Nicholas Snow's Notes From The World: "Iraqi LGBT’s Face Unimaginable Challenges"

[Nicholas Snow]

Iraqi activist Ali Hili

(This story originally published in print in April 2010, and republished online in September 2010)

For members of the LGBTQ community in many parts of the world it is the beginning of pride season, but tragically it is apparently hunting season for LGBTQ people in Iraq, as in they are the ones allegedly being hunted and executed. To shed light on the situation, I have interviewed UK-based Paul Canning who is one of the lead activists at Iraqi LGBT, an organization currently focused in particular, among the broader issues, on the asylum case of Iraqi activist Ali Hili.

“Iraqi LGBT was established in 2005 by Ali Hili, who is based in London. He was greatly helped by gay activists such as Peter Tatchell and Doug Ireland,” explained Canning. “The origins lie in reports reaching Ali from friends in Iraq about the start of the murders there of gay men, lesbians and transsexuals. Iraqis gradually established a support network and this included safe houses for those threatened by militia, police or family. These are now reduced to two because of lack of funds but also because of attacks on safe houses. For example, one was raided in 2008 and everyone there killed. Group members, which are over 100 in Iraq, have reported involvement by police forces as well as militia however no media has investigated and been able to prove this thus far.”

“We know that parts of the government have been involved in actively tracking down LGBT, we know that judges have ordered arrests,” Canning continued. “People have been arrested and, we believe, executed. We have also rescued many people from Iraq and moved them to Syria and some to Lebanon. This is an immensely expensive operation—it can cost $5000 to move one person. They then have to be supported. We have been greatly helped by the United Nations and a number of Iraqis have now reached sanctuary in the West who we have helped.”

“It's important to state that the group is a representative one and decides its direction. Ali is the leader and the only one able and willing to be public,” Cannon said. “This has led to personal fatwas (order to kill) against him from inside Iraq and he has been threatened in London. As a result he is under the protection of the Metropolitan Police.”

Cannon himself is an activist of longstanding; the last 15 of it very focused the worldwide web. “Three years ago I started 'Save Mehdi Kazemi' to support the case of a young Iranian who the British wanted to remove,” explained Cannon. “That then evolved into LGBT Asylum News. Through that I became involved with Iraqi LGBT and that again has evolved. The group is severely underfunded and has not received great and most importantly practical support. Although the group has provided advice to the Foreign Office and U.S. politicians this has not been followed up by practical support for the group's work.”

“Most of the group members don't have the skills or resource base available to western gay activists. Therefore I wanted to help with my skills and contacts as much as I can,” stressed Cannon. “The group has suffered attacks from others as to its competence, which angers me as it is a representative group and rather than attack it gay activists should be providing practical assistance. I also feel strongly that Iraq in general is a place which Western audiences have trouble with. The situation there has dropped off the media radar…despite it being the worst place in the world to be gay. Iraqi LGBT has documented 738 killings. This far outstrips anything similar in Iran or the current focus of attention, Uganda. I have also assisted with Iranian asylum cases and always noted that it is much easier to get people's attention and commitment there than it is for Iraqis.”

What is the history or lack thereof of the LGBT movement in Iraq?

“Prior to the invasion Baghdad, it was part of an official secular society,” Cannon responded. “Women had rights and were able to have a degree of equality. Baghdad supported a 'gay scene' something like what exists in Beirut now and was therefore a magnet for Arabs from throughout the region. Gays were tolerated and there was not the state action against or that coming from religious groups.”

“Since the invasion,” he continued, “religious groups have formed militias which have specifically targeted gays. This is well documented now by major media and groups like Amnesty and Human Rights Watch. However it was Iraqi LGBT which first drew the world's attention and, for example, told the world about Shia leader Sistani's death fatwa (order to kill) against gays.”

Video exists and will be released that shows, according to Cannon, “Three orders from judges for gays to be arrested. Once seized by police they will inevitably be handed by police to militias to then be tortured and killed and their bodies left in a public place. We know of two young guys which this has happened to in the past fortnight (my interview was conducted with Cannon on April 29, 2010). Their bodies were graffitied with the word 'homo’ alongside the Iraqi Arab epithet for 'gay'. This is a new development which follows a documentary on gays produced by Iraq's leading secular TV station which used that word. We have reports that the word 'homo' is now being used throughout Iraq. The media report is welcome but increased visibility is bound to mean a murderous backlash unlike that seen anywhere else in the world,” he cautioned.

“Gays are reported by people in their neighborhoods and sometimes family,” Cannon revealed. “They are stopped and singled out at checkpoints. The state does nothing to protect them. Most killing is by militias such as the Mehdi army. In fact there is a law which forgives so-called 'honor' killings of gays. Forces have specifically sought out members of Iraqi LGBT, for example through the destruction of safe houses and murders of organizers. The group has lost many members who have been thus targeted for assassination.”

Ali Hili fled to the UK in 2001 after having been targeted by the Iraqi state for issues unrelated to his sexuality. “His first appeal for asylum was turned down in 2005 but in 2007 he was given 'leave to remain',” explained Cannon. “Unfortunately there is a severe backlog in finalizing UK asylum claims and his appeals for the claim to be expedited have been turned down by the British authorities. As a result Ali's status means he is unable to leave the UK and fulfill speaking engagements in the USA and Spain and to meet with others such as politicians and gay, Christian and human rights groups eager to offer support. Obviously this severely impacts on the whole group's ability to publicize the cause of Iraqi gays and to raise money.”

Ali has to keep his whereabouts as low key as possible, explained Cannon, as “The existence of the Iraqi LGBT group is well-known to forces in Iraq. Those forces have supporters in London and they have attempted to track him down. Remember that Shia leader Sistani has issued a death fatwa and Ali has personally been threatened by such people inside Iraq. Police are aware of this and aware of suspicious attempts to discover his previous location, he has since moved. He has received numerous threats by phone as the number is well known as it is also used by Iraqis seeking help and has to be public. Ali is supported by his partner. Photographs of Ali do exist but we no longer want his face shown. He receives advice from the London police on methods to protect himself however he cannot become invisible and stop being active, which is their main advice…”

Iraqi LGBT faces to main challenges at this time. “Firstly,” explained Cannon, “the need for funds to support the existing safe houses and be able to develop new ones. The group's main funder is the Dutch organization Hivos and next individual donations. Secondly, the need for Ali to receive UK asylum so he can travel and raise funds for the group, and its international profile, through\ for example, meeting with members of Congress and European parliamentarians.”

“Those responsible for the situation in Iraq for gays are those who invaded the country as well as the Iraqi authorities,” explained Cannon. “Neither have done anything to stop the killings and to offer sanctuary for those fleeing the violence. There are people trying to get them to be responsible. For example, in February (2010), forty-five members of congress wrote to Hilary Clinton asking for action to rescue Iraqi gays under threat.”

“We are always talking to people,” continued Cannon, “for example, the UK Foreign Office has met with us many times. Ali has given many interviews, the latest in response to the Amnesty International report of the situation for civilians in Iraq which covers that of gays. He told pinknews.co.uk, ‘the British government must do more. It is wrong to tell Iraqi asylum seekers that ‘it is safe to return if only they are discreet', which they have done.’"

Cannon believe the media must investigate the Iraqi government’s alleged collusion with the execution of LGBT’s in Iraq, and about the international community, he said, “They must take responsibility for the situation they have caused and support those who desperately need help. We receive no support from them for rescue, including (for) the safe houses. Iraqi gays face enormous problems in getting sanctuary from them, although UNHCR has deemed them a group at special risk. Gay organizations internationally must focus more on the country which is by far the worst in the world for gays, which they have failed to do.”

“We welcome anyone who can help with raising funds which support Iraqis staying safe in the country, those we have helped flee and to help the group bring attention to our cause. With the campaign for Ali's asylum there are two petitions (see their web site) and two standard letters to send to the British authorities. We are asking for politicians, groups and prominent individuals to publicly invite Ali to their country as a way of pressuring the British authorities…”

As to what gives Cannon and his team courage and hope, he explained, “Iraqi LGBT have survived enormous pressures and is still here. Gays in Iraq have managed to survive enormous, almost unimaginable pressures to continue to help each other. Friends and supporters throughout the world have provided much welcome help.” To learn what you can do, visit http://iraqilgbtuk.blogspot.com.

Nicholas Snow's Notes From The World

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This column presents stories of courage, strength and hope of individuals worldwide who are passionately involved in the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered civil rights as well as the battle against HIV/AIDS, demonstrating how these issues are inseparable from the overall fight for human rights for everyone. In addition, the column infuses travel and entertainment reporting into the mix to not only celebrate the freedoms that exist for many of us, but to contrast these freedoms against the dark realities of individuals living in more oppressed situations where sometimes their very lives are at risk. More columns...


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