One man, two cultures: last year, after 24 years in exile, I returned to Iraqi Kurdistan to visit my family for Newroz, the Kurdish New Year celebrations. I wanted to go there to reflect on the experiences of my life, which have led me from Iran, to Iraq, and finally to Switzerland. I would like to share with you a brief summary of my path out of my homeland.
| Auteur | Aliassi, Taimoor |
| Fonction | POLITICS FEATURE |
The 19th-century Kurdish poet Nali describes exile as 'a dark place', 'prison', 'tragedy' and 'treason'. On the other hand, Nali portrays Kurdistan as 'a light-filled and sacred place', 'the motherland' and 'a place of loyalty'.
Another Kurdish writer, Ali Bakhtiar, wrote in 2005 that "the sentiment that results from the tragedy of exile is a source of revolt and of the development of a critical outlook". Exile must give us a sense of understanding the essence of the world, and of the country we left. It must also permit us to discover a new world.
From Iran to Switzerland
I have lived in Switzerland for 14 years. I left Kurdistan in Iran, like thousands of other Kurds, following the declaration of a 'sacred war' in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini against the Kurdish people. From Iran I went to Iraqi Kurdistan, where l had to learn Arabic at school. In Iran, I had learned Farsi at school. At home, however, we always spoke Kurdish.
In 1986, the Iran-Iraq War intensified and Saddam Hussein's regime transferred my family to a refugee camp south of Baghdad, near Fallujah. It was a desert. completely different from the mountains of Kurdistan.
In the refugee camp in Iraq, I lived with thousands of other Kurds. I met my wife, and my daughter and son were born in the camp. In the camp, I worked as a community health worker and a translator for the UNHCR, because I could speak English.
After the first Gulf War, the UNHCR gave my family and me refugee papers. l then travelled to Switzerland with my wife and our two children. We lived in a refugee centre in Gersau, Canton Schwyz.
After three months of German classes, I realised that the German I learned in class was not the German that people spoke on the street. I decided to go to Geneva to learn French and establish my life there.
Currently, I'm in the final stages of my studies at the University of Applied Sciences in Social Affairs. in Geneva, where I live and work. I have the impression that my process of integration has only just begun.
Returning to Kurdistan
According to what I've learned in my social work programme, integration refers to a social, cultural and political process that seeks to establish a sense of unity out of a diverse mix of interests and experiences. Integration is not only a process, but also a goal. The sharing of values, equivalent living conditions and participation in social life are important measure of integration.
After 24 years away from greater Kurdistan, I returned last...
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