Hassan Al Kontar

Hassan Al Kontar
Born حسان القنطار
Hassan Al Kontar
(1981-07-13) July 13, 1981
Al-Suweida, Syria
Residence Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
Nationality Syrian
Occupation Insurance marketing manager (former)

Hassan Al Kontar (born 13 July 1981) is a Syrian refugee who has been stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from March 7, 2018 until his arrest on October 1, 2018.[1][2][3] He is in exile of Syria since 2011, because he refuses to join the Syrian military [4] and could face potential arrest in Syria if returned.[5]

His plight has been compared to Tom Hanks's character in the film The Terminal[6] (who in turn was inspired by the real life story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri who lived at France's Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years). According to CNN's Becky Anderson, his situation is not "unprecedented" and could become a more common problem for Syrian refugees because many countries will not accept Syrian nationals.[7]

Backstory

Al Kontar originally emigrated from Syria to the United Arab Emirates in 2006, to work as an insurance marketing agent.[8] His work permit expired in 2011, the year the Syrian Civil War started. After the Syrian embassy refused to renew his passport, Al Kontar stayed illegally in the UAE fearing he would be drafted into the war on his return. In 2017, he was arrested and deported to Malaysia, one of the countries where Syrians are granted visa-free entry. He attempted to go to Ecuador but, for unexplained reasons, Turkish Airlines staff denied him boarding for his flight nor would they refund his ticket. He then attempted to go to Cambodia but was denied entry[9] and sent back to Kuala Lumpur. As his Malaysian tourist visa has expired,[10] he was not allowed to enter the country and remains stranded at the airport in "legal limbo".

There was some discussion of the Malaysian government offering him re-entry into the country but, with no formal offer, Al Kontar was advised not to. Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and he would not be recognized as a legitimate refugee.[11][12]

Life at the airport

Al Kontar sleeps in chairs or under a stairwell and is fed by some airport staff (mostly from AirAsia) who give him meals.[13] Though his savings are dwindling,[14] people have offered him money and a woman living in British Columbia has started a fundraiser in order to possibly sponsor him to Canada and have enough money to live for at least a year. He has family members in Canada.[15] The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been trying to provide legal aid.[16]

During his 100th day at the airport in June 2018, he decided to apply to join a NASA mission to Mars.[17]

Arrest and detention

On 1 October 2018, he was detained by the police for being in a “forbidden area” of the airport. Malaysian government will then communicate with the Syrian embassy to facilitate his deportation to his home country. [18]

References

  1. ↑ Latiff, Rozanna. "Holding pattern: Syrian 'stuck in transit' in KL for more than a month".
  2. ↑ Ahmed, Kaamil (12 April 2018). "'It's not my war': the Syrian man who has spent a month living in Kuala Lumpur airport".
  3. ↑ "This Syrian man has been stuck in an airport for months". BBC News. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  4. ↑ "A Syrian man has been trapped in an airport in Malaysia for over a month with nowhere to go".
  5. ↑ Chen, Heather (12 April 2018). "Syrian 'stranded at airport' for 37 days" – via www.bbc.com.
  6. ↑ News, A. B. C. (24 April 2018). "Syrian refugee stuck in Malaysia airport for nearly 50 days". ABC News.
  7. ↑ "Lunar New Year sparks China travel chaos - CNN Video".
  8. ↑ Miller, Anna Lekas (13 April 2018). "The Terminal: This Syrian Refugee Has Been Marooned in an Airport for a Month, With No End in Sight".
  9. ↑ Vichea, Pang (12 April 2018). "Syrian asylum seeker stuck in airport limbo after being denied entry to Cambodia".
  10. ↑ Erickson, Amanda (12 April 2018). "A Syrian man has been trapped in a Malaysian airport for 37 days, and counting" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  11. ↑ "Malaysia will not sign UN convention on refugees, says minister - Malay Mail". www.malaymail.com.
  12. ↑ Carson, Angela (20 April 2018). "'I don't want to be killed': Syrian refugee stuck in Kuala Lumpur airport seeks safety" – via asiancorrespondent.com.
  13. ↑ "Syrian man stranded at airport for more than a month". 12 April 2018.
  14. ↑ Mosbergen, Dominique (14 April 2018). "A Syrian Man Has Been Stranded In A Malaysian Airport Terminal For Weeks" – via Huff Post.
  15. ↑ "Syrian stranded at Malaysia airport says Canadians renewed his hope in humanity - CBC Radio".
  16. ↑ "Syrian stranded at Malaysian airport for a month".
  17. ↑ "Syrian refugee trapped in airport for 100 days formally applies to go to Mars". Newsweek. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  18. ↑ "Syrian Hassan al-Kontar removed from Malaysia airport after months". BBC, Oct 1 2018.
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