- Algeria
- Conflicts and Disasters
“I was born the year the conflict begun. Usually, the first years of a child’s life are about games and awakening. But for me, my first memories are of bombings, war, people going missing…”
Mahmoud Khatri was born in 1976. He lives in a refugees camp in South-West Algeria, with thousands of others. They’re Sahrawi refugees. They have been waiting for 40 years for a resolution of the conflict about Western Sahara.
“This year, the 40-year anniversary of the conflict, is a very important date for us. These 40 years have been filled with pride and moments of joy but also very difficult moments.”
“In my life, I’ve seen good and evil. These past few years I have noticed the presence of organizations, people and initiatives looking to bring awareness to what’s happening here or trying to alleviate our suffering. Here at least, we can speak freely, we can meet people. This creates hope.”
“I have a lot hope for my future and the future of my children. I see things in a very positive light: more and more people know about our the situation of the Sahrawi people.”
Photo: Tineke D’Haese/Oxfam
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