Jordan, day 5 (Sunday)
We got a late start on interviews today to take care of a few errands. Among them were getting a cell phone for Peggy [Kelsey], who will be staying another five weeks interviewing and photographing Iraqi refugees. We also bought some fruit, something we haven't had since we arrived. We passed a beautiful scarf store and bought a few to use and to give as gifts. We then had lunch at ACOR with other English-speaking foreigners of good intent.
At 3:00 p.m. we met with Safa at a mall food court. Charlie [Jackson] has known Safa and his family since December 2002. Safa's wife, Amal, and their children used to live with him in Jordan but she was made to go back to Bagdad to have her visa renewed. When she got there, the Jordan embassy refused. She and their children have been stranded in Bagdad for a while now. Charlie keeps up with them by e-mail. Kathy Green, another activist who has spent some time here, wrote a letter appealing to the Queen on her behalf. She just "happened" to enclose a glowing article she wrote about the Queen working for peace and justice which was published in the U.S. Nothing has happened yet but it has only been a few weeks. Charlie also has also written a letter on her behalf to the Ministry of the Interior on his company letterhead.
Safa enjoyed using his English and was a little flirty and I also got a.... marriage proposal which I took as good natured flattery. After awhile Carla, Peggy and I went off by ourselves to explore the mall a bit and to give Charlie and Safa time to talk. When we came back Peggy sat next to Safa this time and he proposed to her too! So much for being special!
After we said goodbye to Safa, who we will see again tomorrow afternoon, Zahra took us to see a Sabian refugee family. (Sabian religion pre-dates Islam, Christianity and Judism). The woman of the house is named El Ham but is respectfully called Um Rami. She has five children whose education stopped three years ago when they fled Bagdad. Reonid had one year of school, Ivan had seven, Rawa eight, Rosa four, and Rami eleven years of school. She said Rami was on his way to an Internet cafe today to write to relatives but the streets were swarming with police looking for illegal Iraqis to deport, as they often do, and he returned home afraid.
This family has been in Amman for three years. The man of the house disappeared a few weeks ago—it is believed because of death threats. A Canadian Catholic group has been providing food and helping with other needs.
When asked what was the reason this family left Iraq they told a story of religious persecution. The Iraqis tried to force Rawi to become a Muslim and to cover her hair. They threw stones at her and cut open her forehead. Um Rami's brother was killed and his body cut into pieces because he was not a Muslim. Her son Rami was kidnapped and a ransom of $15,000 had to be paid.
This family was the owner of two jewelry stores and had previously lived a good life. When they fled they took what gold they could and sold it to live on. When that ran out different activist groups started helping out. But they live in a little slum house with no furniture. Um Rami said, "There is no peace in Jordan because we do not live with dignity and can be deported at any time. But we will never go back to Iraq, even if there is peace. We believe in God but we do not believe in humans."
Nobody wants these refugees and they cannot go back home.
