Hasham Mersal
Pittsburgh Refugee Center
As many of you may know, yesterday, October 18, Hasham Mersal, a
refugee from Darfur, had an immigration hearing to decide his
fate--whether he is granted asylum enabling him to remain in the US, or
face deportation to his country of origin, Sudan.
We would like to inform you that Hasham did win his case and was
granted political asylum.
Hasham could never have won his case if it were not for the dedication
of his attorney, Mr. Bob Whitehill, who through this whole ordeal has
been more than an attorney for Hasham. Mr. Whitehill took this case
pro bono, before ever laying eyes on Hasham, when he was incarcerated
in York, PA. Mr. Whitehill worked tirelessly in ensuring a successful
outcome for Hasham.
The entire proceedings yesterday relied on Hasham's claims to his
identity. The judge was uninterested in hearing about the pain and
suffering he endured--she was looking for something more tangible than
his old, faded Sudanese citizenship paper, and stronger proof than his
yellowed birth certificate. Even the horizontal scars on his stomach,
in her opinion, required expert testimony to verify their authenticity.
All of that was a bit overwhelming for the 26 year-old fugitive. I
have known Hasham for a year now. I have seen him behind bars, I have
sat with him in numerous court hearings, with his hands and feet
shackled. At my house we have spent countless nights discussing his
beloved village, Tomorni, and how much he missed his mother's cooking,
and his longing for his friends and their friendly chats as they took
their cattle to graze. Through all of this, I have never seen him shed
one tear; in that courtroom yesterday, he broke down, sobbing. Later
in the evening, he told me, "Do you know why I cried in the courtroom?
I didn't cry because I thought I may lose my case and be deported back
to Darfur--I cried because they were questioning the only thing that I
have left. They were questioning my whole being--my very existence."
In the end, he did win and I guess that's that. But I am reminded
again how hard it is to become a refugee, and how harder it is to go on
living as one.
For local media coverage from yesteray and today, please see the
following links:
http://kdka.com/local/local_story_291202126.html
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06292/731228-85.stm
Thank you all for your support,
Khadra