THE ZONE OF UNLAW | LEBANON
JANUARY 2011 - Independent Journalism
AIN AL-HILWEH, Lebanon’s largest Palestinian refugee camp, lies within guarded walls near the southern city of Sidon. Over 70,000 inhabitants live within approximately one square mile. Life is a crucible of political instability, violence, extreme unemployment, and bleak prospects for the future.
Popularly called “The Zone of Unlaw,” the name stems from restrictions by the Lebanese Army that curbs traffic into the camp. Militant factions, some new, some old, clash in defense of the streets they control. Assassinations and gun battles erupt regularly.
Although militants occasionally engage the Army’s checkpoint, most aggression is directed inward. Caught in a cycle of violence, militants approach their clashes as a profession. All else are caught in the crossfire.
Militia factions patrol the streets, guarding their leaders and maintaining the perimeter of their small sectors.
Children play amongst the chaos, their parents unable to shield them from the realities of their open-air prison. Indoor playgrounds supplement dedicated teachers striving to give them a semblance of normalcy while living in a state of constant uncertainty.
Industry is limited in the area. Recycling and refuse repurposing are among the few makeshift efforts in the economy.
Without a weapon, a denizen of Ain Al-Hilweh is exposed. The constant danger is understood and civilians adapt to maintain themselves. Their quiet stoicism serves as a monument to resiliency. All the pedestrian trappings of life anywhere are found here, a reminder that although hidden from the world’s concerns, a people will soldier on.