Refugee father united with family rescued from Beirut
Murnier Zabed, 34, hasn’t slept in a week, fearing for the safety of his daughter, Gadier, five, and son Ali, who is just seven. His estranged children were among thousands caught up in the worsening war in Beirut.
This morning, the children will fly into Ireland, landing at Dublin Airport around 7am. A reunion party is planned in Kilkenny tonight where the children’s father lives and is doing a security course.
“I just cannot wait to see them,” a tearful Murnier Zabed said last night.
“I will be at Dublin airport to meet them. I have never seen my daughter before but this is great.
“I am so happy. This is the most wonderful news I have ever received,” he added.
Irish embassy officials in Cyprus collected the children from their boat when it docked yesterday. The children are accompanied on the rescue voyage by their mother Rosaline, 57, who split from her husband while she was pregnant with their second child.
The couple’s son will receive a full medical check in Kilkenny. Concerns have been mounting as he suffers from arthritis, asthma and a hernia and had been without medication since the conflict began several weeks ago.
Despite being holed up in a basement for more than a week, the children have maintained almost constant mobile phone contact with their Dad who has refugee status in Kilkenny on humanitarian grounds. Munier now plans to apply for a family unification visa.
Kilkenny priest, Fr Willie Purcell, first highlighted the family’s case in The Kilkenny People newspaper last week. He has vowed to do what he can for the family and ensure they get a thorough medical check as a matter of priority.
“People have been very supportive of Murnier’s situation when they heard of the trauma and turmoil of what he and his children have been going through.”
The children are two of the lucky ones.
“We just hope that more families can get out,” the priest added.
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