Kate Burton: connecting separated loved ones

Now, more than 40 years later, the families still have no access to each other, and the ICRC is trying to establish visits so that families can be reunited. Here, Kate describes her work as a protection delegate:

While many families remain separated, some Syrians living in Golan are allowed to enter Syria every year – these include students studying in Damascus, pilgrims visiting holy sites, and exceptional humanitarian cases such as medical patients requiring urgent treatment.

The ICRC facilitates these crossings, acting as a neutral intermediary between the Syrian and Israeli authorities. My job is to co-ordinate with the Syrian authorities and be present to supervise the crossings.

Prison detainees

I also deal with cases of Syrians detained in prisons in Iraq, Lebanon and Guantanamo. I meet their families in Damascus and receive letters and photos that they want to send to their loved ones. Then I visit the detainees and pass on the news. 
 
Often detainees have not heard from their families for a long time – sometimes many years, in the case of Guantanamo. Being able to return to Syria and update the families on the small details of their loved one’s life – his daily routine, his mental state, his health, the things he laughs at, and his concerns – is quite a special experience.

Visiting Guantanamo has been one of the biggest challenges so far. It is a strange experience, to see the reality inside such an infamous camp and then return to ‘reality’ outside. Also, when you connect with the detainees, hear their concerns, difficulties and fears, it can be difficult to just walk out and leave them far behind.

The ICRC talks to the prison authorities and government on the situation inside prisons to try and improve humanitarian conditions and make them more conforming to international humanitarian norms. However, results are sometimes slow and the direct impact is not felt during the short timeframe of a one-year mission, which is quite frustrating.

Connecting with people

I do all my work in Arabic and being able to interact directly with the detainees, the families, the people crossing from the Golan and the authorities is very satisfying and allows me to better understand and connect with people and their culture.

But many people I meet have extremely sad stories, face difficult situations, and often there is little we can do for them, especially since the ICRC cannot enter into the politics of situations or the judicial cases of detainees.

One woman I always remember is a Somali refugee living in Damascus who was searching for her daughter – they had been separated for 30 years since fleeing Somalia and she came to the Red Cross to get help in tracing her daughter.

We found her in Denmark, where she was granted asylum many years ago – hearing the old lady speak to her daughter on the phone was extremely moving.

Guantanamo

 Another person I could never forget is a Guantanamo detainee – an extremely well-mannered, kind and intelligent person, who has been detained without trial for almost nine years. He has spent all his time reading, and knows the classics of English literature and detective novels such as Agatha Christie back to front – he even recites parts of them.

He talked about his fears about returning to normal society and interacting with everyday people after so many years of the strange existence he was forced into. He was worried about whether people would accept or reject him and the eloquent way he described the bizarre contrast of wanting to leave Guantanamo and at the same time being scared of entering society again has always stayed in my mind.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is making a big difference in all the contexts it works in. But my experience is mostly in conflict zones and I think its work in places of detention is really quite unique. Its principles of humanity and neutrality allow it access to places that many other organisations cannot reach, and it is very community-oriented and close to the people. In Syria, I’ve seen clearly the impact it has on individuals – the woman who finds her daughter after 30 years, the family who hears news about their loved one detained far away and many, many others. 

Read Helen Hawking's story about responding to cholera in Zimbabwe