AN EASY SCAPEGOAT: WADI KHALED IN FOCUS Stigmatization of the Bedouin of Wadi Khaled comes in many forms, regardless of their statelessness, whether from state institutions, or from fellow Akkaris. “ “ “ The area is seen as harboring camps and terrorists, when in fact it does not. Local stigmatization • Mukhtar, Wadi Khaled, 20 March • Wadi Khaled’s villagers do not deserve to live in such conditions. They do not have a future and are deprived of their fundamental human rights. Surveyor, April 9 It was my first time in Wadi Khaled. I had the feeling that they just needed someone to listen to them. They have so much to say about their suffering, but no one cares. Respondents in Wadi Khaled indicated how they were often subject to discrimination, while suffering from geographic stigma that labels Wadi Khaled as unsafe and a hub for “Islamist terrorists.” They expressed discomfort as to how their region was depicted in the media and throughout social networks. State marginalization • The region lacks basic services such as electricity, decent access to water and infrastructure. • During survey deployment, many of Wadi Khaled’s inhabitants said they were subject to more scrutiny at the army checkpoints at the district’s main entrances. Yet, this did not alter, nor influence, their mobility patterns. Surveyor, April 13 © 2021 Siren Associates. All Rights Reserved.