Famiy homes and infrastructure have been damaged in the recent fighting.

Support for the Lebanon appeal

By Dennis Long

Federation has donated $5000 to Union Aid Abroad -- APHEDA to assist with the humanitarian crisis created by the dislocation of hundreds of thousands of citizens in southern Lebanon.

Members are also urged to donate.

Union Aid Abroad -- APHEDA is buying emergency food supplies for people living in refugee camps.

A specific focus is on families and displaced persons in the Burj el-Barajneh refugee camp. There are 400,000 Palestinians refugees in Lebanon and 20,000 live in the Burj el-Barajneh camp, which occupies less than a square kilometre. The camp is wedged between Beirut airport and the Haret Horik district, which has a strong Hezbollah presence.

Most of the families living in Burj el-Barajneh were expelled from Palestine in 1948. Most of those in the camp with employment are contract workers paid on a daily basis and lost their livelihood in the Israeli bombing.

Union Aid Abroad -- APHEDA is the overseas humanitarian aid arm of the ACTU. It was created in 1984 with a philosophy of "self-reliance, not charity".

Union Aid Abroad -- APHEDA has been assisting community based organisations in Lebanon for over 20 years with health, food production and vocational training projects.

Member wishing to donate should visit the website at www.apheda.org.au, phone 1800 888 674 or send a cheque to Level 3, 377-383 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Dennis Long is the Editor.

Australians seek peace

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