Iraqi Refugees Stories from the Field

Story 1

Hanna used to work with the Iraqi army. In 1995 militia groups threatened him to become a Muslim or else he would be killed. He immediately fled to Jordan with his wife and their 11-year old daughter.

He now sells hand-made crosses and pictures of saints to churches in Amman and Zarqa. His very low income is not enough to pay for his wife’s treatments and his daughter’s needs in school. "Life is hard here, this is an expensive country, the prices are very high, I can’t afford to live in Jordan, and I wish I can migrate to another country." Hanna says.

Last year, his son was also approached and ordered to become Muslim. The moment he refused, they killed him. He was only 25 years old.

Story 2

Khalid was a sergeant in the Iraqi army during Saddam Hussein’s reign. He was accused with cooperating with the enemy in the war with Iran and was convicted and given the death penalty. However, charges were dropped and he was discharged from the army and became a free man. He fled from Iraq to Jordan after the US invasion.

In 2003, he became a Christian. A pastor visited with him in his home and he was helped by a Christian relief organization while being treated from a stroke in a hospital. They talked to him about The Lord Jesus Christ. "Jesus doesn’t need a proof, his miracles speak for him." He testifies.

Khalid is a poet and a writer. He has written three plays and many songs and poetry. As with many Iraqi's in Jordan, he can’t find work. The only choice he has is to try to leave Jordan for another country so he can promote his writings and songs. He lives in despair. No money, no career, and no hope in the future. The help he receives from UNHCR is not enough….

Story 3

Jihan is an Iraqi, married to A Jordanian, who has lived in Jordan since 1998. Her mother and brothers moved from Iraq to Jordan in 2004, after the US invasion, after being threatened by activist groups.

Her brother used to work with the US army; he received death threats from militants to quit his job and leave the country. Now he lives with his mother in Jordan, he doesn’t have a work permit and they are desperate for help, they live on the money sent by relatives from outside. He lost his hope in living and does not have a future to look for.

The other brother is Sunni married to Shii’ woman, he lived in Shia’ neighborhood in peace, but suddenly militia threatened and attacked him and his family and forced him to leave the country. Now he lives with his family in Jordan, under the same circumstances of all refugees in Jordan.

Story 4

Heyam, an Iraqi who fled to Jordan in 2004; back in Iraq, she used to work as a nurse, had a boutique, three restaurants and a glass-making shop, and her husband was in the Iraqi army. All their business was destroyed by militants, eventually militia bombed their house, and her son was burned and died in the bombing. Their certificates and official papers were also wiped out during war.

Now, in Jordan, she is unemployed and her husband has no work permit but sometimes he illegally works as truck-driver. Their house is empty, no food, furniture or even blankets. They only receive help from their Jordanian neighbors.

Heyam says: "There’s no hope in the future, we can’t survive the living in Jordan; it’s a very expensive country, and if the security situation improves we might go back to Iraq and start from scratch."

Story 5

Nadia Ghaleb, Um Ali, came to Jordan in 2000, was married to Jordanian and divorced recently; now she lives with her 5 year son. Her ex-husband pays her nothing and she can’t work. Her family, who live in Sweden, used to send her money but now they stopped sending anything.

"Sometimes we find nothing to eat, so I and my son go beg in the streets of Amman, I tell him to grab food from the ground so we can eat. It has been four months without water in our house, I go and beg my neighbors for some but most of them are tired of us begging all the time." She says.

"I don’t know anyone at all in Jordan; I don’t have any friends or relatives, I feel lost and helpless. What future do I have for me and my kid? The government notified me to leave Jordan within two weeks and I don’t know what to do if they come back again."

Story 6

Sameera is Jordanian married to an Iraqi; they have 4 children, had their beautiful and luxurious life in Iraq and had their own family business. After the US invasion they received threats from militants to quit their business and leave Iraq, Sameera left with her 4 kids and took some money to help her start a new life in Jordan.

After a while, militants bombed their business leaving them broke, with permanent scars and bullets in her 60 years old husband. "The pain is unbearable; he can’t work due to his injuries, back pain and their illegal situation." Sameera continues, "I have heart problems also, we are both sick and can’t work." They live on their savings which will dry out soon; they are desperate for help.

Sameera feels sad and hopeless: "all our beautiful dreams disappeared; I look at my children and feel helpless because I can’t give them what other parents give, I can’t fulfill their needs. I took them away from their own country and I ask all Iraqis never to leave Iraq."

Story 7

Yusra, Iraqi fled to Jordan after the US invasion in 2003, she has 5 girls and 1 boy, and her husband used to work with the Iraqi army. Her home and all their properties were wiped out during war; they lost their jobs and financial resources.

"Now we live in Hashimi and my husband can’t work, he some times takes temporary jobs as worker, but it’s not enough!” Yusra says. "The only thing that keeps us going is the support we receive from local organizations."

They wish the security situation Improves so they can go back to their country.

Story 8

Asma’a and Sabrina are two wives of the same man; Sabrina has only a twenty years old son and Asma’a has 3 boys and a girl. They fled to Jordan in 2003 after the destruction of all their home and properties. Their husband went back to Iraq because his brothers, father and brothers in law were all killed during war. But when he tried to go back to Jordan the government refused to let him in so he went back to Iraq.

"We live together at the same house with our mother in law, who is very sick, and our children. None of us is employed we live on the food our neighbors send and we send our kids to the streets to collect cans that we might sell to buy food for the family." Sbrina says. "We can’t afford the rent of the house; we haven’t paid it for 10 months as well as the water and electricity bills."

Asma’a says, "Many days we cried because we are hungry and we have no money to buy food for our children, they are hungry all the time."

This family can’t go back to Iraq because war left nothing for them, everything they had was destroyed there’s no hope in the future in Iraq.

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