Refugee Contents Spring/Summer 2001 - ISSUE 11 Refugee Transitions exists to report on a wide range of refugee and human 3 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR rights issues of relevance to the work by Jorge Aroche of the members of the National Forum of Services for Survivors of Torture and 4 STILL WAITING.... Trauma; to focus attention on the impact and the quest for Nationhood of organised violence and human rights by Olga Yoldi abuses on health; to provide ideas on intervention models to address the health 14 RED CROSS and social needs of refugees; to debate Picking up Pieces and campaign for changes necessary to assist, empower and strengthen refugee by Peter Williamson communities in their settlement process 20 THE COURAGE TO ACT and ultimately bring together a vehicle for by Paris Aristotle cultural and personal expression. 22 Photography by GAI HAI NGUYEN Po Box 203, Fairfield NSW 2165 28 IN THE MODERN WORLD Ph: 02 9794 1900 Fax: 02 9794 1910 Interview with Wahid Razi by Peter Williamson EDITORIAL 33 THE REFUGEE CONVENTION Olga Yoldi and Peter Williamson. Where to from here? CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS by Sheree Went Jorge Aroche, Olga Yoldi, Peter Williamson, Paris Aristotle, Lachlan Murdoch, 34 PULL UP THE DRAWBRIDGE ON THE Sue Roxon, Zlata Nezirovic, Sheree Went, GATECRASHERS FROM HELL David Bolton, Eziz Bawermend, Peter Boully and David Finlay. by Lachlan Murdoch 38 FEELINGS ARE PHYSICAL: A somatic approach to post-traumatic stress by Sue Roxon 42 My Name is Zlata Nezirovic by Zlata Nezirovic 44 Film and book REVIEWS

PHOTOGRAPHY 48 POEM: THE SECRET DIARY OF A ROSE Cover photo by Peter Williamson. by Sherko Bekas Other professional photography by Gia Hai Nguyen and Denis Jones. The National Forum of Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma GRAPHIC DESIGN Michelle O’Reilly (NFSSTT) represents the following organisations:

ISSN 1441 6247 NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) PRINTING Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VSFT) Annandale Printing. Association of Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors (ASeTTS); WA SUBSCRIPTIONS See Page 37 Phoenix Support Service for Survivors of Torture and Trauma. Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma The views expressed in Refugee Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service Transitions are not necessarily the STTARS, South official views of STARTTS. Torture and Trauma Survivors Service of the (TTSSNT).

2 | Refugee Transitions Message from the Director By Jorge Aroche, Executive Director, STARTTS

From the shock and horror of the 11th of September, the ensuing conflict in and its Welcome to the eleventh multiple implications at every issue of Transitions, the first as level, to the Tampa incident and “Refugee Transitions” a national the further polarization of the magazine giving voice to the “refugee debate”, and a national views and concerns of the election where for the first time National Forum of Services for refugee issues, or rather border Survivors of Torture and Trauma control issues were sadly central (NFSSTT) and our clients and to the political debate, the last supporters. few months have been Some hard editorial decisions had extraordinarily eventful at to be made, however, and so Becoming a national magazine international and national we can look forward to the 12th has been a slow process, and mainstream levels. Inevitably, issue of “Refugee Transitions” continues to be a work in these events, and the often racist for a closer look at the process progress, albeit a very promising and short-sighted reactions to and outcome of the National one, as I hope you will judge both the events and the debate, NFSSTT Meeting and the Triple by yourself on the basis of the has affected the lives of many of J “Real Appeal”. The next issue quality of this issue. Already the our clients and ex-clients, and of will also include further scope of the articles has been refugee communities in general. commentary on current world enriched by our national base, issues from various perspectives, and this trend will continue. Similarly, a lot has happened at and on the national refugee the level of the forum (NFSSTT) debate, exploring Australia’s One of the difficulties that and individual agencies, including current policies from a long-term needed to be overcome in an incredibly productive 2nd impact perspective and looking becoming National included the National Meeting of staff from at its implications for the social increased cost of producing and NFSSTT member agencies capital of the nation. We will distributing “Transitions for focusing on the development of also provide the second part of Refugees”. The measures taken national standards for torture and the “Kurdistan and the quest to address this problem include trauma services in Australia (and for nationhood” article, covering reducing the frequency of commencing a process that will . publication from 4 to 3 issues per continue over the next couple year, and adjusting the price of of years), the very successful I hope you find reading this subscriptions. We also continue Triple J “Real Appeal”, raising issue of “REFUGEE Transitions” to search for sponsorship from funds for work with children and as stimulating as I have, and appropriate sources. adolescents, and tremendously once again, I invite you to successful in its own right as subscribe if you haven’t done Putting this issue together, a consciousness raising event, so already. On behalf of the notwithstanding the challenges of and many other exciting and staff and management of NFSSTT going national, has been one interesting projects somewhat agencies, I wish you the very of the most difficult challenges obscured by these “larger” best for 2002. faced by the production team events. Other notable events so far. So much has happened in the field included a very since our last “Winter” issue successful conference at UNSW Jorge Aroche of “Transitions”, that 48 pages that focused on various aspects seemed like nothing to of the refugee convention on its accommodate the number of 50th anniversary. comments and contributions to this issue of Transitions. Reflecting the substantial thought and internal debate involved, I believe this issue manages to provide a good mix of commentary on the larger events from a variety of perspectives, and our continuing commitment to focus on “forgotten conflicts” behind the genesis of refugees, and on providing a local focus and a voice for refugees and torture and trauma survivors.

Refugee Transitions | 3 Kurdistan was erased from world maps after World War I when the victorious nations carved up the Middle East and denied the of a nation state. Geographically, politically and economically marginalised, Kurds never stopped dreaming of a homeland but were never allowed to emerge as a coherent nation. OLGA YOLDI writes about their struggle. Still waiting….. KURDISTAN

4 | Refugee Transitions Last September, ’s parliament announced pean Union for membership. For a country that spent greater cultural freedom for the Kurds, after approving US$10 billion dollars annually repressing the Kurds in the several constitutional reforms including measures easing last 15 years of conflict, the reform package is seen as a restrictions on broadcasting and publishing in the Kurdish step forward. Although there is a long way to go Turkey language. This was the best news for Turkish Kurds in might find itself with no option but to seek a solution to decades but this was a reform package primarily aimed the Kurdish problem. at strengthening Turkey’s campaign to join the European “The process of democratisation could be successful in Union. Although the country had been accepted as a can- Turkey,” a representative of the Kurdistan Workers Party didate for membership in 1999, it was told it needed to said. “The Kurdish problem will be solved if the country clean up its human rights record before it could start acces- incorporates the Kurdish guerrillas and the Kurdistan Work- sion talks. ers Party in an appropriate democratic system. Violence The issue of Kurdish language rights continues to be embedded in society and the social structure will lose its highly sensitive, given that the conflict in the ethnic Kurdish meaning and will be dumped in the dustbin of history,” he dominated south east has claimed more than 30,000 lives added. since 1984. Successive Turkish governments have resisted Proposals to legalise Kurdish language education are lifting curbs on the use of the Kurdish language fearing absent from the reform package. Some politicians say that this would further fan separatism among the country’s esti- changes do not go far enough, that to be able to carry mated 19 million Kurds. “Parliament is on the way to going out major reforms it will be necessary to change the con- down in history as the pioneers of Turkey’s reformation stitution. “The present constitution should be scrapped all process,” wrote Ilnur Cevik, editor of the Turkish Daily together,” Mr Hasim Hasimi from the Motherland Party News. said to the Times. The Turkish parliament however stopped short of abol- The question is, how far is the Turkish government pre- ishing the death penalty -another condition set by the Euro- pared to go in order to enter the ? & the Quest for Nationhood

Refugee Transitions | 5 the lives of Kurds forever. Although some borders have A LONG HISTORY existed for centuries, the modern border became a major Kurds’ethnic roots reach back thousands of years to impediment for Kurdish unity and nationalism, as the Kurd- the dawn of Mesopotamia. They were not actually called ish population suddenly became separated, divided, and Kurds until the 7th century, when most of them converted fiercely controlled by governments. Frontiers would in fact to Islam. Kurdistan is situated in the mountains and plateau transform the lives of many Kurds, particularly the pastoral- where the states of Turkey, and meet (east and ists whose movements had been unrestrained by interna- south east Turkey, northern Iraq and western Iran.) tional borders for centuries. Kurds constitute 28 per cent of the population in Turkey Once frontiers were carved they would remain forever (about 19 million,) 24 per cent in Iraq, 12 per cent Iran and , language and identity have been con- and 10 per cent in . But Kurds can also be found in stantly undermined by the regimes of the countries they , and Azarbaijan. inhabit. “Kurdish people have existed as an identifiable group “The border was also increasingly used for smuggling, for possibly more than 2000 years, but only in the twen- still an important source of income in impoverished areas. tieth century did they acquire a sense of community as Permeable frontiers afforded refuge to those offended by Kurds,” Historian David McDowall writes in his book A the state. Kurdish leaders have been seeking sanctuary in Modern . “This sense of national com- neighbouring states…. They would cross the border when munity occurred at the same time when Turks and Arabs defeated and cross it again to resume their .” Mac- also began to embrace an ethnic sense of identity... As a Dowell writes. “With time borders have become less per- consequence Kurds had to compete against states intent meable. Surveillance has retarded Kurdish national progress on forging a new identity based upon an ethnicity that they and has largely suffocated Kurdish cross border trade.” felt denied their own identity. Kurds were disadvantaged In 1920 Kurds lost an opportunity to form their own because they lacked both a civic culture and an established modern nation state under the Treaty of Sevres, which literature.” was never ratified, later to be abandoned in favour of But do Kurds constitute a nation or are they just an the Treaty of Lausanne, which supported the division of ethnic group? Kurdistan does not enjoy international accep- Kurdistan. As a result, Kurds became the largest nation of tance as a nation within a recognised territory. It does not people without a homeland. They would remain minority constitute a nation state because it lacks the institutions of communities living in states with oppressive regimes that government as well as a shared language. In fact language forcibly imposed a national identity on all ethnic groups. differences, the prevalence of different scripts - Latin in Over the years a history of resistance would develop. Turkey, Cyrillic in the ex Soviet Union and Persian in Iraq Their demands for autonomy, self determination and sep- and Iran, cast a shadow on the uniqueness of a Kurdish lan- arate statehood would bring them into direct confronta- guage. , which is spoken by most northern Kurds tion with governments, which did not hesitate to declare and by southern Kurds, are perceived as dialects war on Kurdish freedom fighters and on the defenseless rather than languages and there are still constant debates civilians. about their status as languages. Still waiting….. KURDISTAN Kurdistan is however real - it has survived in the imagina- A CLASS STRUGGLE tion of most Kurdish nationalist groups and many Kurdish On 29 June 1999 a Turkish court convicted Kurdistan people who deeply believe in a Kurdish homeland-. Never- Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan to death. The Turk- theless Kurdistan is also an imaginary place. It has acquired ish state called Ocalan a terrorist but many Kurdish people a mystical quality as the land of mountains, wheat fields looked upon him as their leader. Following his conviction and deep fertile valleys, a place located in a major cross- he declared: road of the world, where ancient tribes and nomads used “My sadness stems from the fact that Turkey could not to live and wonder, where Kurds shared a common ances- learn from the policies applied in the world. Although a try, a common culture and myths. solution was possible for Kurdistan we did not seize the Historians have written that Kurdish identity was forged opportunity.” in the 1920s, but it was extreme poverty and state oppres- Abdullah Ocalan had grown up a Muslim but became sion that fuelled over the years. How- a Marxist while studying Political Science at Ankara Uni- ever, the task of building a homeland would prove difficult versity. In August 1984, Ocalan and small group of friends if not impossible, as governments sought the assimilation formed a clandestine group that ultimately became the Par- of Kurds into their own territories and perceived Kurdish tiya Karkari Kurdistan PKK -The Kurdistan Workers Party, nationalism as a threat to the integrity of their national sov- based on a Marxist- Leninist ideology. They launched a ereignty. series of attacks and ambushes on Turkish forces in the It was the introduction of modern borders that changed Kurdish region and decided that theirs would be a class

6 | Refugee Transitions Peshmerga (freedom fighter)

war. They were angry at the exploitation of both the rural ogy challenged the social order. and urban proletariat at the hands of Kurdish landlords, The government retaliated by employing Kurdish tribes- merchants and the ruling establishment. Ocalan decided to men to work as armed guards. Their mission was to guard sever all ties with the Turkish left as he saw it as an inap- the border areas to block PKK access to supplies and logis- propriate vehicle to represent Kurdish interests and was tics. This strategy turned out to be effective in dividing the able to suppress other Kurdish voices. . The government exerted pressure on & the Quest for Nationhood The PKK’s manifesto consisted of educating the poor, the Deprived of their livelihood, their homes students, on breaking traditions that kept Kurds backward and the land where they had lived for and on creating a free, open and progressive society. They generations, many had nowhere to go. recruited militants from the poorest and most oppressed sectors of Kurdish society in an effort to drive all Turkish forces from Kurdish territory and establish a united and tribes (that were believed to be loyal to the state and hos- independent Kurdistan. tile to the tribes that supported the PKK) to join the village The PKK initially declared war against the security forces, guards. Some tribesmen were expelled from their villages for they represented state oppression and against the land- when they refused to join the guards. Others decided to lords, who were perceived as perpetuating feudalism. For leave to avoid being caught between the PKK and the vil- many years a small group of landlords had owned most of lage guards. Those left behind soon became polarised by the land, (less than 3 per cent of the population owned the conflict. Because village guards knew the mountains as 33 per cent of the arable land) and as a result had enor- well as the PKK guerrilla fighters, they were much more mous power. The PKK started to shoot at landlords and effective in fighting the guerrillas than regular military units. launched spectacular ambushes against the security forces. The PKK retaliated with brutal attacks. But in the process it created a climate of fear and great As time went by the PKK was becoming a threat to ambivalence among ordinary Kurds. Some admired it for the Turkish state because of the mass support it enjoyed its courage but others loathed it because its Marxist ideol- from the Kurdish people. Conditions of life deteriorated

Refugee Transitions | 7 as the conflict intensified. The government introduced a law prohibiting all expressions of Kurdish culture and allo- cated 200,000 troops to Kurdish areas. was now invaded not only by the guerrillas but also by the police, the gendarmerie, the army and the village guards. Troops continued killing guerrillas and civilians. President Suleyman Demirel announced that the counter insurgency operation would involve systematic cleansing and deporta- tion and indeed this is what happened. The Turkish govern- ment not only committed the most dreadful human rights violations against Kurds, such as physical abuse and torture of detainees, extra judicial killings and disappearances, but it also implemented a strategy of mass deportation of Kurd- ish people. By 1993, three hundred and sixty five villages had been emptied and three million people made home- less. Deprived of their livelihood, their homes and the land where they had lived for generations many had nowhere to go. According to Human Rights Watch evacuations were carried out with extreme brutality by the armed forces. They were not only forced to leave their homes but saw their houses being destroyed and their possessions plun- dered. Most had to seek shelter in surrounding areas ini- tially and later migrated to larger cities where they found themselves living in shantytowns. With no employment, education or connections an uncertain future awaited them. Few were able to escape the trauma of the violence and dislocation. Turkey unsuccessfully sought the cooperation of its neigh- bours in an attempt to eradicate the PKK, but neither Iran nor Syria (which was backing the PKK) committed them- selves. In the early 1990s he PKK changed its direction. It Muhamed Saeed 1961. He now lives in . Still waiting….. KURDISTAN “The state does not negotiate with terrorists,” he said. stopped attacking civilians and, for the first time, Ocalan spoke of federalism as an option instead of separate state- In May, Ocalan declared the ceasefire over and hood. He seemed to have reached the conclusion that the resumed fighting, now launching a series of attacks on PKK would never defeat the Turkish army and the con- tourist areas, and taking tourists hostage. The PKK also flict would never be solved by military means. In Decem- attacked the Turkish embassy in . ber 1991 Ocalan announced his readiness to abandon the By 1993 the PKK had been waging war for a decade, armed struggle for a negotiated solution. but the armed struggle had not been effective in defeat- The army continued its attacks on villages and guer- ing the Turkish army or bringing a political solution to rillas penetrating Northern Iraq where PKK had some the Kurdish conflict. By 1996 it was struggling to maintain bases. However in 1992 President Turgut Ozal seemed to logistics and access to food and water. In 1998 Ocalan have had a change of heart and was now more receptive who had to leave his base in Syria, was arrested in Nairobi to the idea of the PKK having a voice in Turkey’s political and brought back to Turkey to face trial. He was found system. guilty of treason and sentenced to death, but his case was taken to the European court in Strasbourg. Ocalan’s In March 1993 Ocalan declared a ceasefire. He lawyer spoke of the unlawful abduction in Nairobi and the demanded cultural freedom, the abolition of the village inadequate facilities for the preparation of his defense. guards, an end to the state emergency in Kurdistan and President Demirel assured the international community the recognition of Kurdish political rights. Unfortunately that Turkey would indeed abide by Strasbourg’s ruling. President Ozal, who was trying to convince the parlia- ment to consider a peace process, died of a heart attack. Following Ocalan’s trial many PKK supporters were Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel interpreted the cease- detained by security forces and repression against the fire as a sign of weakness and refused to initiate talks. Kurds continued unabated. Ocalan called from prison for

8 | Refugee Transitions a complete cessation of PKK military activity and the PKK were wounded. Many of these were women and children. announced that while it would abandon the armed strug- According to Middle East Watch, survivors who sought gle, Ocalan would continue to be their leader. medical attention in Arbil were arrested, taken away and all males executed. The army won the war against the Kurdish guerrillas had been captured by Iranian troops aided by but at a high price. The cost of suppressing the Kurds was Kurdish guerrillas during the Iran-Iraq war, so the attacks more than US$100 billion since 1984. Had this money been were perceived as a punishment to the Kurdish population invested in much needed economic development, educa- for sympathising with Iran tion and health services in neglected Anatolia, the seeds of According to British geneticist Dr Christine Gosden, revolution may never have been sown. who visited Halabja, the Iraqi government had been devel- Apart from the suffering inflicted on individuals and oping chemical weapons such as the potent nerve agent families and the loss of life the conflict hindered the VX, biological nerve gases such as sarin and tabun, and political evolution of Turkey as a free democratic society. mustard gas, which burn, mutate DNA and cause malfor- Military repression inevitably weakened civil society and mations and cancer. These gases can also kill, paralyze and human rights abuses brought Turkey into conflict with cause immediate and lasting neuropsychiatric damage. Dr Europe. Gosden writes that Saddam had also developed biological The war also had a devastating impact on the economy, weapons such as anthrax and the viciously toxic mycotox- agriculture and the environment. The Kurdish provinces ins. continue to be unquestionably the poorest in Turkey yet “It is likely that the Iraqi government used mycotoxins they receive only 10 per cent of the national development in the Halabja bombing. This is one of the most dangerous budget. Decades of total neglect have resulted in extreme biological agents ever devised because they are capable of poverty, high levels of illiteracy among the Kurdish popu- producing the effect we fear most - being driven mad by lation and a total lack of development. These are the real designer psychosis and killing people from rapidly growing sources of oppression of the Kurdish people. untreatable cancers,” she wrote. The recently announced greater cultural freedom for About 250,000 people survived the chemical attacks. the Kurds will be of little value, unless the government Ten years later survivors are still suffering from neurological takes serious steps to reverse the economic disparities damage and dying from cancers and respiratory ailments. between eastern and western Turkey, by investing in devel- The Ba’ath Party of Iraq had a long history of perpetrat- opment, education and employment creation. Cultural ing atrocities against the Kurds. It has always been an enthu- freedom will not mean much to the Kurdish people, if siastic promoter of pan-Arabism - the unification of the they continue to be deprived of the most basic and fun- Arab world through a form of Socialism based on nations, damental human rights. not on class - and during the Cold War found strong allies in Western countries such as the US. & the Quest for Nationhood The Kurds have been viewed as the weeds disturbing the Ba’athist vision. Khaled Salith SADDAM’S EXPERIMENTS - On 17 March 1988 many people in the town of Halabja Iraqi Kurds under ’s regime had two in Iraqi Kurdistan were not able to rise from their beds. options: assimilation or extermination. In 1975 the Ba’ath They died unaware in their sleep. Just before sunrise fighter Party embarked on the Arabisation of the oil producing planes dropped tons of chemical and biological weapons areas in Kurdistan, evicting Kurdish farmers and replacing on defenseless civilians. them with Arab tribesmen from the south. That same year The chemical bombardment had indeed been unprec- when the Kurdistan Democratic Party fled to Iran, after the edented in the history of the war against the Kurds. “The collapse of the Kurdish uprising, many tribes were forced sound of crying and groans rose from every house… Many to leave their homes, their land and resettle in the barren who survived the early morning bombings died later. That desert in the south of Iraq. Later a quarter of a million Friday afternoon, the magnitude of the Iraqi government’s people would also be forcibly evacuated from their homes crimes became evident. In the streets and alleys of Hal- by the borders with Iraq and Turkey. abja, corpses piled up over one another. Children standing Arabisation also meant that Kurds could neither sell their in front of their houses in the morning died from breath- homes to other Kurds, nor could they build new homes or ing cyanide gases.” Dr Christine Gosden and Mike Amitay inherit land or property. write in their article Chemical Attack of Halabja by the Iraqi Regime. Divisions and rivalries within the opposition made the fight against Saddam a difficult task. When Iraq invaded More than 5,000 people died and over 10,000 more Iran in 1980 the Kurdish leadership was deeply divided. The

Refugee Transitions | 9 Pesmegra (freedom fighters) Still waiting….. KURDISTAN Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of him support to defeat Iran. Kurdistan (PUK), the Kurdistan Socialist Party (KSP) and In November 1986 Talabani and Barzani formed a coali- the had a common goal: to over- tion in Iran and announced the creation of the Kurdistan throw the Ba’ath regime; but they were neither unified nor National Front, which included most Kurdish political par- coordinated in their efforts. ties. The Front would unify pesmergha forces and would be The KDP and PUK’s guerrilla forces known as peshmer- backed by Iran. Saddam, who had boasted the Kurds would gas - those near death operated independently from one not achieve anything because they were divided, saw the another launching attacks against Iraqi troops and pro-gov- Front as a threat. ernment Kurdish militias, known as jash. Divisions and rival- One year later when the Iraq-Iran war was coming to ries were so deeply entrenched that both Kurdish parties an end, Saddam appointed his cousin, General Ali Hasan would later end up fighting against one another. al Majid, as Governor of the North and vested him with The KUP was established in Syria and supported by Syria absolute powers to settle the Kurdish problem once and and later Iran. The KDP, which revived its alliance with Iran for all. after 1978, assisted the Iranian army to capture a border Al Majid wasted no time in launching the Anfal cam- town during the Iraq Iran war in 1983. paign -a series of military offensives between 1987 and Saddam, who saw the dangers of Iranian cooperation 1989 against PUK strongholds and civilians. The Anfal cam- with the Kurds, made attempts to negotiate with the KDP paign, which included the bombing of Halabja, systemati- leader Masud Barzani but negotiations failed. Then he cally destroyed 4,000 Kurdish villages, killed more than approached PUK leader , who announced a 182,000 Kurds and left 1.4 million homeless. Few managed cease-fire. Talabani made a series of demands including the to escape their deaths by crossing the snow bound moun- release of political prisoners, obtaining 30 per cent of oil tains to the east. revenue for the development of Kurdistan and an exten- sion of the autonomous region to include the oil rich town GENOCIDE IN KURDISTAN of . The PUK argued that democratic elections in According to Middle East Watch, the Iraq were fundamental for a free Kurdistan. But Saddam was not intended as an exemplary punishment to the Kurd- would not compromise, particularly after the US promised

10 | Refugee Transitions ish people for their presumed collaboration with Iran or based on the rhetoric of pan-Arabism. “The Kurds have for supporting Kurdish guerrillas. been viewed as the weeds disturbing the Ba’athist vision of “Punishment is not exemplary if there is no one left Arab Iraq…They have never given up their dream. When to witness the lesson, and Anfal was thus not intended as the dream is embraced by an absolute power able to punishment. Anfal was a ‘final solution,’ implemented by monopolise rational action, and when the power is totally the Iraqi government, the Ba’ath Party and the Iraqi army. free from effective social control, genocide follows.” It was intended to make the Kurds of Iraqi Kurdistan and There is no doubt that Anfal did inflict a deep wound in their rural way of life disappear forever. Only such an intent Iraqi Kurdistan. Apart from systematically destroying Kurd- can explain the precise, neat and thorough of istan, it left thousands of widows and an even greater the already empty Kurdish villages, and the fact that Anfal number of orphans destitute, many of them seriously trau- encompassed virtually all Kurdish villages.” According to matised by the brutality they had witnessed. Without tra- Middle East Watch. ditional support structures, many women took years to Through a policy of shoot to kill, the first of Al Majid’s return to their villages. directives was to ban all human existence in the ‘prohibited Anfal with all its horror, devastation and death was not areas.’ People’s only crime was to have been born Kurd- the end of violence. Following the 1990 and mili- ish. tary defeat of Iraq, another Kurdish uprising followed. This These ethnic cleansing operations started with chemical time initiated by ordinary Kurds and the pro-government attacks from the air on both civilian and peshmerga targets. Kurdish militia known as jash, who up until that time had After the initial assault, ground troops and jash surrounded been regarded as mercenaries and the enemies of the Kurd- the areas destroying all human habitation in their path, ish people. looting household possessions and farm animals and setting The KDP and PUK, keeping low profiles during the Gulf fire to homes, before calling in demolition crews. Army war, soon succeeded in taking control of the uprising. But trucks transported the villagers to transit camps. Men and after a few weeks of chaotic freedom, Iraq’s elite Repub- women were segregated. Women and children were taken lican Guard, aided by Iranian mujahideen, retaliated with to camps with no facilities, the elderly to abandoned pris- such brutality that entire populations were driven out in a ons where many died as a result of neglect, starvation and panic stampede towards the Turkish and Iranian borders. disease. Although the majority of women, children and One and a half million Kurds attempted to reach safety elderly, who had survived the ordeal, were released after - only those crossing the Iranian border managed to do an official amnesty to mark the end of Anfal in September & the Quest for Nationhood 1988, the men were never seen again. They had been sys- so. Turkey, fearing serious destabilisation, refused to admit tematically shot by firing squads and buried in mass graves them and hundreds of thousands spent weeks on the in the desert. According to Middle East Watch, only 6 men border, in freezing temperatures, exposed to snow and survived to tell their own story. mud. Dr Clyde Snow, a well known US anthropologist, work- “Mothers carrying babies confronted Turkish troops ing in Iraq for a human rights organisation found skulls of …begging to be allowed through to seek medical assis- young men in the mass graves with neck wounds and also tance…Others brought grandparents on their backs or car- the corpses of women who had been strangled. ried in makeshift stretchers of blankets. But anyone who Zygmunt Baumand in his book Modernity and Holo- tried to cross into Turkey was beaten back with rifle butts,” caust defines mass murder as “a virtual absence of all spon- a journalist from The Independent Newspaper wrote. taneity on the one hand, and the prominence of rational, Contrary to all predictions President Bush did not want carefully calculated design on the other. The purpose of Saddam to loose control of Iraq after all and the Kurdish the modern genocide is a grand vision of a better and radi- problem was described as ‘an internal affair’ in which Bush cally different society. Here a ‘gardener’s vision is projected would not interfere. So American troops watched as Kurd- upon a society.” He writes. “As in the case of the garden- ish people were killed by Saddam’s troops. However, tele- ers, the designers of the perfect society hate the weeds vision images of death, cruelty and distress mobilised public that spoil their design. The weeds surrounding the desired opinion. The and its allies, unable to solve society must be exterminated, it is a problem that has to the refugee problem, created a safe heaven for the dis- be solved; the weeds must die not so much because of placed Kurds in northern Iraq, by prohibiting Iraqi planes what they are, but because of what the beautiful, orderly from flying north of the 36th parallel and by pushing the garden ought to be.” Iraqi troops southwards. According to researcher Khaled Salih, the Ba’athist rulers The refugees on the Turkish border were first relocated of Iraq have always desired to create a conflict-free, har- to camps inside the safe haven. This was complemented by monious and orderly society, controlled and docile and the a massive relief operation organised by NGOs and other Kurds have constituted the main challenge to this vision, agencies under the terms of a Memorandum of Under-

Refugee Transitions | 11 standing agreed by the UN and the Iraqi government in the destroyed villages, the infrastructure and, most impor- April 1991. By the summer, a large part of Iraqi Kurdistan tantly, the economy. was controlled by Kurds under international protection. But restoring a devastated economy would prove far In the absence of any Coalition intervention the Kurdish too challenging for the newly established, unrecognised de National Front agreed to negotiate with the government. facto government, for Saddam’s economic war and the Saddam proposed a settlement based on the principle of embargo imposed by the UN made Iraqi Kurdistan totally confederation, but the Front wanted an autonomy pact dependent on external aid and on the existing social infra- with Coalition protection. The parties could not agree. structure of the Iraqi regime. When negotiations failed Saddam decided to punish the “Before the Kurdish uprising Iraqi society had become Kurds by imposing an economic blockade on Kurdistan. He dependent on oil money, from the Kurdish area and even withdrew its civil administration and separated the region basic foods were not produced inside the country. Every- from the rest of Iraq. He imposed an internal embargo that cut Iraqi Kurdistan from the national electricity net- For the first time in the Kurdish history, oil work, stopped monthly food rations, caused financial losses when the 25-dinar currency note was summarily cancelled money is being used for development rather and blocked the supply of vital heating and cooking fuels. than destruction Dr Jamal Fuad Saddam also prohibited the sick from seeking specialised medical treatment elsewhere in the country and stopped salaries and pensions of tens of thousands of active civil thing was imported. Kurdish farmers in Iraq were prohib- servants. ited from cultivating the land and were forced to move He was determined to make life unbearable in the safe into big collective towns under military supervision. After haven, particularly during the long and cold winter. A cold the uprising the international aid mechanism just replaced and starving population would have no choice but reject the former Iraqi system. Now the whole economy became the Front and submit to his terms. But the Front declared dependent on international humanitarian aid,” according its intention of replacing the old Legislative Assembly with a to an aid worker quoted in the book Kurdistan in the Shadow democratically elected parliament and a leader. It was time of History. to establish clear leadership and a proper government for Saddam sought to destabilise the area even further by Iraqi Kurdistan. delaying relief trucks from crossing into Iraqi Kurdistan and Still waiting….. KURDISTAN attacking UN staff. On the other hand international aid SELF RULE IN SAFE HAVEN agencies refused to consult with the KRG on any matters For the very first time in the history of Kurdistan, on because it was not internationally recognised. 19 May 1992, Kurds broke their silence by exercising their “The Kurdistan Regional Government was by-passed by democratic rights electing a government of their choice. international aid agencies on the most pressing issue it Calling the election “a farce and a crime organised by their faced, the rehabilitation of Kurdistan. To deny the Kurds American masters and implemented by Kurdish lackeys” control over their own requirements contradicted the basic Saddam Hussein tried hard to disrupt them but couldn’t. principles of relief and development, this was particularly “I never believed that one day I would vote in Kurdistan. so, given the enormity of the task of recovery.” historian It’s like a dream come true…” Mumtaz, an Iraqi Kurd living David McDowall writes: in Britain who had returned for the occasion, said to The Difficult economic conditions and a lack of power to Middle East Newspaper. run a functional democracy led to tensions within the KRG The main contenders for power were the KDP and PUK leadership. Ideological clashes led to increased antagonism who won the elections, receiving almost equal number of between Barzani and Talabani who had very different lead- votes. Fuad Masum from the PUK was appointed Prime ership styles. Disagreements over the divisions of tolls and Minister of the newly established Kurdistan Regional Gov- customs fees levied at the borders led to hostility, to the ernment (KRG). point that in 1994 an armed conflict broke out between the The elections constituted not only a threat to Saddam KDP and the PUK. but to Turkey and Iran, which refused to recognise the Now Iraqi Kurdistan was facing a civil war, supported by KRG. Turkey and Iran, that in an effort to extend their influence Both parties agreed to divide all government positions over the region, donated weapons and money to both par- equally and to have each minister seconded by a deputy ties, but alliances continually shifted. of the other party. Barzani and Talabani agreed to stand This wasn’t the first time neighbouring countries had outside government in order to pursue international diplo- interfered in Kurdish politics. Simko Halmet, PUK repre- macy. Apart from lobbying the international community sentative in Australia says that the Iranian, Iraqi and Turk- for recognition, their mission was to reconstruct and revive ish governments have always used other Kurds to fight

12 | Refugee Transitions against their own. “Iraq supports the Kurds from Turkey, “For the first time in the Kurdish history, oil money not because they like them but because they use them is being used for development rather than destruction,” against Kurds in their own country” he says. Attempts at Dr Jamal Fuad says. As a result infant mortality rates have mediation by countries such as Iran, the US and led declined and 80 percent of destroyed villages have been to temporary cease fires but did not prevent the escalation rehabilitated as well as the infrastructure. There is still a of the civil war which was now further complicated by the long way to go, though, in terms of economic development intervention of the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan. and in reviving the agriculture - the very foundation of the Open hostilities reached a peak in 1996 when Barzani’s Kurdish economy. peshmerga joined the Iraqi army in an attempt to defeat “The number one factor for the revival of the agricul- the PUK once and for all. For the first time Saddam’s army tural sector is the return of the rural communities to their penetrated the safe haven and occupied the city of Arbil. earlier habitat,” Dr Jamal Fuad says. In September 1998 both parties signed a peace accord, But economic and political uncertainty is undermining brokered by the US, which ended the conflict and set a the potential of this democratic experiment in Iraqi Kurdis- course for a united Kurdish authority. tan, for Kurds are in constant fear that Iraq may want to The civil war left 1,000 dead, thousands displaced and regain its control over Kurdistan. In fact, Iraq continues to Iraqi Kurdistan politically and militarily partitioned between destabilise the area with its Arabisation policy. the two parties. Many Kurds left the area as they had lost On the other hand the lack of economic opportunities confidence in the leadership that was perceived as being are contributing to people leaving the region. “Without more interested in their own than in the a permanent political solution that includes international task of governing. guarantees for the safety and security of the region and “Civil war is nothing new, all nations have been through a share of resources it is unlikely that the needed capital wars and rivalries. Even the US and France had civil wars.” investment and entrepreneurial activity will take place that Simko Halmet says. He reflects on the past in his will result on a stronger economy and more employment home. “You have to understand that this is a generation of opportunities.” Dr , President of the Iraqi Kurds educated under the Ba’ath dictatorship. Kurds have Kurdistan National Assembly, writes. been oppressed, treated like animals, poisoned with gas. After all that you can’t expect this generation to be peace- Most Kurds want democracy and freedom from oppres- ful and democratic. The PUK for example is now talking sion and most importantly, they want to live in peace. Sepa- & the Quest for Nationhood about civil and human rights. There has been an evolution rate statehood is no longer seen as an option among many in their thinking,” he says. Kurds who are prepared to accept a federal system. “We Simko was a freedom fighter for 5 years. He knows well have a dream. We want to live in a free and democratic the mountains of Kurdistan. He joined the pershmerga at Iraq that respects the basic human rights of people.” Dr the age of 18 and has no regrets for having dedicated an Shaways writes. important part of his life to the cause. “We are learning to Syrian born Kurdistan National Congress leader, Dr forgive ourselves” he says. “If we don’t, how are we going Jawad Mella, has called for the creation of Kurdish unity to live with each other?” and for the issue of Iraqi Kurdistan to be placed in the international agenda. He believes that the regimes govern- AN UNEASY COEXISTANCE ing Kurdistan aren’t democratic and they also abuse their The Kurdish de facto government has somehow survived own citizens, so in such political systems Kurds will never the last ten years, in spite of the embargos, the internal be free from oppression so separate statehood is the only conflicts and the constant threat of Saddam Hussein. This solution. represents an achievement in itself. “It is time to put aside our differences,” he said in an “Now that we have tasted freedom, there is no way we interview. “Kurdhood is in the heart and the mind. It is in can be pushed back to the pre Gulf war era by subjecting the spirit and motivation that leads many Kurds to continue us once again to the dictatorial rule or any other rule of their struggle for recognition of their forgotten nation.” He .” Dr Jamal Fuad, Minister of Agriculture and Sec- said. retary to the Planning Council of the KRG, said at a recent It is that spirit and motivation that has kept Kurdish iden- Kurdish conference in Sydney. tity and nationalism alive through decades of oppression. Thanks to the 13 per cent of the share of the public oil Whether Kurds attain a federal system remains an open revenues that Iraqi Kurdistan receives since 1996 (under the question, as it will depend on the political and economic UN Security Council Resolution), the area has come out future directions of the regimes ruling Kurdistan. One thing of poverty. For the very first time the region has received is quite clear: the dream of a homeland is not dead yet and a share of its own resources which has allowed for some as for the Kurdish spirit, it has survived intact.  development.

Refugee Transitions | 13 14 | Refugee Transitions Picking up pieces The ICRC and Red Cross/ Red Crescent Societies around the world have an unending task to put together those scattered by the mayhem of war and natural disasters. PETER WILLIAMSON visited the Australian Red Cross and heard refugees tell their stories.

“On their way back the Croatians started shooting. “While we were still at home, before we ran away My mother told my dad to run, but he didn’t want to run, to Benkovac, I was sleeping in my clothes and shoes and and he stayed there. So he got caught, him and another everything, in case they attacked, and underneath the three men. They kept my dad in the car, while they took window we cleared the pebbles and the grass, in case the other three into the police station. And that was the the Croatians came. One time we went to my grandpar- last they saw him. It’s been ten years this month. The ents’ house, and my mum and my auntie took some guns first of this month.” that they had for hunting rabbits and things. They were Branka can recall every detail of what followed. “I was patrolling, and they were so scared, just the two of them. in the hotel playing with my friends in the corridor and The men were at work.” one of the boys my age walked past and said: ‘They’ve “We were there a couple of weeks, and then they taken your dad,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, right’. So I went into said it was okay, so we went back. Then a couple of my room and my mum was crying and I said, “What weeks later, my dad said we had to go again. So we the hell happened?” and she hung her head and started packed up. And I still remember one thing, me and my crying. I can play it over and over; every detail, what mum were packing my things in my bedroom, and I had colour the blankets were, where she was, what she was one of my pictures in a frame, and I said ‘Mum, can I take doing. Everything. I was nearly nine.” this?’ And she said, ‘No, we’ll be back’. But we never did Every year tens of thousands of people go missing go back.” in wars. Almost all are civilians. Millions are separated Unable to return home, her mother eventually found from their families - driven from their homes, torn apart - refuge for the family in Australia. “My mum was going mothers from children, men from their wives. And some through the Red Cross, and trying to find my dad. And are never found. Unanswered questions about lost loved my cousins that stayed back as well. They tried to go ones haunt the victims of this misery for all of their lives. through the government, but nothing ever came up. I It is the job of the Red Cross Tracing Agency and Refu- think they have lost hope, because they call my dad gee Service to put back the pieces. Carolyn Jones and ‘deceased’. And that’s really painful, because we haven’t her team of four paid staffers and four volunteers in the lost hope.” NSW division are working on about 300 searches for In Australia life has been hard for her mother, work- missing people and about 200 messages at any one time. ing to support her three children at school. Branka works, Nationally, the Australian Red Cross has handled 50,000 too, at weekends. The family, however, is unable to dis- cases in its tracing services across all states, including 800 cuss their loss. The subject of Branka’s missing father is new cases and 1300 messages in the last year. too painful. “My mum is just so strong, but I can’t talk Branka remembers her old life, the life she had before to her about my dad. I will start crying before she does. the war, before the name-calling because she was a Ser- It’s just difficult to talk about it. My sister, she was nine bian child in . “My brother and I would get up months, she hasn’t really seen my dad. We have just two early, and go and feed the goats. My mum and dad would photos left. And my brother, he doesn’t talk about it. go and work the fields. We were friends with all the Cro- Ever. atians. They would come over and have dinners, every- Frishta was 14 when she lost her family. thing.” “My mother was a teacher and my father was a pros- “When I was about seven years old, at school we ecutor, with seven children. We had a car and we had used to get teased for being Serbian, and all that. It was TV, everything, but this is what has happened - I have lost really bad, but I can’t remember being fearful, or any- everything. The Mujahideen came, in 1994. Because our thing. But then I remember I came home one day, and house was on a corner, and there were many groups in my dad told us we had to pack up our stuff and go. So Afghanistan fighting each other, maybe seven, maybe nine, we did that, and we moved to Benkovac.”

Refugee Transitions | 15 and these attacked our house. They said they needed one of our rooms upstairs in the corner, where they had a view of the streets and they could control anyone coming that way.” With the Mujahideen occupying their upstairs room, Frishta’s house became a target for rival militia. When the attacks came, the family would run to the mountain behind their house, and hide among the rocks. “As soon as it started we would run out. Always, when it started, my father would say ‘Go, just go. Just rescue yourself’, except my mum who would take the small children, and when she was running, sometimes, she would take some things to keep us warm. She was doing that, not my father, not me, not my brother. In the morning, we would meet after everything stopped.” One night the house came under rocket attack and was completely destroyed. The attackers were Shiite, and Frishta’s family - her parents, two younger brothers and a

“My house isn’t there anymore. I know it was bombed, but I’d like to go. Some people who go back say you can’t recognise anything. Even the graves are gone.”

baby sister - being Sunni, were taken away. “All that night, on the mountain, I was asking where is my family, and our neighbours said, ‘Your mum is coming, coming, coming’. But at five o’clock in the morning, when it was getting light, they said, ‘Your family has died. That’s all. Finished. All gone.’” “I was crying, and my brother was very, very young. I was fourteen. People said you have to go with your neighbour. Because we were from another group, Sunni, we couldn’t go and talk with other groups because [their militia] would take us as well. After thirteen days, my neighbour took us to . Me and my two sisters, and my brother. I was the oldest.” The bus trip took three days, with a fourth spent at the border, waiting. They finally crossed into Pakistan and went to Rawalpindi. Frishta had sent a message to her uncle in the USA to say what had happened; he sent her some money, but there was no further contact. She had to grow up fast. Living with neighbours from Kabul, she realised that she must contribute to the upkeep of the brother and two sisters. She found work teaching lan- guages to people up to 20 years older than her, and she gave the money to her neighbour to help pay for food. She was assessed by UNHCR and, together with her younger brother and sisters, eventually resettled in Australia. Her six years in Pakistan were very hard and Frishta chooses not to speak about some of the things she endured. “I had many responsibilities, myself. I had to work; my neighbour was very good to me, but I realised that I had to contribute something. I had to go and do something, because no one could be expected to have four people extra in their house. When I was 16 or 17,

16 | Refugee Transitions they said to me, ‘You should get married, maybe some- Adele’s mother still refused to take her daughter back one comes from overseas like ’, but I said ‘No’, - and Adele did not see her for the next thirty years - so I would do anything for her, but I would not do that. she found herself working in the laundry run by the Good Because I had promised myself that I will not get married Shepherd Convent in Abbotsford - “the biggest hell that until I knew if my parents were dead or alive.” God ever put on Earth.” She found comfort in music and, Putting one’s life on hold is common to victims of on the strength of her accordion playing, won a scholar- war. Apart from the pain and grief of loss of one’s home ship to a private school. She says, “I do believe that there or loved ones, it is tremendously disruptive to one’s life. are some sorts of spirits out there that look in and looked Branka speaks of the impact on her schooling: “I went after me”. to Year 1; Year 2, I started, but the war happened and Many years later, she was living in Healesville and I didn’t finish; Year 3, I didn’t go. Year 4, I started in received a call from the federal police. They asked her if Benkovac, but bombs were falling everywhere so I didn’t she was familiar with the name Ljubica Bozic? Adele said finish Year 4. Year 5, I didn’t go, too - I was supposed to that she thought that was her mother’s maiden name. go when I came here [to Australia], but they put me in The news was that her mother had only weeks to live; Year 6.” she had cancer of the colon. Not all cases are about missing people. At least some As her mother lay on her deathbed, Adele tried to of them are about setting the record straight. make her peace with the woman who had rejected her. Adele contacted the Australian Red Cross to throw She also sought information about her background and some light on her own background and the story that her her father. Her mother said, “Only God knows who your mother told her before she died. Adele’s life was scarred father was. I was raped by man after man after man.” by war before she was even born, in Reutlingen, Ger- As Adele bathed her mother, she noticed marks many, in 1946, just after World War II. She had severe under her arm. “I asked my mother, what’s that? I had health problems as an infant, while her mother and step- seen that sign before. It was a swastika and ‘LBor96’. It father were trying to emigrate to Australia. took hours, but then she told me.” Adele’s mother’s par- “The ships were already waiting. If you were married ents had owned a hotel in Yugoslavia, and on the night couple, you could come over on a £10 package. And well she was taken by the Gestapo, her father and four of her my mother grabbed the first fellow she could get, and he seven brothers were gunned down, in the hotel. She was had no idea that she already had a child, which was me. put in a cattle track and sent to Germany. Many of the She never told him. The sole purpose of marrying him prisoners died along the way. was to get on the ship, come into Australia.” They were refused passage because the authorities “Something inside me was certain ‘No, knew of the sick child her mother intended to abandon in it’s not’. And you’re the one that told Germany. They had to wait another two years before the me. God love you, Carolyn! I mean, three of them were given passage to Australia. At the age okay, I can understand her rejecting me. of four, Adele was put into Saint Theresa’s Orphanage, I can understand, because I would have in Essendon, . “They just forgot about me. I was there until I was eight years old because in the Polish been a continuous reminder of how I was orphanage, you can only stay there until eight years of conceived. But, I am loving this woman age.” now, spiritually.” Adele was fortunate to be put in the care of Mother Theresa. “She was one of the most beautiful people I Putting on her mother’s Slavic accent, she repeats the have ever known. She had 85 children at the orphan- story: “’You know, Adele, I was working in an ammuni- age, and each one of those children was loved. I was a tion factory in Germany and I was picked because I was very shy little girl, but I was very artful with my hands. very smart. I was in university and I spoke languages And what I didn’t have, as far as love was concerned, was - French, Hungarian, Yugoslavian, German - very good replaced by my Good Lord who certainly gave me some- German.’” Her mother told her that she became a sex- thing whereby I could entertain myself by making things slave for the Germans. with my hands.” After her mother’s death, Adele sought information One night, when Adele was seven, Mother Theresa, on the meaning of her mother’s tattoo. Journalists at the was killed in a fire. Adele was watching as it happened. German magazine Der Spiegel told Adele that the tattoo “I cried and I cried and I cried. I cried for three weeks. under her mother’s left arm meant she was a member of My heart broke for this lady. It was my mum. She the SS, not a slave. was the only mum I ever knew. She taught me every- Carolyn Jones interrupts her to expand on the news thing I know.” Three weeks afterwards, she had to leave on her case: “I will just clarify for you, Adele, the Interna- the orphanage because she had reached eight years old. tional Tracing Service in Germany, which has all the war- Adele was devastated, but before she left was given a gift time records, told us that there are records in there, in - Mother Theresa’s piano accordion. their vaults and their files, that confirmed that she is reg-

Refugee Transitions | 17 istered as doing forced labour.” many cases from World War II. Carolyn Jones says that a “She IS registered?” Adele said as the implications lot of people try to trace relatives as they near the end of sank in. “So she was registered in the files as a forced their lives. Cases such as that of Adele’s mother may also labourer?” lead to claims for compensation, although these are not “Yes”. determined by the Red Cross. There seems no end to the “Oh, God love it! Who found that out?” conflicts giving rise to new disappearances, new streams “You know, when we started the trace, we wanted of refugees, and new searches for loved ones. The main confirmation from the Red Cross in Germany…” communities using the tracing service in New South Adele interrupts: “So she wasn’t an SS? So she was are Afghan, Iranian, Iraqi, Polish, Russian, Somali, Suda- a ‘Lebensborn’ woman*. Oh God love it! Oh Jee … nese, and Ukrainian. Oh, Carolyn, I’ll tell you what, you’ve made me really so The job inevitably confronts great sadness, but Caro- pleased about that!” lyn says: “This job is wonderful, especially when we find Adele’s relief is palpable. “I was told she was in the a case where relatives are still alive. But success varies SS! That’s what I was told! Darling heart, you’ve got no from case to case. Success may be the client being able to say, ‘My father’s dead’, and there is thus a resolution.” Frishta’s neighbour went from Pakistan back to Afghanistan to sell up, hoping to move to Europe. Amazingly, Frishta’s father was sell- ing vegetables in a market, and saw the neigh- bour after seven years. He had no idea that the neighbour had cared for his four children during this time, or that they were still alive. Frishta’s father then went to Pakistan to see how they were, but on arrival, he was told they had gone to Australia. They gave her father the phone number in Australia. He called Frishta in Australia, but Frishta could hardly believe it was her father’s voice. She thought someone was joking with her. It was the first time she had heard his voice in over seven years. Frishta’s father returned to Afghanistan to fetch the rest of his family. On their way back Adele plays the blues to Pakistan, they were robbed and Frishta’s telephone number was taken, too. The neighbours had idea what that’s done to me. Now, I can really grieve left for and Frishta’s parents thought that there for my mum. You see, to be an SS is a choice you made was little hope of finding their children again. After - like to be a terrorist. But something inside me was cer- a few months, Frishta was becoming desperate at not tain ‘No, it’s not’. And you’re the one that told me. having heard from her father again. She contacted the God love you, Carolyn! I mean, okay, I can understand Red Cross, and a trace was begun. Her mother, mean- her rejecting me. I can understand, because I would have while, had contacted the Australian High Commission been a continuous reminder of how I was conceived. But, in Pakistan, and the Red Cross was able to contact her I am loving this woman now, spiritually.” through them. The Red Cross then assisted Frishta’s par- “You know, I was holding my breath? Because, had ents, brothers, and sister, in their quest to gain residence you even told me that my mother was a Gestapo or an in Australia, under the family reunion programme. SS, and was part and parcel of killing the Jews … Look, I Frishta tells me about her family’s arrival in Sydney. would have thought, well, okay, now I’ve prepared myself “My sister cleaned the house, everything was ready for for that and I would have said, ‘That’s my mother, but them to come. Then they called Anglicare to come, I’m not my mother’s child’. Because I do know the dif- because I had no car to go to the airport. And when ference. I could not do that, but for you to tell me my we were going, and that plane was coming, even the bus mum was a slave … my God, can you imagine? … Just try driver, he was crying. He said. ‘I will put on the music if to step in her shoes. Brothers shot dead on the stairs. you don’t stop crying’. He was crying, the social worker I mean, if you had any emotion, then, God, you would was crying, everyone was crying, but it wasn’t sad crying, have gone numb. You wouldn’t have known what love it was beautiful.” was. You see, all I can do at my age, 55, is sing the blues, She shows me a picture of her family - all nine of honey, and boy can I sing the blues.” them, reunited at Sydney Airport, just two months ago. I am surprised to learn that the Red Cross still gets Her father looks 60, but he’s only 48. He was impris-

18 | Refugee Transitions oned twice and beaten, in the years he was lost to his Red Cross or Red Crescent societies in many countries children. But she has her father, and her mother, all of have limited resources, so it is difficult to apply pressure them, embarking on a new life in Australia. to speed up the searches. In , for example, each Two days before we met, Frishta got engaged to an caseworker has a load of over one thousand cases, and Afghan man in Sydney. She has applied to enter a univer- 30 new cases are received daily. sity next year. Her parents are learning English. They are The method used varies from country to country, regaining their health, and they say that they are in “para- and depends on the type of records available to the Red dise”. Cross. The Australian Red Cross uses public records Adele is waiting to hear the outcome of the second such as the Electoral Roll, telephone directories, registers part of her trace in Yugoslavia. She hopes that she may of births, deaths and marriages, and contact with com- have uncles and cousins. She is putting together pieces of munity groups. In Germany, there are very extensive her past, and coming to understand her mother’s hell, and how this led to her mother to put her into an orphan- “All that night, on the mountain, I was asking age. Perhaps, some day, she will make contact with family where is my family, and our neighbours said, she does not yet know she has. Adele says to me, “Make sure that the story will have a conviction that’ll make any- ‘Your mum is coming, coming, coming’. But body, next time they look at themselves in the mirror, say at five o’clock in the morning, when it was who am I? Who could I be? What if? And don’t pigeon- getting light, they said, ‘Your family has died. hole me, mate! Maybe I have got more genes of a very brave family called Bozic.” That’s all. Finished. All gone.’” Branka is still waiting, hoping for her father to be found. I think of her words: “Now, I can’t bear to think records relating to the use of forced labour and the con- about it any more. Every day it’s in my face, any incident centration camps. The International Committee of the that happens around the world, like in Africa or in Afghan- Red Cross (ICRC) also has its own records relating to istan, or in Kosovo, it just brings it back. I just want to visits to people in prisons, detention, war zones, and its push it behind me; I just can’t bear it, but it’s always work with refugees over many years. there.” The process of tracing is necessarily bureaucratic. The “I only became involved with the Red Cross this year, Red Cross must maintain neutrality at all times and, just because I’m sick of it and I really want to do something. I as importantly, must be seen to be neutral. It has to work just realise, now, it’s been more than half of my life. with all parties to a conflict, and negotiate access to pris- “I wish I could get in there myself, and look in all the ons, to people, and even to the records kept of human prisons. But I don’t have much power to do anything. My movements, deaths, and imprisonments. Carolyn Jones uncle knows a number of Croatian people that we lived explains: “They [the ICRC] may be working, for example, next to, and he has tried to call them and find out what with the Serbian authorities and the Croatian authorities, happened. But it’s all hush hush; they can’t talk about to uncover graves or get access to prisons. However, in it, because they’re afraid someone is listening, and they all conflicts, each side wants to know what has happened can’t say anything. to their own people, but they may try to cover up any- “I’d like to go back to where I lived and visit and just thing that they have done to others, which isn’t helping see the place. My mum won’t let me, because people get answers for the victims’ families. It’s difficult because know me because of my surname, and because of what it’s such a slow process.” happened to my dad. My house isn’t there anymore. I I ask Branka how she feels about the possibility that know it was bombed, but I’d like to go. Some people who her father has not survived. After ten years, she has not go back say you can’t recognise anything. Even the graves given up hope: “I would rather not know anything, than are gone.” know that he is not alive”. The trace remains open; there The trace for Branka’s father began in 1994, in Yugo- is still a possibility that an answer may be found.  slavia, and like many other cases that were started over- seas, it was transferred to Australia. Picking up a list of missing people from , Carolyn * The Lebensborn Project kidnapped children and “racially good” Jones starts talking about the vast numbers of people young women from Eastern occupied countries. The plans were to still missing. “From the Bosnian war, for example, there raise the children as Germans and to use the women to breed young were over 20,000 people missing and they have resolved Germans fathered by SS members and to be raised with SS indoctrina- less than 3,000. It is the same with the other sectors, tion in selected Nazi families. like Croatia. Every six months we get an update, and it’s really hard to tell people that there is no more news on a particular case.” The tracing services are free of charge and are pro- vided to families separated by war or natural disaster. The

Refugee Transitions | 19 Finding the Courage to

Not since the establishment of ever-increasing number of people seek the United Nations Convention for sanctuary in its principles. The fun- the protection of refugees has the damental shifts in geo-political terms and again in the thousands who have need for a balanced and principled during the cold war made regional soughtAct refuge and a new beginning in dialogue about asylum seekers been and transnational economic interests this country. more urgent. This year marks the the primary drivers in foreign policy. What about those who seek convention’s fiftieth anniversary. The Innovations in science, technology, and asylum without invitation? How can increasing demand for its use is a sad communications provide the mecha- we balance our ability to respond indictment of the world’s collective nisms to speed this along, and as a with our desire and our duty to do failure to build a just and egalitarian result we are living in a very different so? What has happened to force so global society. and still unfamiliar global culture. No many to flee and take such a perilous The convention’s raison d’etre is longer is it simply a question of main- path? Their desperation appears over- to provide protection to people fear- taining cold war alliances. whelming, and the risks asylum seek- ing persecution on grounds of race, This poses a plethora of challenges ers take fall well outside the frame of religion, political beliefs or belonging for wealthy industrialised countries in reference of most Australians. Such to a social group -- and who are out- a world where two thirds of the pop- desperation and determination side their country of origin. It was ulation live in poverty, political insta- appears to frighten us, gives us a sense designed when industrialised nations bility, and in the case of refugees, fear of not being in control, or being over- bathed in the glow of victory after of persecution, torture and death. run by outsiders. Hunger strikes, lips World War II and humanitarianism One such phenomenon is the sewn together and riots are increas- seemed a natural, if not essential, escalation in the movement of people. ingly portrayed as the actions of crim- progression from the past. The con- The odious practice of people-smug- inals and manipulators. But to what vention aimed to restore dignity and gling, now perceived as a major threat extent is this really true? security to those displaced and per- to national sovereignty, has flourished Nine years ago, I asked a friend, secuted, but I sometimes wonder if largely because of a failure to find Yaltchin, whose first experience of the authors could have foreseen the durable solutions to protracted refu- torture was at the age of sixteen, why extent of its ongoing relevance. gee crises. a hunger striker in detention believed There are now approximately 21.5 At the Victorian Foundation for his actions would convince the Minis- million people under the care of the Survivors of Torture and Trauma, we ter to grant him asylum. I was confi- United Nations High Commissioner deal with the human cost of people dent that it would not. Yaltchin had for Refugees. That’s one in every 284 fleeing persecution, seeking to rebuild himself been an asylum seeker and people on earth. By recent accounts new lives. Amira, for example, sur- granted refugee status in Australia. He you might believe that Europe, North vived the virtual eradication of two recalled his own hunger strike while America and Australia are over- generations of her family. She spent imprisoned for promoting democracy. whelmed by refugees and asylum seek- 9 months in a prison where she was “When all hope has faded and any ers. This is simply not true. Just routinely tortured with electric shock, sense of control has been lost the as the top the ten refugee producing sexual abuse, mock executions and last thing you can have control over is countries in the world are amongst other brutalities. Her memories no your choice to eat. When they strip the poorest, so too are the top ten longer haunt every aspect of her life you of your dignity this may be your refugee receiving countries. Last year nor do they prevent her from building only, your last remaining act of defi- Iran cared for 2 million refugees; Pak- a loving relationship with her husband ance.” istan 1.6 million; Tanzania 622 000. and three children. In Amira’s case she To this day Yaltchin remembers By comparison, the USA resettled 71 has the good fortune of knowing that those terrible times, resolute in his 500 refugees, , 13 500 and finally she was accepted into Austra- belief that when left with no choice Australia 6 600. lia, and with that came a sense of enti- and no hope, preserving one’s dig- The reality is that the poorest tlement to a future she never thought nity means taking great risks. Sadly, at countries shoulder the greatest possible. That future was afforded her times this may also result in self-harm burden of responsibility for the world’s by Australia under its commitment to or death. displaced and dispossessed. the refugee convention - as one of Media polling on this issue in Naturally, the convention has the few resettlement countries in the recent days has indicated up to 95% come under intense scrutiny as an world. Amira’s story is echoed again public support for stronger measures

20 | Refugee Transitions to prevent the arrival of asylum seekers and for more stringent treat- ment after they arrive. When asked the simple question “Should Australia relent to international pressure and accept the illegal migrants?” - most said no. But if the question were “If you were stranded with your two young children and feared for their lives if you were to return home, what would you be prepared to risk?” What would the answer be? This is perhaps an unfair question but with- out having experienced such hardship I can only look at my two sons and imagine what I would be prepared to do in order to protect them from persecution or possible death. My Paris Aristotle answer is unequivocal - anything it takes. The plight of asylum seekers all per head US to fortress their borders of people seeking asylum anywhere over the world is one of the most com- and process 460 000 asylum seekers without concentrating our efforts and plex human rights and public policy who had breached the defence. resources on the reasons why these issues of our time. It is bound by This polarisation of attitudes has people are forced to flee? people moving from one part of the focussed most attention on which of There is an urgent need for global world to another, for an increasingly these positions is right and which is leadership and participation in good diverse set of reasons, all compelling, wrong, which is most responsible and faith. some falling within the refugee con- which is most humane. The entire The plight of such people must vention and others not. The conven- environment is now characterised as not fall prey to the populism and tion, however, is the only international adversarial - at times downright abu- opportunism which surrounds an elec- instrument through which many can sive - with a good splash of political tion. A new paradigm is needed, one envisage a new life. opportunism. In hurtling down this that gives us the freedom to reassess This creates the inevitable ten- path, the debate has become dis- our role as a mature democracy in a sion of advocates and asylum seekers, torted, with any common ground changing world, and one that doesn’t who are pressing to broaden the con- desecrated by defensiveness and con- allow the politics of fear to steer us vention’s interpretation to encompass frontation. Those who suffer most towards policies which knowingly per- more people, and governments look- from this are the asylum seekers, the petuate the suffering of others. In our ing to narrow its terms for fear of refugees, their families left behind and work with survivors of torture, we losing control of their borders. Nei- future generations. They pay a terri- know that persecutors rely on people ther perspective reflects the whole ble price, but we are all diminished by who could act but feel helpless or truth, and offer little to address the our failure to find humane solutions. frightened. It’s a prerequisite for the core problem. To turn this around, governments, damage they cause to be permanent - In spite of their obvious limitations, advocates, and the community at large for them to win. If we can overcome these two opposing positions continue must find the courage to deal with these fears and act with integrity and to absorb an inordinate amount of these complex issues. Those argu- sincerity, persecutors will inevitably time and resources. Last year, Euro- ments, which in effect mean our lose, and we all win. pean countries, Canada, the US, and borders would be porous, or which Australia gave UNHCR the equivalent promote residency in Australia for By Paris Aristotle of $45 US per person for the 21.5 all those who seek it, clearly fail to Director, Victorian Foundation million. In the same year those coun- meet community expectations. But for the Survivors of Torture and tries spent approximately $22 200 how can we hope to prevent the flow Trauma.

Refugee Transitions | 21 Gia Hai Nguyen is a photographer who photographs ethnic community life in Sydney. “Most of my photographs try to catch the feelings of people and their daily lives in Sydney. People are the same everywhere, Vu Quang Canh Quang Vu no black no white, no yellow - people are Gia Hai just people”. He feels close to people, and believes in the resilience of their cultures.

Hai left Vietnam in 1982 and settled in Sydney in 1986, having spent over three years in Nguyen refugee camps in Thailand. Hai can be contacted on 0412 380 353.

Facing page: Relaxing in Cabramatta.

Following page: A medium swings a sword while channelling the spirit in a home at Warwick Farm, Sydney.

22 | Refugee Transitions Refugee Transitions | 23 24 | Refugee Transitions Refugee Transitions | 25 Right: Vietnamese girls at a community Hall in Edensor Park.

Below: Medium channels the spirit which gives advice to a family in Warwick Farm, Sydney.

Facing page: A woman brings food to church for offering to Mother Mary.

26 | Refugee Transitions Refugee Transitions | 27 28 | Refugee Transitions ISLAM IN THE MODERN WORLD Interview with Wahid Razi Wahid Razi is an Afghan poet, writer and scholar. PETER WILLIAMSON met him at his house in Sydney, as the bombs fell on Afghanistan, Wahid is philosophical about the plight of his country. His recent doctoral thesis titled “The Islamic World and its Search for Identity in Modern Times” has given him insight into the nature of the relations between Islam and the West. He talks about Islam, Afghanistan, terrorism and the West.

How do you understand the In the Islamic world, Islamic Marxists positive resistance to its believers. current conflict in Afghanistan? used Islam to justify their attacks Islam is a religion of resistance. on capitalism while capitalists used For Islam, people fighting for all I would describe the current Islam to justify their attacks on their freedom, against imperialism or conflict between Afghanistan and the fundamentalists. Meanwhile, exploitation have the right to defend United States as a conflict between fundamentalists used Islam to justify their land and themselves with any two worlds. One world is quite their attacks on liberals and nationalist means that they find. powerful and can impose its power forces. on the other. One world is struggling But the question is whether acts to gain power and to be recognised I have to emphasise, that not of terrorism committed by a state equally as a partner. This is not to every Islamic movement is are acceptable? Since 1991 over one justify all Islamic movements, but is fundamentalist. There was an Islamic million Iraqis have died as a result of simply an attempt to understand that. modernist movement of the 19th and actions taken by the West. Who are The majority of Muslims are illiterate, early 20th century, and a form of the victims of terrorism? The people and the majority of the Muslim world Islamic socialism, especially during the of Iraq. It is hypocritical to define is suffering from poverty. They see 1950s and 60s. Now we have very terrorism in one part of the world themselves as victims of western strict Islamic movements which have differently from that in another part politics, especially when it comes to politicised Islam to justify their goals. of the world. wrong leadership and the problem of puppet leaders. It’s a social question because in Islamic countries liberalism Can one follow Islam and accept How do Afghans in Australia or Muslim liberals were not successful terror? feel about their recent history and the war now underway? in implementing deep economic and No, I personally do not think social reforms. so. You won’t find any reference The Afghan people, and Muslims There is corruption of the upper in the Koran that justifies the use generally, are sick and tired of these class, and a small elite enjoy of violence, but extremists have tyrannical regimes. It is the people of prosperous and fashionable lifestyles interpreted the Koran to justify their Iraq, the Kurds, and the Iranians, who while the majority of Muslims are means. However, you should not have suffered most at the hands of suffering. Islam, like any other religion, allow anyone to oppress you, and this Saddam. Afghan people have suffered has been used by different players is one of the core values in Islam. To most at the hands of the Taliban. as a catalyst to justify the status me, these are beautiful values, and I The people have mixed feelings about quo or to attack the status quo. praise any philosophy that preaches the current situation. They are not

Refugee Transitions | 29 sure what position they should take in justify that. totalitarian regimes, but it is often the relation to what is happening globally support of the Western world that In relation to the Tampa crisis, and what’s happening in Australia. makes it possible for these regimes to one commentator went as far as to Globally, they expect an era in which stay there and commit crimes against say that these refugees should be they will see the rise of tyrannical their own citizens. An example of barbecued and given to the sharks. regimes which will shut them up in this is the Iranian people who wanted If you can see that the majority to get rid of the Shah; they actually kicked him out and a very liberal form In relation to the Tampa crisis, one commentator went as far as to say of government came to power after that these refugees should be barbecue and given to the sharks. World War II. And what happened? A CIA coup actually brought him back again, and he committed a lot of the name of getting rid of Islamic of Afghan people are victims of horrible crimes against his nation. You fundamentalism. Also, the totalitarian the Taliban regime, how can you can talk about Iraq - a similar case - Islamic regimes will be expected to not sympathise with the Afghan with Saddam Hussein. He started to use the situation to oppose any form boat people? The majority of boat be labeled as a terrorist when he lost of social change. people are Hazaras who, racially and his loyalty to the USA. religiously, are a minority group in Muslims feel very uncomfortable Afghanistan. Acts of genocide and where they are minorities in the massacres were committed against countries in which they are living, What is the way forward from the Hazara people. When they flee and suddenly they are introduced as here, to reverse this history of to Pakistan, they don’t feel safe terrorists. My daughter was nearly discrimination and suspicion? there, because of the support for the attacked last night in a bus. Someone Taliban in Pakistan. Pakistan created At the beginning of this crisis we saw an word on something the Taliban themselves. So they do heard the rhetoric that there was no she was wearing. The person broke everything to rescue themselves, and difference between Osama bin Laden a bottle of beer and tried to attack get to more desirable western and the Taliban who harboured him. her. Muslims are becoming victims of countries. I do not understand how Now we hear talk of a compromise, hatred. There are second generation western democracies condemn the or an attempt to do deals with Muslims who are born here, in atrocities of a fascist killing machine moderates in the Taliban and with the Australia, but even they are being such as the dictatorship of the Taliban, Northern Alliance, maintaining some labeled as foreigners and told to go and cannot give comfort to these other moderate faces and getting back home. people and some space to rest. rid of extremists. They are totally confused about what kind of regime would be installed in Afghanistan. The To what extent does prejudice You seem to be suggesting that non-Taliban political parties are not as stem from ignorance about by backing authoritarian clean as some might wish them to be. Islam and the peoples who regimes in Islamic countries, They themselves have had a hand in practice the Islamic religion? the West provided the fertile a lot of crimes; and they themselves Unfortunately, people get their ground for the spread of Islamic have committed atrocities. knowledge through the media, and fundamentalism. The Afghan king and his family, unfortunately in the last few months, Yes. By creating this unequal reigned for 40 years and still a number of humanitarian issues have social and political environment in Afghanistan was one of the most been used for political advantage. The Islamic countries, the West gives underdeveloped societies in the Tampa crisis, and now the tragedy opportunities to misuse religion to world. This king who enjoyed a style of September the 11th. Who is justify their political goals. But equally, of life which would be a dream for highlighted as the cause of the current I must emphasise that a lot of anyone, even in the western world, crisis? All the problems of modern the Islamic movements, that are who didn’t care what happened to civilisation? Of course, it is Arabs, being labeled as fundamentalists, the nation, would be coming back. the Middle East and Islam. Somehow never promoted any form of violence What Afghanistan needs is not some then, many Australians see Muslims as against any government, West or form of magic, but education. I their enemies. They don’t recognise East, but there is no democratic sometimes feel sorry for the Taliban that the majority of Muslims condemn environment in which these groups militias as well, because they were any form of violence against human can promote their ideologies, and really the bastard product of the beings. It is needless to say that to great degree they remain Afghan war during the Soviet era. what happened to the United States, underground political forces. Groups of Afghan orphans, or to those innocent human beings, is Pashtun orphans, were taken by force horrifying. No human being could They wish to challenge these to Pakistani madrassas and given a

30 | Refugee Transitions very, very sick interpretation of the the Taliban were there from the early Afghans coming here can’t be world and of Islam, and then the CIA, days of their coming to power. The terrorists. They are youths who are Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia trained Taliban forces are also destructive for the victims of trauma. They are young them to go back to Afghanistan. They the Islamic world. and energetic and could make a were the victims of dirty politics. contribution to Australia. This is what is missing from the argument about Overall, what Afghanistan needs, How does it feel to be an the refugees. is some degree of social justice, no Afghan living in Sydney right matter who can secure this social now? justice, people need hospitals and Do you feel that people are It’s quite a depressing situation. people need schools, people need turning more to their religion You come from a land whose people education. More than 99 percent as a result of the stigmatisation have been victims of international of Afghanistan’s educated labour and isolation of Muslims? force leaves Afghanistan. It is a politics for a quarter of a century. It is a fact, that in times of nation without even one percent of There is a high level of uncertainty crisis people become more religious. educated people. Even the Taliban about what will happen in the future. And this has happened a number of could think more clearly if they had Day after day we get news that the times in the history of Islam. In 1258, the education. Americans are using the most horrible when the Islamic civilisation was under In traditional Afghan culture there weapons, that they had never used attack from Genghis Khan and the is no way Afghan people could accept elsewhere. Afghanistan is a kind of Muslims lost their empire, suddenly a the mistreatment of women. But the laboratory for these new weapons very negative and religious expression Taliban never had any roots with and the victims are ordinary Afghans. dominated the Muslim world. Muslims their own culture. It is a force that On a personal level, this family’s actually decided to stop their combines the fanatics of Saudi Arabia life has been paralysed since they interaction with non-Muslims and that and Pakistan, and a small number started bombing Afghanistan. You was quite costly for Muslims. of Afghans. In fact, the way I see know what is happening, and you They interpreted their defeat at it is that the entire Afghan nation can’t do anything about it, those was hijacked by a force which was initially supported by the United States, provided with financial support When people are scared, they become irrational. The majority of by Saudi Arabia, and provided with Afghans coming here can’t be terrorists. They are youths who are military support by Pakistan. the victims of trauma. They are young and energetic and could Now there is a great degree of make a contribution to Australia.f confusion in the western world, what we should do now. It is obvious what they should do now - they should people are denied the most basic the hands of the Mongols as a sign have a broader consultation, they essentials of life. Muslims have been of God’s punishment and the social should take the guns and ammunition pointed out as terrorists - either psychological impact of that was to and everything from the people. they have committed terrorist acts or avoid any philosophical interaction Afghans have fought enough. they are capable of it. You feel you with the non-Islamic world. Even This is not an easy task, and really, have been isolated and the target of though the Islamic world did not stop I have to emphasise that it is an issue systematic hatred dominating the rest of the world, in military terms, from the 13 th century of poverty and illiteracy, and an issue We had a personal friend whom onwards - from the 14 th and 15 of insecurity. For more than a quarter we have known since 1981, when we th century onwards was the power of a century, Afghanistan has been at first arrived in this land; we called her of the Ottoman Empire - from an war. Those people have seen nothing Mum. When the issue of the boat intellectual point of view the defeat at but guns and killing. people arose, she actually rang to tell the hands of the Mongols was very us how sorry she was to have been costly for Islam. associated with us and asked why we In a way, what we are seeing is were doing this. She said how bad For five centuries, Islam had had a quintessential lesson of what she felt that she had been a friend of a very fruitful interaction with the is 25 years of war can do to a this family, and how threatened she pagan world and embraced other country? felt about the thousands of Afghans philosophies such as those of Plato, Exactly. Exactly. And corrupt coming like locusts to this land. Aristotle and Socrates. Such a big defeat brought a lot of negative politics, and a lack of commitment When people are scared, they feelings with it, and Muslims to human well-being. The warnings of become irrational. The majority of interpreted that as a sign of God’s

Refugee Transitions | 31 disapproval. and visit Mecca. And more than that, for people to say “they are there are a lot of magnificent and bloodthirsty they are killers”, and A similar thing happened in beautiful values in Islam. Islam is a then the Gulf war set us back the 18 th century, when the religion that emphasises social justice. further, and now again, we hear the penetration of Western countries argument that this civilisation cannot began to dominate and invaded I don’t really think that these accept modern times. Islamic countries, one after another. issues are about Islam and The immediate response of that . Muslim issues are really Can we undo the damage? I was the emergence of the Wahabi the issues of ordinary life. Muslims think that life is hope, Muslims and movement which was critical of react in this way because they Christians are committed to certain and identified Sufism as a are suffering inequality. It is very common values. Men should live in source of problems by allowing obvious that if you change their a more peaceful environment, in an foreign influence to come into the social and economic conditions, their environment where we can influence Islamic world. The message of the understanding and expression of each other, and intelligently interact Wahabi movement was that the only Islam will be very different. with each other. You can’t expect salvation for us would be to go the masses to create understanding back to the values of the date of and compromise between people. the prophet Mohammed. This was How can the damage to Islam- That should come from the the origin of Islamic fundamentalist Western relations be undone? intelligentsia. movements. I don’t know if I have an Christian clergy and Christian Again, now, there is a revival of answer to this question. The damage leaders could play a crucial role Islamic feelings. Pakistan is a good has been done, and Muslims have by calming down their believers, example; since its establishment in been isolated and identified as and saying that there is not much 1948 it was a very Islamic state, but enemies of the West, enemies of difference between Christianity and since September the 11th the growth civilisation. Historically, Islam has Islam. And even if there is a lot of of Islamic feeling has escalated a lot. never had a good image within difference between us, there is no Western civilisation. No matter reason why we should be killing and But I can assure you that Islam which era of time you’re talking hating each other. No one would be will not create a problem for the rest about, the image of Islam has always a winner in such a war - that is the of the world. People are always very been a mixture of fantasy and fiction real ugliness of the situation. critical of Islam, and my immediate rather than facts and reality. Islam response is to ask what kind of I always argued that war would has always been portrayed as a fake Islam are you talking about, and never solve the problem; in any war copy of Christianity. which part of the Islamic world are you are actually planting the seed you talking about? There has never In medieval times, when a of the next war. Even a regime been only one form of interpretation woman wanted to scare her child, as horrible as the Taliban could be of Islam at any particular time. she would call “Mohammed, come defeated by ways other than war. There are a lot of variations and get this boy”. There never was any There was and is an opportunity for interpretations, even of particular understanding as to how a religion dialogue. If you lose this belief in verses of the Koran, or the sayings of from a nomadic people could spread mankind, then you have lost belief in the prophet Mohammed. across so much of the world in such human civilisation. War is not going a short time. There must have been to solve any problems. No doubt of I wonder what there is in Islam something there that made it so that. that could create fear for non- attractive to believers. Apart from Muslims. The essentials of Islam are One of our great human qualities a few people who made attempts a kind of humanism. First of all, is that people can influence each to understand Islam, others saw it Islam is a continuation of the same other by talking to each other. You as a symbol of lust and barbarism. tradition that gave rise to can make a paradise out of hell, by Nonetheless, in the 19th century, and Christianity. The core of Islam is talking and by exchange of ideas, some Western scholars attempted not much different from Christianity. if you are committed to make a to introduce Islam through studies paradise.  The basis of Islam is established of its poetry and literature, such as on five facts; that there is just one the work of Omar Khayyam and god and Mohammed is his prophet, Sadi and Ofez, and the influence of that you pray regularly to God, that Sufism. you fast, that you pay a portion of For some timethen, the image your wealth on a regular basis to of Islam in Western culture was the poor and the needy, and that at softened to a degree. The Iranian some stage of your life you should go revolution was a turning point again,

32 | Refugee Transitions The Refugee Convention Where to from here? Refugee communities, teachers, activists, students, community workers, church groups, academics and lawyers attended an international conference to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention at the University of NSW last December. “The Refugee Convention Where to From Here? As the title indicates, examined the Convention and assessed its relevancy in today’s society. Eileen Pittaway from the Centre for Refugee and part of that grant includes $10,000, which is specifically Research based at the University of for bringing refugee participants in from interstate. said that the conference main themes were settlement Fairfield City Council sponsored four refugee positions and and resettlement, the concept of asylum, the treatment the Australian National Committee on Refugee Women of asylum seekers and the protection of refugees while (ANCORW) has provided two. in transit or based in a camp. At the end of each session “The scheme was for a mix of people who come participants workshoped ideas and came up with a number from a refugee-like background who wish to come to of recommendations for action. the conference. We’re not forcing people to contribute “By the end of the conference we’re hoping to come up their personal stories if that is not what they want to do. with a series of really strong recommendations to UNHCR and It’s about their active participation in the conference in to Government,” said Eileen. whatever form they want that to take,” says Linda. The conference was organised to coincide with a Refugees from Sudan, Nicaragua, Chile, Sierra Leone, series of United Nations High Commission for Refugees Afghanistan and East Timor attended the conference. (UNHCR) international consultations that are currently “There was representation from most refugee communities being undertaken. The aim was to connect with the topics right back from the first waves over the last 20, 30, 40 being discussed by the United Nations Higher Commission years.” for Refugees (UNHCR). “We’re not just going to send a A panel comprising a variety of views participated at book off to UNHCR, we’re going to tailor it specifically to each session. “On each panel we had an academic view, the right places,” Eileen says. “The outcomes were very a refugee giving their personal story and a community focussed and policy oriented for UNHCR, the Australian worker explaining what it is like in the community. We are Government and other governments as well.” endeavouring to get that mix in all of the sessions so that There are currently no international monitoring everyone gets to hear each other,” says Eileen. guidelines in place for the Refugee Convention. “The Aside from the formal streams of the conference, big international push is for a monitoring mechanism there were also three satellite events that provided for refugees whether it be a treaty body or a special further examination. Two days prior to the conference a international monitoring body. We discussed that and ‘World Court of Women’ was held focusing on human came up with some recommendations,” says Eileen. rights abuses and racism towards refugee and indigenous While the setting up of an international monitoring women. body is one objective, conference convenor, Linda A ‘Hypothetical’ hosted by Julie McCrossin, an Bartolomei, says that the conference has examined a Australian television and radio presenter, took place on broad range of issues. “The whole point of the conference the opening night to explore the political angles of the was not just to have a talk fest but something that issues. The following day a Moot Court at Parliament produces solid tangible outcomes and plans,” she said. House took an unnamed country to the International “We are looking at a range of recommendations and Court of Justice. suggesting a range of measures that we believe will make In 1993, Eileen and STARTTS Director Jorge Aroche concrete change and these go from a really domestic policy were involved in a two-year project that involved a resettlement focus in Australia for example to international conference looking at resettlement policy in Australia. issues of the massive numbers of asylum seekers and those “There was a great deal of work around resettlement who are fleeing conflict.” across a whole group of people and then we put together A scholarship scheme has been devised which enables a really big report, which went to Government,” Eileen refugees who have settled in Australia to attend the says. “It was really successful and we’re hoping to see the conference and share their own experiences. The Mercy same result this time.” Foundation provided substantial funding for the conference By Sheree Went

Refugee Transitions | 33 34 | Refugee Transitions Denis Jones Pull up the Drawbridge on the Gatecrashers from Hell Pull up the Drawbridge on the Gatecrashers from Hell An extraordinary confluence of events has brought Australia to its lowest ebb in the public acceptance of refugees and asylum seekers. Lachlan Murdoch writes.

It’s official, Australians don’t want asylum seekers Signs of Australia’s developing security paranoia have landing on our shores. The unedifying spectacle of the been evident for some time and the Federal election recent Federal election campaign is testament to this. As campaign is not alone amongst election campaigns in its public opinion whipped into a frenzy over ‘illegal boat focus on security. Recent state elections across Australia people,” the campaign was ultimately book ended by the became bidding wars of another kind, overshadowed by question of whether asylum seekers would throw their a singular concern for which party was tougher on crime children into the sea to ‘achieve an immigration outcome’. and more able to protect the public. Our political leaders sang from the same song sheet when When viewed in this context, asylum seekers from they led the chorus, “We don’t want people like that Afghanistan and Iraq represent another unknown quan- coming into this country”. tity that has the potential to threaten both personal and So why is it that ‘illegal boat people’ have become the collective security. Their arrival has the effect of bringing new pariahs? Numerous opinion pieces advance racism home the fear and horror that has otherwise been held and xenophobia as a basis for Australia’s increasingly at arm’s length. The accompanying uncertainty leads to a harsh policies against asylum seekers and the extraor- demand that front and back doors remain firmly shut and dinary campaign of demonisation that masqueraded as emotions run at fever pitch when deciding who to let in. an election. Although there is no doubt that racism has Indeed, emotion has fuelled the asylum seeker debate played its part in the closing of minds and hearts to des- more than any other political debate in recent times. perate people, the reasons are much more complex. Our Newspaper letters pages reported deluges of mail over national paranoia has more to do with perceived threats the Tampa incident and name-calling was common as to security, strong emotions connected with who gets an readers threatened commentators on both sides of the invitation to Australia’s party and general disaffection cre- debate. There is something almost hot-wired direct to ated by the loss of control over destiny. our innermost emotion chip whenever Australians con- Today Australians understand what most other people sider who might be coming into the big backyard to share around the globe have known for a long time, the world in the family barbie and whether they are bringing the is not a safe and predictable place. This realisation is not beer. something new with its genesis in the events of September This emotion can be manifest in the cloying, suffocat- 11. It’s a much more insidious process, anchored in Aus- ing embrace that accompanied the avalanche of public tralia’s long-held position as a British outpost surrounded support for the Kosovars and Timorese who came just by alien cultures and strengthened in recent decades as two years ago with Government approval. Australians isolation from global events has been replaced with the generally like invited guests and will make every effort immediacy of the dangers in the outside world. In the face to make them feel welcome. In return we want to feel of these external threats many older Australians yearn for wanted, perhaps more than any other people on the an idealised notion of a relaxed and comfortable 1950s planet. Australia. The story goes that once a upon a time you could leave your front door open day and night, secure in Predictably, the response becomes far less welcoming the belief nobody would come barging in. whenever there is even the hint that our new guests are

Refugee Transitions | 35 not eternally grateful for all Australia is doing for them. In such an environment the election refrain, ‘We The emotion of the squeezing embrace flipped into con- decide who comes to this country and the circumstances demnation for the Kosovars as they were seen to trample in which they come’ takes on new meaning. There is on our hospitality, traipse in all manner of muck and dirty something we can control after all, even if it means divert- the carpets. It was difficult to understand what the Kos- ing the problem to precarious Pacific microstates. In a ovars had been through when the actions of even a few sense many Australians felt good about deciding some- left such a bad taste in the mouth. thing rather than nothing. Of course we are only in a position to decide the fate of those less powerful than In contrast, the Tampa (and other) ‘illegal boat people’ ourselves and conveniently desperate boat people were are viewed as gatecrashers, not guests. Gatecrashers are sailing over the horizon. But many Australians decided to dangerous. Gatecrashers set off all sorts of fears in us push back the boats because they were made to believe about how they violate our space, will take advantage of it was only fair to keep out gatecrashers, and others the generosity laid on for the invited guests and pose a because taking back control at least made them feel a threat to how we control our patch. While everybody little higher than someone else on a slippery social totem else waits for their invitation to the party the gatecrash- pole. ers just come on in. The immediate response is to call the police and have them removed. Nobody gatecrashes with The legacy of the last several months is that Australia good reason, so there is rarely any question about under- has reached its nadir in accepting some of the most des- standing why a gatecrasher might be breaking down the perate and vulnerable people on the planet. Pre-election door. They come to do nothing else but abuse our sense bi-partisanship has left us with pieces of the most draco- of fairness. nian legislation passed through the Commonwealth par- liament which if used declare all actions to turn away boat Discomfort only surfaces when Australians seek to people as lawful and will see a ‘family-friendly’ govern- balance our belief in ourselves as compassionate people ment enforce the permanent separation of children from with the awful reality of what the asylum seekers are flee- their parents. (See inset) ing. Supposedly a defining characteristic of Australians is our ability to empathise with and support those who have Under the new arrangements, the prospect for the experienced disasters. When confronted with the horror boat people is that nothing will get better before it gets of the individual stories of the boat arrivals, the resis- worse and there remains the spectre that the desperation tance of many Australians dissolves as they find it hard now played out behind the razor wire of the detention to refuse the legitimacy of their claims, the awkwardly centres will spill out into the streets. termed ‘genuine refugees’ emerge. The challenge for refugee advocates is to understand Difficulties arise though when Australians are asked exactly how all this came about and to engage with people to share some collective responsibility for the hell from over their opinions, for without this understanding and which the boat people seek refuge. Speak of the collec- communication, we risk driving Australians further from tive rather than the individual and eyes begin to glaze over support for refugees in a haze of attacks and name call- with sense that their misery is just too overwhelming and ing over the racism many believe is basis for the policy. A fears begin to surface that it is impossible to hold back the constructive process of engaging with the wider Austra- tide of hordes of fugitives. The problem becomes much lian community and their fears of boat people may not too big and out of control. be easy but it is vital in turning around a juggernaut that presently has the momentum of a massive fully laden con- In fact nobody should underestimate the importance tainer ship. of control in the minds of those Australians who are increasingly faced with fewer and fewer elements of their life that fall within their influence. In essence, the Tampa boat people and all those that came before and after were skillfully crafted into a political lightning rod for all the dis- Six of the Best: affection felt by thousands of ‘battlers’. The Tampa drew Legislation that Changes Australia’s Protection System kilowatts of political heat out of industry deregulation, Forever privatisation, free trade disparities, job insecurity and the all the other evils of globalisation and neo-liberalism. In the lead In a globalising world, rural and working people have Migration Amendment (Excision from migration Zone) 2001 lost control of things they once took for granted. Indus- Migration Amendment (Excision from migration Zone) tries pack up and move off-shore, markets no longer (Consequential Provisions) 2001 provide the prices they once did, the economy is a two- Border protection (validation and enforcement Power) headed monster subject only to international vagaries, banks close branches, doctors disappear, services evapo- Migration Legislation amendment. rate and politicians seem more remote and less able to influence outcomes than ever.

36 | Refugee Transitions Refugee Transitions | 37 The word “feeling” has a double meaning, referring to both emotion and physical sensation. This reflects SUE ROXON’s use of physical therapy to relieve physical symptoms such as chronic pain, which is part of an ongoing stress response to repeated and profound trauma. Here she discusses her work with survivors of torture and trauma.

38 | Refugee Transitions FeelingsarePhysical a somatic approach to post-traumatic stress

The way you organise your body - the way you sit, stand, to avoid separating them in the first place. Feelings are and move - is not just a reflection of your emotional state. physical. A disembodied emotion is a meaningless con- It is the manifestation of your emotional state. cept. You only know what you feel, you only know that you feel, by your physical sensations. You know you are Try this exercise. Allow yourself to slump, so that sad because you have, for instance, a heavy feeling in the you can feel your breastbone drop down a little towards chest, a lump in the throat, your eyes prickle with tears. your pubic bone. Notice how this affects your ribs, and You know you feel frightened because your heart thumps restricts your breathing. Let your head move a little for- in your chest, you feel a sinking sensation in your stom- ward in relation to your shoulders, and compress the ach, and prickling armpits. Shame burns and guilt bites. back of your neck. Slightly shrug your shoulders, and bring your shoulder blades slightly closer together at the If we change the way we organise our bodies, our feelings back. Tighten your jaw, just a little, and your cheeks. change. Conversely, our bodies change as our emotional Crease your forehead into a slight frown. Tighten your states change. belly a little, and your inner thighs. Reflect on your physi- cal sensations. How would you describe your emotional Think back to the experimental posture, commonly seen state? If you continue sitting in this posture, do you find in survivors of long-term repeated trauma, whose physi- you have particular thoughts or feelings that accompany ology has been dominated for so long by the arousal it? Can you imagine how you would feel and where you of the sympathetic nervous system (the body’s instinc- would develop pain if you maintained this posture for a tive, defensive ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response to danger) long time? Now, think of the most recent happy, joyous that it seems to have lost the ability to switch off its event in your life. Even to help your memory, but cer- defence response when it is no longer needed to ensure tainly to re-experience the sensation of joy, you will have survival. Bessel van der Kolk, in ‘The Body Keeps the to change your posture. When I have given this exercise Score’, details the precise physiology - as far as it is known to an audience in a lecture, I notice that everyone imme- - of such survival mechanisms, traumatic stress reaction diately lifts their breast bone - reverses the slump - when and the development of Post traumatic Stress Disorder. trying to think of a time when they felt happy. This posture has been described by somatic psychothera- As a physiotherapist, I was trained within the Western pists as ‘collapsed’, ‘defeated’, ‘withdrawn’, and ‘protec- medical model, which conceptually separates the psyche tive’. A history of threat and accompanying powerlessness from the soma - the mind from the body - both in diagno- can be seen in it. Psychiatrists may see it as ‘depressed’, sis and treatment. Even the distinction between the two while a naturopath might interpret it as indicating adre- professions, physiotherapy and psychotherapy, is based nal gland exhaustion (the adrenal gland being the organ on a clear differentiation between mind and body. which secretes the hormones of sympathetic arousal, as well as the hormones that switch such arousal off). Of I find this model to be inadequate in providing a useful relevance to physiotherapists, is that the maintenance of understanding of human functioning, am frustrated by such a posture, with its pattern of constantly tight mus- its mechanistic interpretation of physical symptoms. I cles, such as those at the back of the neck, combined with needed a way of working that allowed me to address, constantly underused muscles, such as those that extend via touch, the somatic symptoms (mostly chronic pain) the spine, will lead to stiffness and rigidity, weakness and of which my clients complained while fully acknowledging fatigue, loss of flexibility and range of movement, loss the impact of the traumatic environment in which such of physical pleasure and sensory awareness, and chronic symptoms developed. pain. Combined with the shallow breathing, it presents a picture of severely reduced functioning. The easiest way to avoid struggling to connect the soma with the psyche in a practical and effective way is, simply, Jana was a 48-year-old woman from the former Yugosla-

Refugee Transitions | 39 FeelingsarePhysical via whose husband had been murdered in the war, at the their constant contraction, and to allow lengthening of same time as she was separated from her son and impris- her neck. Her headaches often felt less at the end of a oned in a concentration camp. During this time she both session, due, I felt, to a slight relaxation effect, but some- witnessed and was subjected to horrific brutalities. She times her head felt ‘heavier’. After a few sessions, I felt was reunited with her son at the end of the war and came the muscles becoming more responsive to my hands, but to Australia. She came to STARTTS suffering from night- when she sat up she was more bent over. This could mares, insomnia, frequent flashbacks, intrusive thoughts be interpreted as Jana feeling more relaxed and there- and images, severe anxiety, panic attacks, fear of crowds fore less protected and more vulnerable. On a muscu- and strangers and a feeling of deep dread. She received loskeletal level, it could be interpreted as a lessening in intensive counseling for many months, which reduced the the chronic contraction pattern resulting in insufficient intensity and frequency of these symptoms, to the point muscular activity to keep Jana stable in an upright pos- where she was able to attend English classes and lead a ture. She also reported that she felt ‘strange’, ‘tired’ and more normal life. She was referred to me because she ‘weak’ for a number of days, though her head pain was still suffered constant headaches, frequent migraines, neck less acute. She described experiencing out-of-body epi- pain, numbness and tingling in her hands, and low back sodes that sounded like dissociation. Jana had difficulty pain. This is a very common symptom pattern in tor- describing and knowing her feelings. ture and trauma survivors, and is not always improved by counseling. Sometimes it needs a more directly somatic Jana needed to learn, or relearn, a different way of orga- intervention. nising her body - one that enabled her to feel stable and secure without resorting to the familiarity of her habit- She presented as a small, thin, timid looking woman, who ual tension pattern to provide that stability. The risk of kept her head and eyes down during the initial visits, with relaxation in severely traumatised people is that of being occasional moments of fleeting eye contact. This fleeting overwhelmed by the sensations/thoughts which habitual contact revealed that Jana’s eyes were bright and alert, physical tension prevents them from feeling. I wondered and gave me the impression that she wanted to be where if this was happening to Jana and that she was dissociating she was. She held herself tensely in the way previously as a result. (“Don’t treat my tension - it’s all that’s hold- described - sunken chest, hunched shoulders, head well ing me together” - Bumper sticker around in the 1980’s.) forward on her shoulders and the back of the neck com- I was anxious to avoid inadvertently encouraging dissocia- pressed, with little spontaneous head movement. Her tion in Jana by facilitating too sudden a change in her body breathing was shallow, and she moved as if she were and physical sensations. It seemed as if the more effective trying not to make any impact on her surroundings. a session was in changing Jana’s bodily organisation, the more likely she was to feel ‘strange’ and have episodes I was curious to explore whether her headaches were where she felt as though she was not present. Her dis- connected with the constant contraction of the muscles sociation was sometimes dangerous, such as having near at the back of her neck - and the constant pulling of these misses with cars, and leaving the gas burning when she muscles on their attachments at the back of the head, the left the house. shoulders and the mid back, but first I needed to explore the tissue of her head and neck to see if these had been I avoided this possible response by breaking down the injured, such as by repeated beating in a way that may lessons into shorter more easily digested lessons, and by be contributing to chronic head pain. (A CT scan had asking for her constant verbal feedback, which demanded not revealed brain pathology). Her scalp and neck did that she focus on the minutiae and the flow of her physi- not feel as if they had been subject to this trauma but cal sensations. I wanted to know about how she felt, the neck muscles, and the scalp, were tight, and the joints both in terms of what she sensed happening in her body stiff. This initial exploration allowed me to discover how and also whether she liked it or not. Jana had talked very Jana felt about being touched in such an intimate way. little and became passive when touched, but gradually She did not relax, but remained aware and present, and became more articulate, and far less passive as a result did not dissociate. of this approach. I also used my hands to provide pre- cise support and stability when needed - a function which I next focused on facilitating Jana’s neck muscles to lessen her muscles had not yet learnt to do (except by being

40 | Refugee Transitions constantly contracted in an undifferentiated way). Jana’s the concentration camp, except her anxiety about being sighs and deeper breathing indicated to me when my separated from her child, but I assume that the difficulty hands were successfully providing this support. (Illustra- she had in moving her pelvis, compared with her willing- tion- hands under head) ness to explore the possibilities of movement in her upper body, was connected with these experiences. Due to the Most of my work with Jana consisted of helping her to freer movement in the rest of her body, Jana was eventu- discover a stronger functional stability without resorting ally able to move with less strain on her back, but her to her habitual and uncomfortable tension pattern. A pelvis remained undifferentiated and her belly remained large part of this work involved improving Jana’s aware- clenched. ness of those parts of her body, which she had previously ignored, both through the imposed rigidity of her habit- After eight months, Jana was taking her analgesic medica- ual pattern of organisation, and her lack of awareness of tion only when she needed it, rather than several times a all parts of her body except those that cried out the loud- day. Her headaches were no longer constant, although est. For instance, discovering the movement available in occasionally just as severe. Her neck and shoulder pain her ribs and shoulder blades, and how it could be incor- was far less, and her hands symptom free. She still tended porated into the rest of her body movement, enabled to sit hunched over, and hold herself tensely, but was Jana to begin to move out of the chronic contraction pat- capable of more spontaneous movement and felt more tern in her neck and shoulders, and also to breathe more physically comfortable. She could do more, like put on deeply. (illustration) her shoes and sit in class, with less pain. She looked and felt more relaxed and was sleeping better. Her memory The pelvic area is a powerful source of strength and sta- was improving and she never missed appointments any bility. Jana’s pelvis was poorly differentiated from her more. As Jana felt more physically competent and capa- spine - in other words, she tended to move her spine ble, she began studying more, and, hoping to retrain and and pelvis in a block. This resulted in constant strain in find work, started a full-time TAFE course. This meant her low back as her spine stretched and pulled against she could no longer attend STARTTS and I no longer saw an un-moving heavy pelvis. She felt pain when bending her. down or putting on shoes - any activities that demand a mobile pelvis. However, Jana found great difficulty focus- ing on her pelvic area, and never managed to let go of Sue Roxon is a physiotherapist and Feldenkrais prac- the muscles of her belly to explore other ways of con- titioner and has worked since 1994 at STARTTS. trolling her pelvis. When I tried to bring her attention to this area she became withdrawn, passive and inarticu- late again. She never talked about her experiences in

Refugee Transitions | 41 Reviewsforeshortened life, Ayoub joins the smugglers in order to earn the money.

The smuggling sequences are

harrowing. Loading up mules with A TIME FOR DRUNKEN goods and feeding them vodka and HORSES brandy to numb them to the intense cold (the “drunken horses” of the d. Bahman Ghobadi title), the supply trains trudge through blizzards towards Iraq, dodging Like many recent Iranian films, A patrols, ambushes and landmines. At Time For Drunken Horses stresses one point, the mules are so social obligations above all else for intoxicated and so exhausted they fall the survival of community - in this and are incapable of regaining their case, the stateless Kurdish community. legs even as Iraqi troops are firing That’s why so many Iranian films are machine guns from the other side told from the perspective of children, of a snowdrift. Even at the end of the weakest members and the most the journey there is no guarantee deserving of protection. unscrupulous ringleaders will pay up.

High up in the mountains of the A Time For Drunken Horses is a film Iran-Iraq border, the members of of extraordinary humanity and dignity, a small Kurdish village eke out an and also of austere alpine beauty. existence smuggling goods across the The bleak and hostile environment of line. Ayoub is a 12 year-old boy the villagers and the hatred of the who must assume responsibility for his Iraqi authorites only highlight the great family after his father is killed. His sacrifices Ayoub and his kin make mother died a long time ago. Ayoub for the survival of their afflicted but has five siblings, chief of whom is his precious elder brother. As director sister Amaneh, through whose eyes Ghobadi stresses in a brief preamble, the story is told; another sister Rojini the harshness of life depicted in this has reached marriageable age; and film is the existence he has known as a his elder brother Mahdi, a retarded member of a stateless and oppressed dwarf whose survival depends on a minority most of his life. The wholly constant supply of scarce and costly non-professional cast use their real medications. names and own clothes, achieving a near-documentary effect; Amaneh The village doctor tells Ayoub that wears the same blue-green pullover Mahdi’s condition (which is not throughout the film, almost the only specified) is worsening and he will splash of colour in a terrain drained of die unless he undergoes an operation. it. Watching the young Ayoub labour This can only happen if Ayoub is able through snow and barbed wire on to raise money to take Mahdi across inhospitable borderlands, bearing the the border into Iraq; even with the crippled Mahdi on his back like St. operation, Mahdi is unlikely to survive Christopher, was to witness something more than another 8 months. Despite deeply moving. the knowledge of Mahdi’s inevitably Reviewed by David Bolton

44 | Refugee Transitions Reviews FIRE, SNOW & HONEY subject to deportation by the Australian Authorities in concert with ‘Fire, Snow & Honey - Voices from US State department’s Kurdistan’ is like no other book pronouncements. This is so despite dealing with the subjects of Kurds and the fact that, as it is noted in Kurdistan. It is therefore destined to the introduction titled “Why care?”, be a seminal work and a reference “The nature of PKK is a reaction to book for both the beginner and the the extreme fascism [of Turkish state experienced. ideology] Kemalism.” It is this ideology that, over 50 years after the Universal At first glance it appears to be a Declaration of Human Rights, and in collection of Kurdish Australians’ life full view of uncaring world leaders, stories, hopes, fears and aspirations. continues to deny the existence of On closer examination, however, it the Kurds and outlaw Kurdish language becomes evident that it is a great for electioneering, education of any the Kurds of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and deal more than personal accounts kind, judicial proceedings, radio & Syria in the twentieth century. Snow of imprisonment, torture, persecution television broadcasting and trade & reflects the long and harsh winters and hopeful thinking. The book is commerce in local corner shops. where people walk up to their chests made of insightful essays, meaningful Turkey continues to get away with in snow, as well as the incredibly fables, moving and analytical poetry brutalising the Kurds because of her beautiful soaring mountain peaks that - both contemporary & classic, short perceived strategic location and are covered all year round. Honey fiction and accumulated Kurdish gateway to the riches of Central Asia. is symbolic of the fertile valleys that observations expressed as proverbs grow every crop imaginable, the such as “Grass does not stay under a The book therefore aims (and river systems with their sources in rock”, “The eye can see, but the hand I believe surpasses all reasonable Kurdistan that gave rise to some of is short” and “A time for rose and expectations in achieving its aim) at the earliest agricultural settlements a time for primrose” that have been letting Kurdish voices, long silenced and civilisations, and the oil and used as headings. Their meanings and at home and ignored abroad, to be mineral wealth which proved to be impact are enhanced by Mme Danielle heard. The voices bring to life the the twentieth century curse for the Mitterand’s powerful foreword and Kurds’ rich, diverse & enduring indeed Kurdish nation. Ms Gina Lennox’s well reasoned and thriving cultural heritage -literature, reflective introduction. The detailed music, food, religion, life isolated by The cover of the book is based on map of Kurdistan and a lot of historical snow capped mountains, legendary an absolutely beautiful painting by information will be new to many armed struggles, unacknowledged Kurdish artist Rebwar Tahir. The book informed Kurds as well. genocides and stolen history, heroes & publisher is Halstead Press, Sydney. heroines. The voices also inspire much The aims of the book and the reasons needed research into how and why a Fire Snow & Honey is retailing at for its coming into existence appear nation of 35-40 million people living Australian bookshops for $A75.00 but to be intertwined with the editor’s on their ancestral homeland have been it is available by direct order at compassion and concern for the plight divided, dispossessed and robbed of a significant discount: $A45.00 plus of the Kurds. They all seem to their identity and even language. $10.00 for postage within Australia, spring from the notion which Noam or $25.00 postage outside Australia. Chomsky has crystallised by his saying The title of the book is highly symbolic that, “The first amendment [to the US for the Kurdish people. Fire stands for Please send cheque, money order or Constitution] guarantees freedom of the annual Newroz (or New day, new credit card details (number & expiry speech, but does not guarantee access year, new era) fires commemorating date) to Fire, Snow & Honey, Halstead to microphones.” Thus, the Kurdish Kurdish freedom in 612 BC when a Press, Level 5, 19A Boundary Rd, women and PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ blacksmith named Kawa successfully Rushcutters Bay NSW 2011 Australia party] supporters and sympathisers rose up against a foreign tyrant have hitherto remained silent and/or occupying Kurdistan. Kawa lit a fire on or by email to anonymous in this great free and a mountaintop to inform the people of [email protected] democratic country. The former due his victory and his message was spread or by fax: 02-9319-7728 to tradition, lack of the English by fires on top of other mountains. (+612-9319-7728 for international language, shyness, values and politics This tradition continues to our day. orders) and the latter largely due to fear Fire in the title also refers to the of being labeled ‘terrorist’ and made fires of genocides perpetrated against Reviewed by Eziz Bawermend

Refugee Transitions | 45 Reviews THE UNINVITED: REFUGEES AT THE RICH MAN’S GATE Here are his facts: More than 150 million people are living outside the by Jeremy Harding country of their birth. Migration and migrants are as diverse as those (Profile Books/London Review of people who stay in their birth country. Books PB 123 pp. r.r.p. $18.50) For example: professionals who take a post in another country for several Here is a piece of documentary years; the labourer who works on a journalism that asks this question of all site in Thailand but is contracted by an Western countries: “How much longer Indonesian company. can exclusionary immigration policies work?” This emotive issue is very Refugees often seek asylum with pertinent to Australia which recently migrants sharing their route to safety. experienced an influx of refugees Refugees are not necessarily poor arriving illegally through Indonesian but human trafficking organisations contrast, 4174 reached Australia by ports. Generally referred to as “Boat often eat up their capital. In the boat or plane. People”, these desperate individuals past Western Europe has generously . Tanzania hosts one refugee for every risk their lives aboard overcrowded and taken refugees without disruption to 76 citizens - Britain one for every 530 flimsy vessels to seek asylum in a land the host country. Generally, however, and Australia one for every 1,583. of perceived opportunity. Harding argues that refugees have begun to look like thieves or beggars The Treaty of Amsterdam, which During the recent Federal election at the rich man’s gate with an came into affect in May 1999, allows campaign both major parties took expensive “game of wits” being played greater scope for redress in cases of a firm stance against “clandestine out along the borders. human rights violations when refugees migration”, processing the uninvited are often regarded as a drain on in , Papua New Guinea The profiteers of this moving resources. and Nauru. Often these refugees are population around the world are the thought of as queue-jumpers rather agents, traffickers and facilitators. In Attitudes to ethnic migrants change than people who fear for their lives. the 1942 movie classic, Casablanca, over time, he observes. Once Italians Jeremy Harding is a senior editor at Peter Lorre plays a forger named who arrived in northern cities from the London Review of Books and Ugarte who deals with refugees from the south and east of the country to the Year 2000 followed migrants Marseilles to Oran hoping to obtain were mistrusted much like the North and refugees in Morocco, , , a visa for Lisbon. His character says African Albanians and Nigerians are Kosovo and Albania often to Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart): today. accompanying border patrols “You object to the kind of business I do, huh? But think of all these poor Any reader who is interested in Part one of the book deals with refugees who must rot in this place the destiny of the individual must refugees trying to reach wealthy if I didn’t help them. But that’s not face the magnitude of this human countries since the Cold War when so bad. Through ways of my own I tragedy. Confront the pregnant populations on the move were in provide them with exit visas.” woman captured at the border who decline. Part two deals with the is held in detention only to suicide predicaments of these poor illegal “For a price, Ugarte,” Rick replies, overnight. Confront the thousands refugees who challenge the rich world. “For a price.” that drown in Indonesian waters or in the Gibraltar Straits. Confront This volume may be slim (at 123 Once the stranger arrives in a strange the families that are separated and pages) but not on ideas and his land Harding argues he is on a trial confront the stowaways asphyxiated argument is stated clearly: Western of nothing more palpable than his in trucks at British ferry ports. A European seclusion of peoples from intentions.” sobering tale by the most sympathetic economically poorer countries widens of journalists. the gulf between rich and poor and is . 300,000 arrived in Europe to seek seriously harmful to both. asylum in the Year 2000. By way of Reviewed by Peter Boully

46 | Refugee Transitions AUSTRALIA and the response to asylum seekers

The 2 books cited above came out they are, necessarily, 10 months out in April/May 2001, that is before of date. Borderline: the most recent draconian bipartisan If you want to know the present Australia’s treatment of legislation on asylum seekers. Nev- legal position of asylum seekers refugees and asylum seekers ertheless, they document a horrify- you should visit the DIMA Web by Peter Mares ing governmental response to those site http://www.immi.gov.au - (UNSW Press, 219p. r.r.p. $29.95) seeking to escape the repressive along with Protecting the border you regimes of Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran will find more recent Fact sheets and Asylum seekers: in particular. They remind those of Media releases detailing tightening of Australia’s response to refugees us who care that much that man- the legislation that has occurred over by Don McMaster datory detention was instigated by the last few months e.g. the Informa- (Melbourne University Press, 254p. the Labor Party. They point out that tion Kit on the new Border Control r.r.p. $38.45) the legislation and government poli- Legislation. cies have a racist element, and they Of course, Australia is not alone Protecting the border suggest we have discarded a noble in having to deal with refugees, even Dept. of Immigration & and humane policy with regard to if it is alone in the inhumanity Multicultural Affairs those suffering under political and with which it does deal with them. http://www.immi.gov.au organised violence. A good source of information on, Both these books are worthwhile, and discussion of the international Sharing the security burden: each has its own emphasis, each has ramifications of mass migration is towards the convergence of its own strengths, both cover the his- the Refugee Studies Centre at refugee protection & state tory of Australia’s asylum seeker/ Oxford University http:// security refugee policy adequately. Each www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/rsp/. The site by James Milner book gives fulsome documentation/ includes papers on the psychological http://www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/rsp case studies of both the implemen- consequences and treatment of refu- tation and results of government gees, and on the political and eco- Globalisation, policies. Both books address the nomic aspects of refugee policy both humanitarianism and the psychological consequence to individ- national and international. erosion of refugee protection uals of these policies. Borderline is Two papers of particular interest by B.S. Chimni written in a more accessible style are: http://www.qeh.ox.ac.uk/rsp than Asylum seekers (which was James Milner’s Sharing the security first produced as the author’s PhD burden which addresses the short- thesis. Asylum seekers emphasises comings of international responses WISH the strong racist undercurrent in the to refugees, and the attempt to dis- I am angry with these borders historical and contemporary Austra- tribute more equitably among coun- ReviewsThat surround me. lia policies on refugees- the fear of tries the burden of offering asylum. I wish I could live the “other”. It is concerned mainly B.S. Chimni’s Globalisation, In the borderless world of with Asian asylum seekers, with only humanitarianism and the erosion of your eyes. a few mentions of refugees from refugee protection which looks at the Middle East or Afghanistan. If the ideology of humanitarianism as (A poem by Marif Agha-e, translated Borderline is a history book then opposed to the “economic rational- from the Kurdish by Kamran Avin) Asylum seekers might be considered ism” of globalisation - that anomaly a psychohistory book, McMaster is that says there should be a free and Recent history (and a Federal elec- concerned with the national psyche, unencumbered international flow of tion) have painfully illustrated the especially the racists aspects, and goods and services but not people. deficiencies in the international and sees the present attitudes as a con- While neither of these papers spe- Australian responses to increases in tinuation of the fear of the “yellow cifically addresses the situation in asylum seekers and refugees, espe- peril” and the White Australia Policy Australia they do give a context cially those from the Middle East and (a number of commentators have for what has happened here and in Afghanistan. Efforts to ensure inter- point out that if the “Boat people” other parts of the world with regard national protection for refugees have were white Zimbabwean farmers to our obligations under the 1951 been repeatedly frustrated, as states there would be mass public outrage Convention and 1967 Protocol relat- have expressed an increased reluc- if we treated them as we have the ing to the status of refugees. tance to offer asylum. Nowhere has Afghan and Iraqi refugees). this been so evident in the last 12 While both these books give a Reviewed by David Finlay months as in Australia. good summary of government policy

Refugee Transitions | 47