First human rights clinic in Naqab (Negev) unrecognized village Wadi el-Na'am

Adalah and the Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality in the Negev (Dukium) organized a day of human rights training on Saturday, 16 February 2013 for a group of residents from the village of Wadi el-Na'am, an unrecognized village in the Naqab (Negev). The training aimed to strengthen the participants' and village's ability to document and advocate against human rights violations. The organizers worked closely with the village council of Wadi el-Na’am in preparation for the training, which had requested assistance in light of the government's planned evacuation and demolition of Wadi el-Na'am and the forced displacement of its 10,000 residents under the Prawer Plan. The training was funded by the EU as part of a two-year cooperative project between Adalah and Dukium.

Legal Actions and Defense against Demolition and Arrest 

The first of the clinic's three sessions was led by Adalah Attorney Aram Mahameed who explained various legal strategies and provided such information as the difference between judicial and administrative home demolition orders, and how each can be effectively challenged. Attorney Mahameed also discussed the right to protest, answering key questions about the permit requirements for certain demonstrations, as well as which steps should be taken in case of arrest for participating in a demonstration.

Documenting and Media: Photography and Facebook

The second session, led by Michal Rotem of Dukium, focused on the importance of photography and other forms of documentation for exposing and advocating against human rights violations in the village, particularly home demolitions and police brutality. Rotem explained the potential of online social networks to promote the goals of the village, and provided techniques for increasing visibility on Facebook. She also described how to reach out to and connect with various kinds of traditional media on Wadi el-Na'am's key issues of concern.

Staying Connected to Resist

Finally, Ratb Abu Qrinat of Dukium spoke of the importance of community organizing and distributing leadership roles widely around the village to most effectively confront challenges. Abu Qrinat proposed a comprehensive phone directory to keep the village residents connected in case of emergency. He also discussed mechanisms for targeted resistance on local issues that are important to the people. Abu Qrinat suggested fighting a demolition and eviction order against the local village school as a rallying point.

Adalah and Dukium will continue to work with the village of Wadi el-Na’am and will hold several more human rights trainings in 2013 and 2014 in other Prawer Priority Villages – villages identified as especially at-risk for evacuation and demolition under the government-approved Prawer Plan. 

Photo by Nadia Ben Youssef

This project is funded by the European Union. The contents of this document is the sole responsibility of Adalah and under no circumstances can be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.