By: ELOISE WALTON
DISABILITY PROTESTER José Leones Lima will be in the Algarve next month as part of a wheelchair journey across Portugal aimed at highlighting discrimination against the disabled. Sr. Lima, who is 52 and is registered as having 80 per cent invalidity, will start his marathon on August 1 in Viana do Castelo and plans to finish 713 kilometres later in Faro Câmara by August 21.
“I have decided to do this in order to protest against the discrimination that I and others face in this, the supposed European year of equality for all”, said Sr. Lima.
In order to plan for this long journey, Sr. Lima has organised an itinerary whereby he will wheel himself for four hours per day, starting early each morning to avoid the heat and travelling approximately 35km per day.
Sr. Lima has contacted all 21 Câmaras along his journey, asking them to support his protest by providing a place to rest, but so far only six have replied offering him the facilities required including Cova do Varzim, Aveiro and Coimbra in the north of Portugal, Castro Verde in the Alentejo region and Faro in the Algarve.
When he arrives at each Câmara, he will rest and then spend a few hours protesting outside the local government offices, being available to speak to the public and reporters.
In Faro, Sr. Lima will be available to speak to the public and answer questions about his protest on August 21 from 2pm in front of Faro Câmara.
Sr. Lima told The Resident: “I became a paraplegic through an accident, but I am not stupid, I have a higher qualification in electronics and I only want to be able to work and have some dignity.”
Registered as unemployed, Sr. Lima has been refused many jobs that he believes he is capable of doing. Now he is trying to prove a point with his actions.
He said: “Even though disabled people don’t have the same rights, they are made to carry out all of the duties that this unequal society dictates”.
Sr. Lima will be taking the train home, however, this will prove challenging as from Coimbra to Viana to Castelo, there is no wheelchair access to the trains and so Sr. Lima will require assistance.
To view José Lima’s site, which is in Portuguese, please click on the link located on the right.
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