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Humiliation of Lebanese Seeking Visa at American embassy in Syria.
Hundreds of Lebanese seek to obtain a visa every day from the American Embassy in Damascus. Most Lebanese are subjected there to utter humiliation when asking for a tourist or visit visa as they must wait in long lines to obtain an appointment then go back to interview with embassy officer, reported the lawyer Elie Asswad.
Often and after having spent a whole day in the baking sun, people leave empty handed having gone through much hardship, offence and depressing disenchantment. They are asked to stand in line with their backs to the building wall and are forbidden to touch an iron bar at the left-hand side of the passage. If any Lebanese citizen tired from the long wait, inadvertently happens to touch this iron rod he finds himself harshly told off by a soldier waving a stick, intimidating him into standing back in line, shoulder to the wall.
Many tired visa seekers, swaying with fatigue, find no other way for resting but to squat in place not allowed to even sit on the floor.
Long waiting hours start at the crack of dawn and do not end before the afternoon exposing hundreds of Lebanese to a humanly unbearable ordeal. The racist way they are treated is reminiscent of the dark age of slavery. They are treated in a patronizing condescending way as well as total indifference.
Human rights organizations ought to investigate such a situation where the Lebanese citizen is ill-treated at the doors of embassies while ambassadors profit of privileges such as invitations at lush diner parties and tourist visits in Lebanon.
