Thoughts from Iraq - Chapter 2

Baghdad – Go to gate

“We have a mission proposal for you. Iraq.”

With endless questions in my mind, the first thing I did after receiving this e-mail, was to ask google. I read about the invasion, started and lead by the US in 2003 and how security is very fragile since then. I read about war, bombing, shooting and the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (i.e. ISIS), that gained worldwide prominence in 2014 with the capture of Mosul and the Sinjar massacre. Yes, the region of the world where MSF wanted me to work, has been one of the most affected by ISIS that, in a few months of human madness, killed over ten thousand people while abducting and systematically raping thousands of women and children. After the genocide, and after combined efforts of Iraqi Special Operations Forces, Peshmerga and an international multinational military formation were able to reclaim Mosul and the region of Sinjar, unfortunately, many women are still in captivity. And wait a moment – was not the prisoner abuse and torture of Abu Ghraib in Iraq? And what happened to the neighboring countries such as Iran and Syria in the past years? What I was learning about Iraq and Middle East was fascinating, sad, and scary at the same time.

I didn’t sleep well that night. Was it fear? Yes!

My mind was digesting the information, evaluating the risks, and imagining how my six months mission in Iraq would be. What would I see? Would I be safe? My family and close friends were also afraid and not helping reduce my fear. The official factsheet that MSF provides before accepting a mission and containing all relevant security information, was helping even less. Mines. Armed checkpoints. Airstrikes. Armed clashes. Kidnapping risk. More than 20 different armed actors, countless security rules and a clearly defined curfew. Not to mention the disclaimer form to sign before departure, confirming that I had read all documentation provided and was aware and accepting all mentioned risks in the region I was to be working.

I let all that information settle. Knowing that I could say no at any point during the weeks to come before my departure, I communicated a first yes. But I had to know more.

I contacted my future colleagues in the field. “It’s not always easy” they said, “but, in addition to what you have been reading, there is a lot of human normality”. I was told that the community is very welcoming. Birthdays, weddings, lunches, and dinners are common. There would be a little gym in the guesthouse to allow expat staff to keep a good work-life balance. Additionally, the MSF family on the project (the other international experts on the field) were organizing movie nights and dinners together to better handle the several security restrictions.

Accepting my first humanitarian mission in a country like Iraq was an intense process where I kept on saying yes, day after day during the entire period prior to my departure. Sometimes in life saying yes – and if needed no – is a conscious act that needs to be done over and over again.

The day of my departure finally came to be. Baghdad – Go to gate. At Istanbul International Airport, shortly before boarding the plane that would fly me to Iraq, I accepted the mission one last time. Motivated, committed and focused I walked into the plane, ready to work as a mental health activity manager for MSF.?