Huda in Flight

November 21, 2012

I arrived near the end of boarding time to my aisle seat (Thank you Steve) for our 11 hour (ugh) flight to Chicago.  I normally put out a “don’t talk to me” vibe on planes and enjoy the private time.

The woman next to me was an attractive, well dressed, 50 something with Hijab and not looking to be that social.   Before long we began to talk. She told me she was a computer programmer originally from Baghdad. She has an adult daughter who is married and lives in France with husband and two children. Her son is finishing an undergraduate degree at a college in Atlanta. She now lives in Atlanta and was returning from her the home in Baghdad she still maintains.

Asking how she got to Atlanta she proceeded to tell me about being a working single Mom in Baghdad and getting a good job with an American company doing programing of some sort. Eventually she was sought out and threatened …being seen as a “collaborator”.    Her son was out of the country in school. Her mother and father had died. She decided to leave Iraq and join her son.

She was recently hired by an American company in Atlanta and is looking forward to getting back to work.

I asked about her children’s father.

She told me her husband was an Iraqi Airways pilot and 18 years ago, when her children were young, was taken by Sadam’s “people”, tortured and killed.  He was accused of doing something against the regime which she said was not true.  She told me if anyone wanted to cause you trouble they just report to Sadam’s people and the people would be eliminated…no trial, no collaborating evidence…just an anonymous report.  Huda went on to tell me that she too was put in jail for 5 months for “failing to report her husband”.  She said he was doing nothing against the regime so  “What could she report?”   I asked if she was tortured.  She nodded affirmatively and said she tried to not think about it.

After our extensive conversation we journeyed to the US in friendly silence. She watched a couple of movies, as did I. She was barefoot and never left her seat.  She took my card and said she’d look up IARP on the web.  She said if we had a group of woman from Najaf visit Minneapolis she’d come and help us host them.  She was sympathetic to the woman of Najaf who, she said, lived a more restricted life.

Leaving...

Sitting at the gate waiting to board the plane that will lift me out of the Middle East I think of leaving the gentle, strong sounds of “humdallah” and “inshallah” that swirl around my ears.

I am ready to return home to easier Wi-Fi connections, familiar “WCs, and the comfort of my own home.

I leave seas of woman swishing elegant black capes, animated children and handsome Arab men.

I leave the dusky horizon and the drumming of the Ashura marching men; the songs/prayers sung out over the city.

I leave Mesopotamia, the banks of the Euphrates, the watchful (scared? suspicious? curious?) house guards.

I leave my 8 foot square bathroom that adjoins my private room with balcony and gold encrusted decorations; the satin and sequined bedspread and mirrored closet doors with gold emblem seal.

I leave the “palace” with its tenders that have not yet learned how to host.

I leave the irritation of having to ask for plates, bowls and hot water for all 9 mornings we are on our own for breakfast.
I leave the occasional woman and donkey in the Euphrates and the pack of nine dogs that roamed the area.
I leave the newly planted gardens of a variety of plants carefully watered each morning.
I leave the familiarity of a scarf around my head and the re-occurring need to adjust, re-pin, stick hair back in.
I leave Samera, Zuhair, Azar and Ghayyib; Hiba, Suad and Omar, President Akeel, Abdul Kareem and Sami.

I leave the dusty unpaved roads, the holy shrines and thousands of vendors.

I leave behind our relieved hosts that through their vigilance we remained “safe” throughout our stay.
I leave a part of myself.

Leadership Rising

In October of 2011 Ahmad, Hussain, Muataz, Arkan, and Mohammed met via Facebook.  Young, employed professionals in Najaf, they found themselves in a conversation about what they were doing to make things better in their city…or more accurately as the leader Ahmad told me “We acknowledged we were wasting our time other than working at our jobs.”

Being a dessert city, Najaf had age old date palms, other varieties of palm trees along with hectare after hectare of sand and clay. Najaf has bushes and small gardens that are irrigated.  These four young men decided they’d like to “green up” a local area used by children.  The four of them made arrangements to acquire 300 trees which they planted in the sports forum area in November of 2011 They continued planting at additional sports forums and surrounding neighborhoods increasing the number of plantings to 5000.  They did an additional project at the University of Kufa, with student and faculty participation; on the road the pilgrims walk honoring Imam Hussein between Najaf and Karbala they planted trees and bushes; in the late winter and spring an additional 1000 trees went in at 20 schools and 5000 more at football (soccer) complexes. Liking the feeling of contributing, the “Tree Team” marched on attracting notice from private and government agencies alike. They continued to receive support and appreciation from the municipality of Al-Najaf now offering to supply small trees for as many projects as the Tree Team takes on.

On February 24, 2012, a day designated as the “Green Day of Najaf”, enlisting the help of 100 volunteers 3000 trees were planted in Najaf. In addition to the planting of trees the team handed out flyers and posters urging citizens to pick up litter and “clean up Najaf”.  Their commitment to greening of Najaf expands to cleaning of Najaf as well.

These industrious young men have learned to coordinate with schools, and with government entities; they have enlisted college students, school administrations, the municipality of Najaf and citizens of Najaf to contribute to the greening and cleaning of Najaf.  They are enthusiastic, positive and effective!

In their logo decorated Tommy Hilfiger shirts and white baseball caps they breathe pride in their community and a “can do” action oriented model for hundreds in Al- Najaf.

Ahmad and his team are being acknowledged by people beyond Najaf, honored recently as one of the four best youth groups in Iraq at the Festival of the Youth in Baghdad.

Our delegation of seven from the US was introduced to Ahmad “Pre”and his team on the night we arrived in Najaf, November 11th by Sami Rasouli and the Muslim Peacemaker Teams. We were able to join up with the “Dream” Tree Team and plant trees down the median strip of a major road way in Najaf.  With the cars whizzing by in both directions each of 70 trees were stripped of their plastic casing, put in the ground and the dirt packed around the stem. “Grow little tree,” we said; “make Najaf green.” The city has an irrigation line installed down the middle of this median as the team had planted some trees about a year ago.  Those earlier planted trees were 6-7 feet tall.  We planted the new seedlings between the established trees. In keeping with their commitment to the environment Ahmad was careful to not only pick up all of the plastic casings that had held the young trees but also any other litter that he found in the median. Soon everyone was picking up litter as well as planting seedlings.

The “Dream” (as the Americans named them) Tree Team has overseen the planting of nearly 20,000 tree seedlings and other plants over the past year. IARP (Iraqi & American Reconciliation Project)is proud to spread the word about their work and interested in finding a similar project in the US that might want to partner across the sea, via Facebook with Ahmad and the Najaf Tree Team. 

Facebook address is: https://www.facebook.com/projectplantatree

The Returned

Film Director, Nate Fisher’s film about middle class Iraqi’s who had to flee their country is titled “The Unreturned”  I am writing about four professionals we visited in Najaf who were away from Iraq for many years and have now returned to help her recover and grow.

Akeel Yassen Al Kufi, PhD, now President of the University of Kufa, spent decades in Wales as a professor doing cancer research on ramifications of depleted uranium, among other things.  A scientist and researcher in his heart he responded to a request from the Ministry of Education in Iraq to take on the presidency of the University of Kufa. The mandate was to strengthen the faculty, upgrade teaching methods, and network with the international education community.  Dr. Akeel returned to Iraq in the spring of 2011 to assume the presidency of the University.  Since that time there is building going on at Kufa both new buildings and new programs. Kufa now ranks number one on some measures of Universities in Iraq. He has been to Minneapolis for an intensive four day visit with many department heads at the u of M, the International Student Scholar Office, and  Meredith McQuaid, Associate Vice President and Dean for International Programs. Dr. Akeel wants to have some of his best students study in graduate programs in both the US and Europe and then return to teach at Kufa.  He is energetic and very busy. He makes time to mentor some graduate students doing research at Kufa in the sciences.

Zuhair Sharba, Engineer, spent years working in Russia, away from his home country. He has now  been the President of the Najaf Chamber of Commerce for the last several years. The Chamber represents 300 companies and over 5000 individual business owners in Najaf. It employs 50 people. During his tenure Mr. Sharba has conceived of and implemented an International Mediation Center located in Najaf. Its “judges” have been trained internationally and make up an institution that foreign companies commit to using if a dispute comes up in their contract with an Iraqi company or arm of the government. President Sharba tells us that before 2003 there was no foreign investment in Iraq.  Now investors from Korea, France, Netherlands, Turkey and Germany have begun to invest in Iraq.

President Sharba has also developed a small business development center (SBDC) at the Chamber of Commerce which is training entrepreneurs wanting to open their own businesses. The economy of Najaf is growing at a rate of 11.8% per year, the highest of any city in Iraq. Tourism is a major industry with Najaf now boasting 300 hotels. The Chamber, under Mr. Sharba’s leadership, has opened a Woman’s Training Program which targets support to woman opening their own businesses.

Sami Rasouli returned to Iraq in 2005 after 20 plus years away. Feeling his country needed him and there was room to now make a difference he sold his business in Minneapolis and returned to the Najaf area to found the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT.)  MPT provides the foundation and network that supports the Water for Peace program and the exchange of visitors between Najaf and Minneapolis. MPT has supported research on the study of themes of peace in Islam, has trained young people in non-violent principles, taught over 100 families how to avoid Cholera contamination, and been a consistent voice for peaceful relationships between American and Iraqi civilians. MPT is the citizen support NGO for the Sister City program with Minneapolis, MN.

 Huda xxxxxxx, after being imprisoned for political activism in the early 2000’s left Iraq, living in Jordan, England, and the Netherlands over the course of nine years.  In 2009 she returned, completed her interrupted education, and is now a professor of Sharia law at the University of Kufa.  She is active in supporting leadership development among woman, speaks English, and has an international perspective after her years abroad.  She has returned to contribute.

Five Cups of Tea

In slim, clear glass, cups about four inches tall we are offered tea at least five times a day here in Iraq. After meals, between meal breaks and during meetings the delicate cups with small gold spoon come out on a large tray and are distributed around. The sugar bowl comes along too and most Iraqi’s heap a couple of spoonfuls of sugar into the hot tea.

The tea distribution at meetings and when a guest in someone’s home frequently is preceded with water provided in individual sealed servings. This is a very dry climate and the need for hydration is ongoing.

Whether in the home of a simple family or an established community leader we are being greeted with graciousness, sometimes curiosity and then warmth.

We visited the home of a gardener and his wife in the Al Jerawiya neighborhood. They might be about 60 years old with five grown daughters and some grandchildren. Their home is in a “squatter’s neighborhood” which it was explained means they do not own the land on which their house sits. They built their modest home with found building materials. The walls were some type of stone and cement. The floor in one part displays lovely hexagon tiles. The patriarch is a wiry man who as we get out of our cars hastily rolls up the rugs in his main living area and moves them out to a covered area in the front of his house. (We might think of this as a patio). He does not have a generator and the electricity was off so it was too dark in his windowless living room for conversation with guests. Adjacent to the covered area in front of his house was a garden about six feet by 20 feet. On the day we were there two rose bushes had blooms and there were other blooms on the overhanging trellised vines. These looked like a smaller hibiscus.

At this visit the men were invited to gather on cushions on the floor. The four women, Deborah, Joan, Joan and I went looking for the woman of the house. We found them around to the side of the house. After adjusting “jupas” (long black dresses) they came tumbling out of back rooms to greet us. We found our way through conversation with sign language and young adult daughters who spoke very good English. Deborah had tee shirts to share and others had candy.

The mother was thoughtfully curious about us and joined in the conversation. We saw an older woman we presumed was a grandmother. She did not engage with us. The longer we were there more young girls appeared over the garden wall, out from the kitchen, came to see these visitors who didn’t dress like anyone from the area. They thanked us for stopping and waved us off through a crowd of probably 25 that had gathered outside their home during the time of our visit.

The “street” outside of this home was an expanded dirt path with lots of dusty ruts. Other than the main thoroughfares this is the usual street in Najaf. Paving residential streets is not done as far as we have seen. Even in the neighborhoods of expensive homes the area in front is likely a bumpy dirt road…just a difference.
On Friday, the first day of a two day week end we visited the home of Dr. Azar M. a dermatologist and professor. His three children, 4, 7 and 11, along with his wife Shayma welcomed us at the door. After touring his new home we were treated to a variety of sweets including Baklava like squares, cookies and chocolates. Shayma made a cake and decorated with “Najaf and Mpls---Sister Cities” in wording on the top.

His home included an elegantly furnished front reception room with hand cut mirror glass art designs on the ceiling. The main part of the house was built around a circular family room with stairs leading to a circular balcony above. The children’s rooms were decorated with Hello Kitty themes in one and “Angry Birds” in another. I taught the two older children, boys, how to place pick up sticks with a set a brought along. I can say “la” meaning no (you moved a stick so lose your turn) and “nam” meaning yes you get to pick up another. They quickly caught on and we played a couple of rounds. I left the set of sticks with them.

Azar and Shayma were very gracious asking if we couldn’t stay all afternoon. Azar is very committed to maintaining connections between his friends in Mpls. (He visited in 2011) and his community here in Najaf. He is a wonderful resource for me whenever we talk about politics, economics and education in Iraq. He has a broad perspective, sometimes hopeful and optimistic, about some other things worried.

I value his friendship and look forward to staying connected. This was the first time I had met his wife, Shayma, a high school geography teacher and English speaker as well. Hopefully they will come as a family next time to visit us in the US.

String of Beads

Like a string of beads we are strung out in a wide noisy corridor of Ataturk International airport.  Each of us with two slightly padded seats and one small table which we use as makeshift beds to catch a few hours’ sleep. Attempting to fit our bodies into the new time zone (so far eight hours difference, Najaf will be nine hours different)  we have eaten a “dinner” about  8:00 pm local time.  We took the opportunity to get to know one another a little better and share out thoughts and hopes for this trip to visit friends in Najaf.

Leaving Mpls with well wishes from many we first went to Chicago and there boarded a large Turkish Airliner. By the time we got into the international terminal at O’Hare and met the agents at the Turkish Air counter I felt as though I was in the international realm.  Chicago O’Hare has its own sort of multi-ethnic-as-normal feel anyway and the prompt production of a boarding pass for the final flight into Najaf confirms we were on our way.



Deborah, Joan and Joan ready to don abayas and hijab.

We went deeper into our adventure as we entered the gate waiting area for our flight to Najaf.  Being western and the woman with no head coverings attracted attention…or so we felt. The four of us woman had planned to dress in our abayas with hijab (head covering) for our entrance into the Najaf airport at 7:00 am on the morning of the 9^th.

Returning to the same waiting area with long black robes and heads swath in long scarves we really did attract attention.  Even though it was 2:30 am everyone was awake.  We took our seats to await boarding.  The seat available close with our group was one backed up against four of our group. I took that seat and wanted to feel small.   After about 15 minutes a 40 something good looking man sitting across from me (with three others) said “good morning”  I responded and we proceeded to talk for 10 or 15 minutes. He said he was surprised and delighted to know that American civilians were coming to his city to visit. He said he would watch for us on the news as “everyone will be talking about it.”

He is an oil production engineer and gave me his card.  “If you need anything while in Najaf please call me.”

We arrived to a welcome group of about 12 and a huge printed sign welcoming us as visitors from Najaf’s Sister City.  We saw many friends who have already visited us in Mpls. including the Governor’s staff, Hiba, Ali and Nasser. Professor Abdul Kareem, Dean of Nursing at Kufa University, was also there and of course Sami and Sameera of MPT (Muslim Peacemaker Teams.)

We have been over fed on wonderful traditional Middle Eastern food and breads and sweets previous unknown…all delicious.  We seven are stumbling our way through our jet lag, now in day three, Hope we are about done with that.  I will write more about the past 2 days later.

The sun has been setting over the Euphrates River outside my window.  The glow is slightly muted, by sand perhaps.  I can hear the call to prayer in the distance and am overwhelmed at my extraordinary good fortune to be visiting this ancient land in the present day.