A Marked Man

While still a teenager Antony was recruited to fight. The war in his country has now officially ended, but the war against his people continues. In order to survive Antony fled.

In Hong Kong, a property owner rented him a piece of land on what used to be a pig farm. Antony cleaned up the site, and with salvaged corrugated iron and unwanted building materials, he constructed a home for himself.  He has lived there for the last ten years. The greedy Hong Kong landowner has increased the rent in proportion to the development of the property, none of which has cost him a cent, but from which he now reaps significant financial benefits. 

Two years ago, Rama came to Hong Kong to marry Antony. Since childhood they had been promised to one another by their mothers. The young couple lives in the house Antony built, waiting for resettlement in another country. Rama keeps their home as clean as a new pin. They are very resourceful, actively participate in their community, and long to start a family.

A few weeks ago their world was turned upside down. A close friend living near them died in a fire in his home. Because Antony’s house is also susceptible to spontaneous fires, and is an unregulated structure, he suddenly became aware of their vulnerability. His immediate reaction was to return to his own country. 

Yet he faces a massive problem: he is a marked man, and will be killed immediately his presence is discovered.  After our social workers counseled the couple to reconsider their decision, they have agreed to wait in Hong Kong. After ten years of waiting, and no hope on the horizon of being resettled, what would you do? 

To you and I this may seem a very extreme view, but Antony’s vision for their future is fading to a blur. I don’t have the answer for them. Do you?

Photographs by Jonathan Van Smit