by Ilona Sturm

Last night, at a Ruth Group/No More Victims event at the Sausalito Yacht Club, Mustafa’s father Ghazwan was given the opportunity to tell his story. The wonderful thing about NMV, and specifically our project to bring Mustafa here is that it has made the injuries the US has inflicted in Iraq more real for people like me. Mustafa and Ghazwan are the first and only Iraqis I have even met whom have suffered from the war. Before them, the casualties of all sorts were abstractions. Even before last night, those of us caring for Mustafa since his arrival, had not yet heard the full story of suffering his father and mother have been through since the missile attack deafened their son.

Ghazwan told an emotional story of the displacement and uncertainty of his family’s life, and being forced to leave Baghdad for the city of Baquba. He spoke of the day Mustafa’s hearing was devastated and the three other neighbors who were killed. He also told the story of a pregnant woman, who after the US attack lost her mind after losing the baby she had spent so many years trying to conceive. He told us of trying fruitlessly to get help for Mustafa and what it was like to experience his son’s chaotic and anguished behavior after going deaf.

His story brought us to Syria and the humiliations of being an unpopular Iraqi in the Middle East, and the difficulties traveling around trying to rent an apartment near where Mustafa was going to learn sign language. Finally, he was put in contact with No More Victims through a friend and Cole Miller was able to begin the process of arranging for Mustafa’s medical evacuation to the Bay Area for a cochlear implant.

As Ghazwan spoke, and Rana interpreted his words for us — we sat hushed and attentive. The climax of the evening for me came when he read one of the long and painful poems he wrote while waiting for the visas to the US. His poem spoke of his loneliness, and thoughts about God and what had befallen his child. Most of us couldn’t understand the Arabic, but as it was being translated so emotionally to us, I knew then that it was very important to share this time with Ghazwan, and to listen to and absorb his story about this painful and difficult time. This was also part of our role in helping him and Mustafa.

We, as a group, had come one step closer to understanding the consequences of our county’s actions by knowing his story. Ghazwan had hopefully come one step closer to his own healing by sharing his story. Thank you Cole and Ann and No More Victims for giving us this opportunity.