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Author Archive

Letters to Obama

Friday, October 16th, 2009

After about a week here, I figured out my role. That of a delivery boy.  Good, I thought,  I had some experience with this at the age of 15. But this time I am not being asked to deliver the PennySaver.

I’m being asked by refugees to deliver a message to the American people. And to the American President.

So we sit quietly and listen to each refugee’s story. We look them in the eyes and nod. After all, to them, we are America.  And so we listen. Nod. And look them in the eyes.

We have now talked to over 100 Iraqi refugees. That number nears 200 if you include aid workers. Each one is eager to have us bring back their story. To tell the truth about their situation.

In fact, one gentleman even wrote a letter to Obama and handed it to me. Now, since I can’t read Arabic – and I doubt the President can either – here is a summary of these messages.

They want us to tell their stories of injustice. They believe America is a just place and will be horrified by the kidnapping and killing that has gone on in their country.

They long for the good old days of Saddam. Yes, he was bad and they did not like him. But it is worse now. Under Saddam they wanted freedom. Now they just want life and security. They long for their pre-2003 lives of peace and stability.

Some want our soldiers to go. Others want them to stay until there is security. Some want us to butt out now. Others want us involved until there is a just  government in place.

They want to know why? Why did we ruin their country?  Why did we let militias from Iran – a country that calls us the “Great Satan” –  run amok in Iraq?

They want us to know that they are a proud people. They are embarrassed to be living in such bad conditions. They are ashamed that they have to seek refuge in the very country that “did this to us.” 

“We love American people…But…” This is the phrase we’ve heard most often. I do believe they like us. They know all our movies better than we do. And they appreciate our generosity.  But, there is the “But.” And as one man said, “And it is a big But!” Of course, they are referring to the decision to go to invade their country. Or, as another Iraqi called it “The mistake of one man.”

It’s worth pointing out that the messages go both ways. The fact that we are over here  delivers a message of care and understanding.  What’s more, yesterday, I explained to a 23-year-old refugee that the US did not orchestrate 911. That there was not a third plane that was flown into the towers. And that all of the Jewish employees of business working in the twin towers did not get told to stay home that day.

 

 

 

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2020 Vision

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

2020 visionWhat will this situation look like in the year 2020? What will become of this lost generation?

I’m not sure. Nobody is. No one can really see beyond Iraq’s elections early next year. Certainly, the refugees don’t know. “I don’t know if I’ll even be alive,” said one 12-year-old.

But let’s look at the ingredients. Start with millions of displaced people. They are angry – and that anger is mostly directed at the US.

They are poor. They live in over-crowded dingy apartments. Most do not work. Either because it is illegal to do so, or they are afraid to go out of their homes. Or they cannot find jobs. Or, they cannot deal with the indignity of going from, say, a doctor to a ditch digger.

They are not healthy. They suffer from post traumatic stress and depression. One woman talked about committing suicide as her 5 year-old daughter sat drawing  by her side. Several have stressed-induced diabetes. They have been maimed both physically and mentally.

They are disenfranchised. Even with the ability to vote in Iraq’s upcoming elections, many will not. They are confused by different conflicting information and don’t know who to trust. Often, they have to pay bribes to get anything done.

Youths and young single men are affected the most. They are disconnected and unanchored.  They can’t assimilate – and often watch TV for 12 hours a day. Their inability to work makes it difficult for them to date and get married.

They have fallen so far behind in their new foreign schools that they often drop out. We are told by the UNHCR that the illiteracy rate is near 20%. Many get menial jobs to support their family at the age of 13. And because they have no legal status, their employees can decide not to pay them – without facing any consequences.

They are hopeless.  Desperate. “We don’t have dreams anymore,” one said.

These ingredients add up to a festering situation of our own making. These are good, hard-working people with very few places to turn.  Unfortunately, one of the few places to turn is to extremist groups, like the Taliban and al Quaeda.

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And now a word from our sponsor…

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

As the marketing member of the IVAP creative team, I have the most ambiguous role. I will not choreograph a performance. Or write a play.

My mission is to help contextualize this refugee problem for American consumers.

To wit, here are some new advertising slogans.

“There’s no place called home.”

That’s the problem. These refugees are in purgatory. They’ve left their country and families behind – often with just a suitcase full of clothes and important documents. Most hope never to return to Iraq.

Many are in Lebanon illegally. They cannot work. Get social services. Or even walk down the street and make friends. They fear being caught and imprisoned. Or worse, getting sent back to Iraq. So they wait in the shadows. Hoping the UNHCR will resettle them in another country. The process is long and tedious. And once they’ve been accepted, they have no idea when they will actually leave; often waiting for over a year.

So they live life on hold. Homeless. Hopeless. Suspended in time . Lost in limbo.

“Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of 4 million Iraqi refugees.”

It has slowly become clear that the USA is blamed for this mess. Not just by the refugees themselves, but by a number of  non-governmental organizations  as well.

Some people have declared this angrily. “You promised to eliminate murder and torture, but instead we have more.” “You took our lives, our laughter and then some of our body parts.” “Stop playing God on Earth.”

Others have been more diplomatic. After all, they want to be resettled in the US – so they are hesitant to say anything bad about it. And yet, they can hardly suppress their vehemence at the instability and chaos we have left behind.

I believe each one of our team members is feeling the weight of this responsibility. Unlike Darfur or Palestine, this is our refugee crisis.

“If we don’t help them, some else will.”

Many of these displaced people get assistance from church organizations or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. And, yes, many are helped by countries like the USA.

But, there are other people willing to step in and help as well. Organizations like Hezbollah. They will gladly provide money for these distressed families, hoping to win over a new generation of zealots and martyrs.

We visited with a family that was being well-supported by “local charities.” The fact that  every picture, clock and poster in their home was of the Head of Hezbollah made it easy to figure out which charity they were referring to.

 It behooves us to clean up our mess. Not just because it is the just moral thing to do. It’s also the prudent thing to do.

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Reflections

Monday, October 5th, 2009

kitchen for family of 6

Today, the IVAP group split up into smaller teams  to do in-depth interviews with Iraqi refugees. Most of the discussions were held in the Iraqis’ actual homes.

These were moving, poignant experiences. My group met with two parents and their four young children. They fled Iraq after the father was threatened several times.

Then, we visited with a mother of four children. Her young son was kidnapped and held for ransom. Her husband is missing – and presumably dead.

Next, we met a 53-year-old mother of four. She had one son flee Iraq – only to have her second son kidnapped, tortured and mutilated.

woman shows picturesFinally, we talked with that woman’s sister. She still lives in Baghdad but is staying in Lebanon to undergo cancer treatments.

Each story was different and — to some degree — horrifying. But there were common themes that ran through each of them.

Their only hopes for the future are very base and primal: to be safe. To have stability in their lives. No talk about happiness or success.

They have very little desire to return to Iraq. They basically want to go wherever their families are, be it Australia, Sweden or the US. I guess home really is where the heart is.

All of their situations are the result of the chaos that is Iraq. Surprisingly, they were not universally critical of or angry at the US, but I suspect they may have just been saying that to a roomful of Americans.

Tomorrow, we go again.

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