Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Hello Everyone,

For those of you who do not know me - my name Sawsan Salim and I am the Co-ordinator for the Kurdistan Refugee Women’s Organisation. I would like to start by thanking John McDonnell for generous support to KRWO and the work we are doing. I would like to thank Sara and Dashty from the International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR), for the great work they are doing for the Iraqi asylum seekers.

The reason for us being here today is to support asylum seekers from Iraqi, along with those from other nationalities. However because I am representing the Kurdistan Refugee Women’s Organization, my speech will mainly be about our concern of the safety of women who are forced to return and live in Iraq/Kurdistan. The lives of these women will hardly be worth living.

You see - when a man leaves the Middle East to live in the UK or elsewhere overseas, this is usually for economic or political reasons. The situation with women is however quite different. They normally leave in order to escape their daily beatings and the threat of honour killings, because of gender issues and the frustration of always being treated like a second or even a third class citizen.

Ladies and Gentlemen the Middle East is a male dominated society, where men – that is fathers, husband, brothers and even son - clearly and rigidly prescribe the behaviour of women. What women wear, eat, or drink is determined for them. The men folks see any departure from these prescribed norms as dishonoring the family, for which the punishment is often very severe. The sad thing is that these punishments are normally sanctioned by the State and legitimized by society.

In the Middle East honour killings, kidnappings, rape, polygamy, the force wearing of hijab, force marriage and self-immolation is a part of a woman’s daily life. In Iraq political Islam and the authorities use the Sharia law to justify the restrictions imposed on women. Under the Islamic and Nationalist doctrine, women are not normally regarded as human beings, instead they are seen as the property of men to be acquired and disposed of at their pleasure. This, ladies and gentlemen is what await women who are forced to return.

I would like to draw your attention to a recent announcement from the Home Office that there are two cities in Iraq where it is safe for Iraqi Kurd to return to. These two cities are Sulamnia and Dhok but ladies and gentlemen they are far from being safe.

In a recent Article written by Nask Ahmed he said that in last 15 years, whilst under the control of PUK and KDP (two Kurdish governments) 33,000 women have either been killed or committed suicide at north Iraq.

In a TV interview on 9/5/06 on KDP TV, one speaker said that last year (2005) in Sulimania city there were 735-recorded cases of Self-immolation and honour killing.

In an interview with women’s from parliament (some female Mp), published by Media newsletter No (242), they said Killing of women and self-Immolation are increasing.

One said that last year (2005) in Arbil city there were 1711 case of Self-Immolation by women and 1500 killed. In January and February of this year, again in Arbil city there were 534 case of Self-Immolation.

In the same interview it was said that in 2004, in Dhok, 1334 female self-immolations were recorded and in 2005, there was a further 535 cases. In Sulaminia, in the last 4 months, 266 women committed suicide and there were 74 killings.   

My question is - is Kurdistan and especially the two cities mentioned by the Kurdish government safe enough to send Kurdish women and girl back to? These women left the Country many years ago and have become used to a completely different way of life. They will be returning to a Country with a lifestyle, which disappeared in the western world many centuries ago.

I do not believe that it is safe for women to return to Iraq and women should not be forced to do so.  I would now like to say something about Voluntary Return – which is anything but voluntary. I am particularly concerned about the effect of this Government policy on women. To me this policy is like a double-edged sword – it cut both ways and the unfortunate victim will generally be women and children – many of whom are from Kurdistan and Iraq.

I like to explain what the policy means – for those of you who might not be aware of it - is this! The asylum seeker, having exhausted the appeal process to stay in this Country, will be asked to sign a Voluntary Return document. If they sign the document – they will be returned to their Country forthwith. If they refused any benefit they are currently receiving will be stopped. The choice is unbelievably harsh – it is like “jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire” Either way the women are doomed to a very uncertain future.

What can we do? This meeting is a start, and we have to continue;

Ø     We must join together to resist this policy and bring about its withdrawal

Ø     Let us all write to our Members of Parliament – Let us visit them at their surgeries; Let us write to the Newspapers.

KRWO are pleased to be supporting this campaign, which run by International Federation of Iraq.

Dear Friends we must shout until our voices are heard – this is an important issue for hundreds of women – we cannot afford to let them down.

Thanks