948, and counted more than 87 000 people in 2006.  

Mahmoud Hamada. Foto: A. Stranden

Mahmoud Hamada, programme leader at  Norwegian People’s Aid in Palestine, kindly interpreted the interview. Mahmoud grew up with Emad in Al-Shati, and they're the same age. Emad’s wife and daughters were in the women’s room, and did not enter the sitting room whilst we were visiting.

Emad Seyam is Head of a family of ten people. He has three sons and five daughters. He is 49 years old.

Q: How do you manage the obstacles of your daily life?

A: The real struggle started after 2000, with the second Intifada. I used to work in Israel in tiling and construction, I built bathrooms. When there were no more jobs for us in Israel, I decided to become a fisherman, as my family have done in generations before me. I bought a small fishing boat, some nets and started fishing.

In 2012, everything became increasingly difficult, as an Israeli warship confiscated my boat, and took it into custody. The boat was released to me in 2013, but by then, it had become rusted and broken, and impossible to use. To cope with the loss of income, I had to sell my wife’s gold jewelry. 

Q: How did you manage the miles restrictions whilst fishing?

A: We could always see the restriction limit, because of the Israeli floating marks. I was intercepted and arrested at two nautical miles, well within the IDF fishing limit. They took me to Israel and interrogated me for one day, kept my boat, and dropped me off at Erez the next day.

After I was given back my boat in 2013, I had to buy a new boat, since the old one was damaged beyond repair in Israeli custody.

On January 16th 2017, my second boat was confiscated. They took my boat and my nets. I was half a nautical mile from the shore. I was approached by two IDF speedboats. They fired live shots, and destroyed my outboard. They proceeded to shoot directly at my 21-year old son and I, and I was hit in the abdomen. The shot caused trauma, pain, and swelling.

We were ordered to undress and jump into the sea, and swim towards the IDF speedboat. It was frightening and incredibly humiliating. They never gave me an explanation for the arrest, I still have no idea why they did it. I am currently being helped by Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights (http://www.mezan.org/en/). They have helped me file a claim for a formal explanation from IDF.

Q: What are your hopes for the future?

A: Today, I have no income. We depend on charity for food. I cannot fix the shower, I cannot repair our house and keep the rain out. I’d like a door for our toilet, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon. I’d like to have a job, and I’d like to have a bathroom. I don’t want to be a burden on anybody, I just want to get on with my life, and I want to have my dignity. Right now, we’re leating lentils – today and tomorrow.

Emad Seyam. Foto: Are Stranden, Norsk Folkehjelp