Statement from an Iraqi journalist

I Heard the First Ring of My Death
 

By Sardasht (Saro) Osman
translated in to Endlish: Kirmanj Ahmed

In the last few days they told me: you don’t have much longer to live, or as they told me “you are no longer allowed to breathe in this city”. I don’t fear death or pain. I am waiting for the end of the allotted time to meet my killers. I pray that they will give me a tragic death the same as my tragic life. The reason I write this is so everyone knows the youth in this country are Homo Sacer* and that death is the simplest choice they have. I want them to know that what scares us is the continuation of this condition for future generations, not our death. My duty is to fulfill satisfaction for my little brothers, not my self.

What bothers me about these threats is that there so many issues to discuss and it can’t be left like that. It is unfortunate that this State is apathetic towards the death of its people.

Yesterday, I informed the Dean of our college that last night they threatened to kill me. He told me this was a case for the police. I don’t know if there is another country where a college student gets a death threat and his University takes shameful inaction. The Dean or the University should have sponsored my case as their own, as I am a part of this school. But this did not shock me. I knew for a long time that this country’s universities are not havens of tranquility.

Later, I contacted the head of Police General, Abdul Khaliq, who told me, “This mobile phone number may be from abroad, or it may be a private issue, and it may happen again. But [Erbil] is safe and nothing like that can happen here.”

With a whimsical smile, I thought of the Director’s reply; it may have been Sarkozy who threatened me. How can I be sure my life is safe if only few days ago, a friend of mine was beaten and forced to leave this city because of his writing?

Whatever happens, I will not leave this city and will wait for my death. I know this is the first ring of my death knell and is ultimately a ring for all the youth in this country. This time, I will not press any charges nor will I inform the authorities. This a path I choose and I will bear the consequences. From now on, I will think of every word that I write as my last. So I will try to be truthful as Jesus. I am happy that I have something to write about, but there are people who don’t want to listen. Whenever we whisper, their ears become restless. We should talk as long as we are alive. When my life ends, let my friend mark a period, start another sentence and continue where I left off.”

*a citizen status in Roman law where individuals are stripped of the right to life and all civil rights and liberties.

This Iraqi journalist was murdered recently.