Swiss Iraqis caught between hope and fear

Saddam Hussein doesn't have the support of all his compatriots Keystone

Switzerland's 9,000 Iraqis are keeping a close eye on the war raging in their homeland.

For many of them, a change of regime in Baghdad is necessary, but they say it should come from within the country.

Switzerland’s Iraqis are facing a difficult time. It has become difficult to contact their families at home, and the war has raised questions about the future of their homeland.

The opinions of these Iraqis have remained for the most part unexpressed, either out of fear or a sense of modesty. An exile for the last ten years, and a long-term resident of Switzerland, Ali al Shalah has chosen to speak up.

A writer and director of the Swiss-Iraqi cultural centre in Zurich, he would rather keep the conflict at arm’s length. He said the war is not the war of the Iraqi people.

Worse than Vietnam

Al Shalah sees the conflict as a “catastrophe” for his fellow countrymen. He considers that both the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, and the Americans are the enemies of the Iraqi population.

The writer has a hope though. “Maybe the Iraqi military will attempt something against Saddam before the situation becomes disastrous,” he said.

Sukar al Ghazali is another Swiss Iraqi. The psychiatrist blames Saddam for the war. “He has been terrorising the Iraqi population for the last 34 years,” he told swissinfo.

He added that a change of regime is necessary, but not with an American invasion. “I hope my compatriots will have the strength and the will to topple Saddam Hussein, but I’m afraid it’s too late,” he said.

Al Ghazali warns that the Americans should not try to make Iraq a colony. “It would be a mistake,” he told swissinfo. “They wouldn’t have a chance and it could be worse than Vietnam.”

Refugee status

The psychiatrist is sure of one thing though. Saddam won’t leave of his own free will and the US-led coalition can expect some stiffer resistance.

If fighting was to become heavier in Iraq, the number of people fleeing the country could become significant in the coming weeks.

Switzerland is already home to over 6,000 Iraqi refugees. Until last December, between 100 and 150 Iraqis made requests for asylum each month.

But since January and with war threatening, the Federal Refugees Office has numbers rise. Requests for asylum from Iraqis have almost doubled.

The Office is not too concerned though. According to its spokesman, Dominique Boillat, Switzerland is not expecting a huge increase in Iraqi refugee numbers.

The authorities believe the figures will remain stable, as they did during the last Gulf war.

Temporary admission

The Swiss Refugee Aid Organisation (SRAO) has asked Switzerland to be more generous towards Iraqis seeking asylum. The organisation has called particularly for families to be brought together.

“Switzerland’s Iraqis should be able to bring their families here during the war,” said SRAO spokesman Yann Golay.

Boillat says that agreeing to such a request would involve a political decision. “We could consider temporary admission for family members,” he told swissinfo, “but it is not an issue for the time being.”

The Office decided officially last Tuesday to suspend the expulsion of Iraqi refugees who have not been granted asylum, a policy that has in fact been applied for the past year.

swissinfo, Pierre-François Besson, Christian Raaflaub