ACROSS BORDERS Photo Exhibition - Medecins Sans Frontieres

While in Amman, Jordan, I was able to contact Medecins Sans Frontiere and through this honorable organization was able to visit Iraqi victims of war sponsored for medical treatment in Amman, Jordan. I want to thank Enass who helped me arranging interviews and providing interpretation.

The exhibition features photography on the reconstructive sugical project for Iraqi wounded in Amman.

Sufferance Iraqi Children

Kidnap, murder, soldiers, explosion, army, militia, ambush car, refugee; these words are the pattern of vocabulary of Iraqi children growing up in mayhem.

Iraqs’ children have lost their youth to car bombs, missiles, mortars attacks. They are the war wounded, the displaced, the fearful, the new workforce, yet they bear their wounds of war with determination and a patient shrug; for today in Baghdad, Sadr City, Anbar, Basra, Karbala, Kirkurt, Najaf, Diyala Sulaymaniyah, Qadisiyah, Babil, Dahuk, Arbil, Tam’mim, Salah ad Din, Amman, Damascus, Beirut; sufferance is the badge of all their tribes.

In Iraq, the tens of thousands of war victims are faced with endless, often insurmountable obstacles to get even basic medical attention. After years of conflict, the Iraqi health-care system is overwhelmed by the constant influx of wounded patients who flood the hospital on a daily basis. Because of the violence, threats and kidnappings many doctors have left the country, many have been targeted or killed. The remaining ones must tend to the most urgent, life-threatening cases first.

Iraqi refugees wait anxiously inside their apartments in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, for the phone call from the International Organization of Migration (IOM) telling them they have been selected to resettle in America, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Iceland. The children with nothing to do wait also.

In Jordan hundreds of thousands of dollars have been donated by the UN and various humanitarian organizations to expand schools so Iraqi refugee children can attend classes yet, few are. Constant bullying and beating from Jordanian and Palestinian children understandably make the Iraqi child want to stay indoors. Even going outside to play may become a battleground between the “locals” and the “foreigners.”

In Syria and Lebanon there are very few organizations that help the Iraqis. If a childs mother or father is caught working, they will be arrested and deported. Often the children are made to earn the money that supports the rest of the family.

Iraqi refugees are putting not only a strain on their current situation but lessening the chances of “resettlement” by giving birth to a new generation, a generation in exile.

But, what does the next generation of Iraqi children bearing not only physical but psychological scars hold? Will they in 10 in 20 years be able to patiently shrug off the sufferance of their tribe?

A young Iraqi child whose parents were targeted because his mother is a Sunni, his father a Shiite, wears the hat he made at a childs center in Amman, Jordan. He and his parents refused to show his face as even in Amman, they fear for their lives. August 2008.

An Iraqi girl shows the photo of her brother who was kidnapped, tortured and killed in Iraq. Her family was repeatedly threatened and finally left Iraq in June, 2008. Her father was also shot, he survived but is physically and mentally handicapped. She now begs for food and money and lives with her mother, father and younger brother in the Saida Zainab district of Damascus, Syria. September 2008

Hanna Hadi is a typical outspoken, fun loving 13 years old except that she suffers serious burns on her face, head, and body from a suicide bombing in 2004 in Al-Nafaf, Iraq. Hanna initially received treatment in Iraq, but after repeated surgeries she was still unable to eat properly, see, or breath. A doctor in Iraq recommended Hanna be accepted in the MSF program in Amman, Jordan. She has lived in the Kaser Jeddha Hotel for a year and has had several maxillofacial as well as plastic surgeries. She will undergo more plastic surgeries in hopes of gaining a resemblance to the young beautiful girl she once was, before returning to Iraq. September 2008.

Hanan is a quiet and sincere 13 years old who suffered serious burns to her chest and neck area from an explosion when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Al Najaf, Iraq. She now receives plastic surgery in Amman, Jordan in a program sponsored by MSF. September 2008

Somaya is 7 years old and from Nasereya, Iraq. She suffers from facial burns and broken bones, caused by an ambush car, which exploded near her home. The wounds lead to facial infections because of inadequate treatment in Iraq. Somaya now receives maxillofacial and plastic surgery medical treatment in Amman, Jordan through MSF. September 2008.

Haneen is 10 years old. In 2006 a car exploded near her house causing severe burns to her back, shoulder and arm. She was initially treated in Iraq but the severity of her wounds allowed her sponsorship in the MSF program for plastic surgery in Amman, Jordan. September 2008.

Elaf only 7 years old has severe burns on her right leg and lost her left leg when a missile exploded in her home in Nasereye in 2007. She has been fitted with a prosthetic leg and receives treatment for her burns in Amman, Jordan. September 2008.

Zenab exercises in the hallway under the concerned supervision of her mother at the Kaser Jeddha Hotel in Amman, Jordan. Zenab lost 10cm of bone from her right leg when a bomb exploded in a market place in Baghdad, Iraq. Her left leg and right arm were also burned. August, 2008.

A Shia Iraqi family taking care of their newborn twins at their home in the Dahiyeh District of Beirut. The man of the house was a professor in Iraq, but fled with his family to Lebanon 18 months ago when he was repeatedly threatened. Refugees like this family, waiting to be resettled, are now expanding their families while in exile. August 2008.

An 8-year-old Iraqi refugee works selling toys to tourists in the Al-Hamidieh market in Damascus, Syria. Iraqi refugees all across the Levant are not allowed to work, if caught by the authorities they will be arrested and deported. With savings spent, and very little assistance given by the UN, it is often up the refugee children to shoulder the responsibility of earning a living for their families. September, 2008.

Iraqi Sunni children hold a childrens’ Christian Story Book given to them by a group of Christians who run an Iraqi church in Amman, Jordan. Their mother died from blood poisoning last year in Amman. The children regularly attend educational programs sponsored by the church. Their interest in Jesus has caused great concern for the father who fears retribution from Muslim neighbors for allowing his children to attend these courses. The Iraqi refugee community remains divided even outside of Iraq. They do not confide in each other for fear that there maybe spies amongst them.
July, 2008.

A young Sabean Iraqi boy looks out a window of his family apartment in Amman, Jordan. Iraqi children are regularly bullied and beaten by Jordanian and Palestinian children whenever they venture out of their apartments. Iraqi parents have no legal rights and fear the attention any complaint against Jordanian citizens may bring to them and their status as refugees. Consequently, Iraqi children tend to stay indoors to avoid any trouble playing may cause to them and their family. July, 2008.

A teenage Iraqi girl in her bedroom in Amman, Jordan. She was molested by the mullah of the mosque her family went to for comfort. She no longer leaves the apartment for fear of neighborhood gossip.. She and her sister now stay inside all day long. Both hope someday to go to America, where they believe they will be safe - or as her family says, be able to confront anyone who tries to harm them. July 2008

Sara feeds her child, who suffers from severe cerebral palsy. Her daughter's health has steadily worsened since arriving in Damascus, Syria one year ago. Sara goes from one charity to another trying to get medical attention for her child. September 2008.

Living with his refugee family in Beirut, this Arabic-speaking Iraqi boy stays home from school and plays video games. In the school system he attends, classes are conducted in French or English, only - yet another disadvantage for those awaiting resettlement here. August 2008.

Wandering Amman on Holy Friday

Mohammed my new friend offered to drive me around Amman, and try finally to get my bearings. He took me to his neighborhood where thousands of Palestinians have lived since their diaspora.

Driving past another Palestinian refugee camp near the center of Amman, Jordan.

The amount of construction going on in Amman amazed me. I have been staying in the old city so a drive into the rich area made me question whether the real estate business in Jordan has benefited by the arrival of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees.

This is the construction site of the new super mall financed by the brother of Queen Noor.

Friday is the Holy and holiday in all Muslim countries. Many though not all stores are closed, government offices are closed, it’s the weekend. So today I thought I would drive around Amman with a friend of mine, Mohammed who is a Palestinian born in Qatar but is not allowed citizenship, instead he holds a Jordanian passport. He was in Qatar during the 1st Gulf War and told me how for a year most residents were not able to leave their homes. The Iraqi soldiers were brutal, they stole, they imprisoned and they terrorized the people of Qatar. He told me of how to make ends meet he would drive over 1000 km to Baghdad to buy cigarettes. On one of these trips he was stopped by Iraqi soldiers who made him give them 3 of the 10 boxes of cigarettes, it was that or come back empty handed. Finally, his family moved to Amman, Jordan where he got a job as a taxi driver and later as a bus driver for the tourism board of Jordan. He now lives alone in Qatar managing 3 restaurants, his family lives in Jordan because Qatar is too expensive.

While driving around the “new city of Amman” I noticed the amazing amount of building that is going on. It reminded me of Dubai. I asked Mohammed about this, he says that many investors do come of the Emirates.

I started thinking that it may have more to do with the influx of Iraqi refugees, the amount of money the UNHCR and other organizations have invested in the government structures such as schools, hospitals and yes housing. The amount of Iraqis renting homes fuels the real estate market here. Though yes the rent the Iraqis pay is cheap, it fuel the economy because all cheap housing is full! I will start asking around about this.

July 24, 2008 UNHCR interview

Ziad Ayad UNHCR Associate Research Officer in his office.

Ziad Ayad and intern Tamara in their office at the UNHCR headquarters in Amman, Jordan

A UNHCR poster showing that bribes to hasten asylum resettlement programs is not tolerated at the UNHCR.

After two days of trying to call the press attaché of UNHCR I decided it was time to test my luck and make a personal visit. I had expected long lines of Iraqi refugees but there were only a few people waiting outside. I asked the guards to speak to the contact Anna from Germany gave me, Rana Sweis but she had already left Amman, so I was directed to UNHCR Associate Research Officer Ziad Ayad,.

Please visit this link for more precise information about what the UNHCR is doing for Iraqi refugees. Or contact joram@unhcr.org

From Ziad I learned that in April 2007 UNHCR held “Humanitarian Crisis of Iraqi Refugees,” conference in Geneva lead directly to the speeding up of the UNHCR resettlement program. Until that time UNHCR had no substantial resettlement program in place. Iraqis who were able to leave had gone through the process of immigration, which means they had to apply directly to the country they wanted to immigrate to.

According to the UNHCR, as of June 2008, UNHCR has cumulatively registered over 54,400 individuals. While Iraqis are by far the largest group, UNHCR also assists many other nationalities and Persons of concern (POC) to UNHCR Jordan.

Presently the only durable solution available for refugees in Jordan is resettlement. In 2007 the resettlement process sped up because more than 16 countries are willing to accept Iraqis and have established “resettlement” quotas, which are now being met. In 2007 UNHCR set a submission target of 7500 Iraqis, they met this target and more with 8062 Iraqis registered and processed. A cumulative total of 4,663 persons have been submitted to these 16 countries.

To register a refugee or POC files out forms, has an interview, this is processed and an registration certificate is given. This document is legal protection and is valid for 6 months after which is must be renewed. If problems arise the UNHCR will defend those who have this document. The next step in the process is acquiring the blue card, which this card the person goes to the International Organization of Immigration (IOM) who then completes the resettlement program.

I asked about the some of the concerns of the people I have interviewed. One was concerning Muslims who had secretly converted to Christianity. That they were afraid to tell the caseworkers of their conversions, afraid of reprisals as it is illegal in the Kingdom of Jordan for a Muslim to convert. Ziad assured me that anyone giving information about their case had to be forthright and need not fear any reprisals. UNHCR staff are not considered an Arab, Muslim, Christian, Jordanian, Canadian, they are considered a UNHCR worker. (I am not sure if this information will calm the nerves of those who have or who want to convert, in fact, I am rather suspicious of this myself.)

I also asked Ziad who was given resettlement priority. He replied that priority was given to; single females, the elderly, children separated from their parents or relatives, and family reunification. He also drew attention that no cases could be processed with bias. In other words any fraud or bribes by UNHCR workers would be severely reprimanded.

In terms of working illegally, Mr Ayad told me of a conversation the director of the UNHCR Antonio B had with a high ranking member of the Jordanian government who stated that “ we know Iraqis are working illegally and we do not cover one eye, we cover two.”

When asked about the Jordanian governments role in the Iraqi refugee crisis Ziad confirmed what I have learnt from Jordanian Immigration officers, that in February 2008 King Abdullah of Jordan issued a general amnesty for Iraqi refugees who had over-stayed their resident visas. They were given two options.

First option: If they wanted to stay in Jordan they would have to pay 50% of the overstay fine which is 1.5JD per day. This may not seem like a lot but if a family of 5 or 6 have overstayed for years the total is enormous, up to 10,000JD. Most if not all Iraqi refugee families would find this impossible to pay.

Second option: if they choose to leave the fine would be waved. *This may account for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees who have left Jordan for Syria.

King Abdullah also gave a policy statement to the effect that Jordan will not encourage return until safety and dignity exists in Iraq.

It was a very pleasant meeting; the UNHCR Jordan staff were considerate, timely, informative and forthcoming. I would like to thank Ziad Ayad for his time and patience in meeting with me today July 24, 2008.

July 22, 2008 Artry

Artry (my friend and translator) an Armenian Iraqi refugee receiving physiotherapy at a private clinic in Amman.

Artrys therapist congratulating her on her quick response to treatment.

It was now time to take Artry to her physiotherapy. At the clinic I met the good Dr. a very dedicated and generous person extremely concerned with the situation of the refugees and locals who cannot afford treatment. The medicine is very expensive and often pays for patients out of his own pocket. As he went on to explain he cannot do it alone, he needs help and asked me if I know of any organizations that can assist.

Artrys therapist told me how well Artry is doing. In only 7 sessions she has gained balance and feels with the correct therapy Artry has a good chance of a full recovery. Artry suffered her form of cerebral palsy when she was born. Artry was a breach birth, the doctors pulled her out feet first and in the process damaged her hip and did not have enough oxygen. I asked Artrys parents what happened. They told me she was born in a private hospital in Iraq but the doctors didn’t do the right procedure. Until she was 12 years old Artry was paralyzed. Her father heard of a visting doctor from France who was performing the surgery Artry needed to be able to walk. The cost was too much for the family, so he went door to door begging. The surgery was a success. She can now walk, and function as any other person, though at great effort. Artry says, “see how much my father loves me.”

July 22, 2008 Interviews with Iraqi Refugees

Julan Ahmed Na’if and his wife from Fallujah now living in an apartment in Amman, Jordan

We left M and Z and I visited are Julan Ahmed Na’if and his wife from Fallujah. It is said that this couple are considering converting to Christianity but I seriously doubt it.
Julan was a reporter for the Falluja Tribes Shiek Council. Before being a journalist he worked as an electrician. But his dream was to be a journalist, so in 2005 he took a 6 month journalist course in Baghdad. Julan was almost killed by a bomb, which exploded in the next room of his office. Ibrahim Senat and Hadi Mora both directors of the news outlet were killed. Julan was kidnapped for 3 days. He was bound and gagged and placed in the trunk of a car. The American soldiers heard him banging on the car opened the trunk and after questioning him let him go home. When they saw his journalist card, the soldiers advised him to leave as soon as possible.

It was after this ordeal that Julan and his wife escaped to Syria by car and later came to Amman.

“I saw people who starved to death in Fallujah because we were not allowed to leave our houses for one year,” says Julans wife. “There was no medical treatment so a lot of old people or anyone who was sick, just stayed home and died. When the Americans left the Iraqi army came and they were much worse. They would take the pretty girls and keep them as sex slaves. They took our neighbors 19-year-old daughter, and kept her for a year, then they sent her home. Her family killed her, it was an honor killing.”

July 22, 2008 interviews with Iraqi Refugees

"M" going to his one room apartment in a poor neighborhood of Amman.

"M" and "Z" and their child, their faces are hidden as they fear reprisals from everyone!

Next Artry and I visited M and Z who live in a decrepit one room apartment for which the pay 15 JD a month. He worked as a “journalist” for the American forces. He endangered his life, the life of his wife and child as they posed as an innocent family traveling to visit family. They went to extremely dangerous areas, M with a hidden camera clipped on his shirt. M would film the fighters, pinpointing their location and well I will not get into details as its very very unsafe to speak of this. They are also converts to Christianity, a double price on their heads. Z’s brother converted in Iraq and fled years ago to Sweden.

Z told me of the bodies she saw who had been tortured. “ Everyone knows when it is Shia work, because they torture using cigarettes and then strangle people with wires. Sunnis would simply shoot them. My neighbor was visited in the night by the “DEATH ARMY” that’s the name we give to the Mehdi army, the Death Army! They came to my neighbor and said you must tell everyone we are good, we are better than good. My neighbor refused he said no, you are not good, you have no honor. They told him if you don’t say what we tell you we will take your wife. My neighbor said okay I will tell everyone you are good. No they said, you must tell them we are the best. My neighbor refused, saying he can not lie like that. They raped his wife in front of him and then threw their 3-month-old child against the wall. My neighbors’ wife died of shock. See what has happened to Iraq it’s the Iranians these Shia are animals they have no soul, they still hate us because of the war, they hate us and now they want to control Iraq.”

M told me in a cool and controlled manner that the Iranians are definitely in Iraq and are in the Death Army the Mehdi Army. The fighters speak fluent Arabic but when they are alone and think no one is around they switch to Farsi.

M seriously risked his life and saved hundreds of American soldiers due to his work. He has all the papers, which I have read, and which shocked me. He was allowed to carry weapons, had training etc etc and when he went to the American Embassy here they shut the door in his face! They are registered with the UNHCR and like all others are waiting, terrified that someone will find them and kill them.

“I am not afraid to die, they can even kill my husband. We did what we did and will suffer the consequences. But don’t kill my daughter, its not her fault. If they kill us okay, the church will look after our daughter, and she can live her life as a Christian, I will be happy if they just kill us but please please God don’t let them kill my beautiful daughter,” said Z as she held me, tears falling on my shoulders.

July 22, 2008 Interviews with Iraqi Refugees

Randa shows her UNHCR registration certificate in her apartment in Al Hussein, Amman, Jordan

Randas son looks out the window from his home in Al Hussein, Amman, Jordan. traumatized by the war in Iraq, this 5 year old boy will not go out of his home alone. He also suffers from constipation because he will not -go to the toilet.

Randa

Today I met up with Artry a 20-year-old Armenia refugee who has been in Amman for 5 years waiting to immigrate. She wants desperately to go to California and go shopping. She wants to be a teenager a real teenager, free to shop, to go to Starbucks, and most importantly to fully recover from cerebral palsy, which is a congenital birth defect. Artry is amazing, she is strong, and has learned excellent English. She has offered to be my interpreter. at

The first family we visited was Randa Haumis Paulus a Chalaean Christian who worked for CARITAS in Baghdad. “During the war we would go to victims of bombing, terror and try to stop the bleeding on the site, to prepare them for the ambulances,” says Randa of her service work. “I also visited victims, we gave money to Christian, Muslim it didn’t matter the organization we helped everyone. Then we started getting death threats for working for an international organization. I still don’t understand, we helped Muslims, everyone, why did they want to kill us for helping people? In our apartment building the Music store was bombed, there were rockets flying across the sky. The areas were so unsafe.” She went on to say, “we were rich, we had enough money, now it’s all gone, we spent it all coming here.”

Randa is married and has a 6-year-old son. “My son is traumatized from the war and suffers from severe constipation because he will not go to the toilet. He will not go out of the house without his me,” says Randa of her sons condition. “As far as government schools go, I will not send my son, I know that the Iraqi kids are called names, beaten up and this would only traumatize my son more.” Randa began crying when as she went on to say, “my son wants to play, he wants toys, he cries because he wants to have a normal life, he just wants to be a kid.”

The day we visited Randa had just received a refrigerator from a family who was able to immigrate. A few days ago he got a cupboard to put her clothes in and a bike for her son. The Iraqi refugees who do migrate give away their meager possessions to those left behind.

Randas family is also registered with the UNHCR but have no residency or guest visa. Randa is terrified because she works as a waitress in a club that caters to marriages. She earns 5JD a day and works from 4pm to 1am. She complains that the customers treat her badly, call her bitch and are very rude. She is tired and desperate and finds it difficult to sleep due to the stress and worry she faces everyday.

July 20 Iraqi refugees in Amman Jordan

Araz Humbersom a 40 year old Armenian electrician and his 32 year old wife Danchur Vresh in their modest home at the Al Mahat'ah refugee camp in Amman, Jordan.

Danchur Vresh showing the article by Washington Post writer, Pamela Constable about her mother who was shot by terrorists in 2005, simply because she worked doing laundry for the American Army. Washington Post writer.

Danchur shows a copy of the photo of her mother and colleagues who worked doing laundry for the American forces in Iraq. This photo is proof that going back to Iraq could be a death sentence.

I was asked into the home of Araz Humbersom a 40 year old Armenian electrician and his 32 year old wife Danchur Vresh. They are from Baghdad, and came to Jordan in March 2007. Their home in Al Mahatah camp is spacious, clean and very well kept, it costs 45JD. They get 70 JD from CARE and 40JD from the church every month. (To convert US$100.00 = 70JD) Both Araz and Danchur are registered with UNHCR, but are not allowed to work. Araz earns extra money by doing odd repair jobs from his home.

In Iraq Araz worked in hospitals as an electrician. After the war he took a job with a company owned by Iraqis to reconstruct Iraq. According to Araz, the company became a sub-contractor for the Americans or British. His 3 brothers also worked in various capacities for the “occupying forces.” Danchurs mother worked doing laundry for the Americans in Fallujah. They began receiving phone calls… death threats. Danchurs mother was shot but survived. To date Danchurs mother, father and sister have resettled in Australia.

Showing employment documents given by the Americans or any of the “coalition of the willing” speeds up the immigration program. Pamela Constable a writer for the Washington Post published a story and photo of Danchurs mother, this is excellent proof and a fast reliable ticket to a new life in a new land. But, having these documents in a room in Iraq or carrying them to Amman is surely a death ticket. Araz confirmed the dismemberment mode of terrorist retribution, when he told me of a fellow worker who was kidnapped and dismembered.

“Our biggest concern and why time is essential is because we are childless.” Says Danchur. “In Baghdad I was pregnant and had a miscarriage. I was scared all the time, my husband, his brothers, my mother, everyone in my family worked for the Americans. I worried all the time. That’s why I had the miscarriage and now I can’t get pregnant. I want to go to a country where I can get reproductive help and where people respect humans, respect life.”

July 20, 2008 Iraqi Church in Amman, Jordan

The Al Nami Iraqi church in Amman Jordan

Worshippers at the Al Nami Iraqi church in Amman, Jordan. The people attending the church insist upon not being photographed. I was given permission as long as I did not take any photos of peoples faces.

Ah yes I woke up very early to attend the Al Nami Church service which Mr. Osama told me started at 9am. After waiting til 9:30 on the church steps I called one of the members of the church. She told me that the church starts at 10:30am, so I had an hour to kill and wandered around the camp. I saw another community center in the heart of the camp and went in. There were about 200 kids, Iraqi, Palestinian, Jordanian all geared up for a 4 day camping trip. I met one of the mothers, Kholod a Palestinian refugee from Nablus. She was born in Jordan and has never seen Nablus, but like all other Palestinians I have met, refers to her origins as the birthplace of their exiled parents. “If Palestine was not occupied I would not want to go there, but while it’s occupied I will support the struggle.,” says Kholod of her relationship with Palestine.

Kholod is an incredibly bright, intelligent, independent, opinionated and modern thinking Palestinian woman. She is a strict Muslim, wears traditional Muslim clothing but does show her face. We began to talk of her refugee status. She divorced after 8 years of marriage; her ex-husband and his new wife are raising her 3 children. She is fine with this as it allows her to pursue her goal of getting a PHD in Biology. Kholod is now studying her masters and aske me to join her tomorrow on a field trip to gather herbs in Latifa, a desert town 3 hours south of Amman. All this familiarity and after only 20 minutes of conversation! It struck me then that this is why I love the Middle East, the chance meetings, and the open, warm heart of the people, the constant welcoming into their homes and lives. I said yes, and we made arrangements to meet at the Ragadan Bus station at 6 am tomorrow.

I said good-bye to the Kholod and the kids and went to the church. The door was unlocked; the members were arriving for the service. Suspicion greeted me with a handshake. What was I doing here, why did I want to take photos, who told me about the church, what would I do with the photos? An American woman who has lived in Amman for 11 years and is married to the senior pastor explained to me that I could not take any photos of peoples faces. It seems that other journalists have come to the church taken photos of the members, lied that they would no be published, and later the same photos were seen on the TV, this all caused much distress.

The majority of the church members are Assyrian and Chaldaen but the financing and actual running of the church is evangelical. The government allows the evangelicals to have churches but frown heavily upon missionary work. It is illegal for Muslims to convert, and if they are caught converting or preaching to Muslims, the church will most likely be closed and the “foreign leaders of the church” expelled from Jordan. After interviewing I found that they even fear for their lives. For more information on this please visit this link so I was very very careful not to take any photos showing anyones face, only the priest as he is an Iraqi Christian refugee.

The members were friendly and helpful and after going through my photos introduced me to Christian Iraqi refugees.

July 19, 2008 Osama Community Center

Iraqi, Palestinian, Jordanian women learning English at the Osama Community Center in Amman, Jordan.

Iraqi children playing at the Osama Community Center in Amman, Jordan

Today I went to the Osama Community Center (OCC) in the Al Muhata'ah refugee camp near the Ragadan bus station in Amman. Here I met volunteers from Taiwan, England and Germany teaching English to Iraqis, Palestinians and Jordanians. The Osama Community Center is sponsored by World Vision and is run by a British woman married to an Iraqi priest and Mr. Osama, the sheriff as he refers to himself with a great huge smile, leasing the building.

It’s now the summer session with limited classes: Monday to Thursday 9-12pm childrens’ classes, Sunday and Thursday night 6-8pm adults classes. In the adult classes I saw only women, it was explained that in the summer the men are too tired to come to class after working menial jobs in 39 degrees heat! I can’t say as I blame them! I found that all rooms were full of motivated students using their time to learn as much English as possible so they will be ready for life in America, Canada, or Australia. I offered my services but unfortunately there were no new classes and summer school finishes at the end of July, so instead I helped out by buying a new white board and markers.

What I liked best about the Osama Community Center is that it offers classes to all nationalities favoring no particular ethic group, gender, age, or religion. Christian, Muslim, Iraqi, Palestinian, Jordanian are all able to study for free. Drawing from my previous experience in the Middle East I find this absolutely necessary because giving preferences could lead to problems within the camp and draw negative attention from the Jordanian government. Most of the teachers and administration are Christian and affiliated with the Al Nami Church which is located nearby. The Al Nami Church is run by Iraqi Christians, mostly Assyrian and Chaldean. LINK Mr Osama invited me to attend the Sunday service and I have decided to attend.

July 18 Al Muhata'ah Refugee Camp

A view of a window in Al Muhat'ah refugee camp, just a 10 minute taxi ride from the center of Amman, Jordan.

Assan and his wife joking as they show their UNHCR registration papers.

I arrived in Amman the 14th of July and after much acclimatization and fact-finding I decided it was time to meet the Iraqi refugees. Mohammed, a police and security officer who I met at the Taj hotel, came as my translator. We went to the Al Muhata'ah Refugee Camp, a 10-minute taxi ride from the center of the old city of Amman. Originally a Palestinian refugee camp it now houses several hundred Iraqi refugees. The camp is similar to those in the West Bank, cramped living quarters, narrow winding streets, over populated, poor and unkempt, yet because its been home to refugees for more than 40 years there is a cross section of dilapidated and prosperous housing. The feeling I got from the Palestinians I met was that most everyone gets along and the Iraqis have been welcomed into the camp.

We went to the home of Assan Hamudi, a 23 years old Shia Iraqi refugee from Al Karmia, ( the district of Bagdad where Saddam Hussein was executed.) and his 18 year old Sunni wife Rusel Adan. They met in Amman and have been married for one year. Assan looks at his wife with a smile and tell me, “see Sunni and Shia can get along.”

Assan has been a refugee in Jordan for 4 years and Rusel for 9. Assan nonchalantly tells me of how he joined the Mehdi army when he was 19 but left after only 2 months because he was scared and appalled at the killing and destruction. He was scared of the Al Madi army, Al Qaeda, the Sunnis the Shias the Americans of everyone. He saw over 400 dead in the aftermath of the bombing of the Ashara Mosque. Then a couple months later his uncle who worked for the Americans was kidnapped by unknown terrorists and cut into pieces. It was the fear of insecurity and horror of the situation in Iraq that made Assan leave Baghdad for Amman.

Assan and Rusel are both registered with the UNHCR as refugees but have no residency or working visa. King Abdullah recognizes the plight of the refugees and at first allowed Iraqis to cross the border as guests. But due to the shear amount coming (up to 750,000 last year) the border is now closed. In January of 2008 King Abdullah granted a limited immunity for Iraqis who had overstayed their “guest” visa. He made into law that if they wanted to stay they had to register with the UNHCR and get a guest visa. If they could not pay, they would be given a period of a month to do so. Many have tried this but were not accepted and left for Syrai. In Jordan if any Iraqi is caught working they will be arrested and immediately deported to Iraq. Rusel told me about her mother who worked illegally in a sewing factory to support her family. Her mother was caught one year ago and deported to Iraq. Her father is still in Jordan.

“I am just happy to be alive, its better to stay here and be safe, no mujahdeen. Fear of kidnapping is very real, and it’s not just the terrorists it’s criminals. It’s Shia, it’s Sunni it’s everyone and everywhere, you never know when you leave your home if you will come back. Okay I have little hope and wait daily to immigrate anywhere but at least I am safe and my wife is safe and we can go and meet friends and talk,’ says Assan with his beautiful young wife smiling at his side.
As I was leaving the Hamudi home, Diad, a friend of Assans came for a visit. Diad told me a bit of his story. Diad escaped Iraqi 1 year ago with his younger brother. His mother was killed when heavily armed masked criminals entered a bus, stole the passengers’ money then shot everyone. Some of the passengers survived but his mother did not. Roughly 1 year later his father left their apartment one morning and never returned. Diad visibly shaken told me he doesn’t know if his father is alive or dead, his body was never found, and he was never heard from again.

Diad

Diad is also registered with the UNHCR and like all other Iraqis waits for the phone call either asking him to come for his interview or telling him he has been given asylum. Unfortunately, Diad is risking deportation and separation from his younger brother by working odd jobs. Diad tells me he has to, he has no option, he only gets a few Jordanian Dinar from the UNHCR, its not enough to pay his rent or food for his brother or himself. His biggest fear now is that he will be separated from his younger brother either by deportation or if both of them are not sponsored together by immigration. “I can’t go without my brother,” he says, “he is the only family I have left.”

Thierry Noir Donates to Hidden In Plain Sight

I am pleased and humbled to announce that Thierry Noir, my great friend from Berlin, has donated 6 paintings for the next "Hidden In Plain Sight" Exhibition and Event benefiting Iraqi and Palestinian Refugees. His paintings as well as photographs from internationally acclaimed photojournalists will be up for silent auction at our next event in Taiwan. Please keep coming back to our blog to find the venue and date.
Thank you Thierry!
Kloie

The following is a biography of Thierry taken from Wikipedia.

Thierry Noir is the man who contributed to the longest concrete painting in the world, the Berlin Wall. His paintings, with their bright colors and their melancholy poetry, survived longer than all the others did after the fall of the wall in 1989.

Thierry Noir was born in 1958 in Lyon, France. He came to Berlin in January of 1982 with two small suitcases, attracted by the music of David Bowie and Iggy Pop, who lived in West Berlin at this time. From April 1984, Thierry Noir and Christophe Bouchet started to paint the Berlin Wall.

As the years went by, the paintings took on phenomenal proportions, which were rapidly recognized by the international arts community. The object was not to embellish the wall but to demystify it.

The paintings of Thierry Noir became a symbol of new-found freedom after the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War.

The rock band U2 featured the artwork of Thierry Noir painted on Trabants (an East German brand of automobile), photos of which decorate their 1991 album Achtung Baby, which itself includes songs (such as 'Zoo Station") that have themes inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the changes taking place in Europe at the end of the Cold War.

http://www.galerie-noir.de/index.html

Laura El-Tantawy photos

I am pleased to say that Laura's photos have arrived from London and we will be showing them just in time for the ending of the exhibition in Chung Li, Taiwan. For more photos please be sure to check out her website at http://www.lauraeltantawy.com/main.php.

I met Laura at the James Nachtwey and David Allan Harvey workshop in Bangkok, November 2007. Her photos are amazing, for me more like paintings than photography, truely innovative.

Thanks Laura!

Ricardo Garcia

I am pleased to announce a new addition to "Hidden In Plain Sight" PHOTOGRAPHER Ricardo Garcia from RGPRESS. Ricardo has generously donated 6 photos from Haiti. Thank you Ricardo!

Also I would like everyone to know that Wednesday March 19th is the 5th year anniversary of the Illegal Occupation and War in Iraq. To mark this horrible day Musician and composer Andre Van Rensburgh will be performing, A film about Iraq is showing and we are holding a candle light vigil at the River Restaurant in Chung Li, Taiwan.

Come and join us as we remember this day and all the victims of war!

Opening Night

Hidden In Plain Sight
A Benefit for Iraqi and Palestinian Refugees
March 15th at the River Gallery and Bar in Chung Li, Taiwan

We did it, and I am grateful to all those involved in making our opening night such a resounding success. We still have 2 weeks at the River and so far have already raised 1200US for our project of establishing a community learning center for Iraqi and Palestinian artists in the Middle East.
Please keep coming back for news and updates.
Kloie