Download Unraveling Iraq: practical challenges in resettling Iraqi refugees

“Working with the Iraqi: Practical Challenges and
Helpful Tips”
Issam Smeir, LCPC
QUIZ
• What was the major cause of the 1991 Persian Gulf War?
1. Iraq began amassing weapons of mass destruction
2. Iraq invaded Kuwait
3. Iraq used poisonous gas against the Kurds
• What was the major cause of the Iran-Iraq war (1980–1989)?
–
–
–
Water
Oil
Religion
–
–
–
Iran
Iraq
The U.S. remained neutral
–
–
–
Sunni
Shi'ite
Wahhabi
–
–
–
The largest in the world
The fourth largest in the world
The tenth largest
• During the Iran-Iraq war whom did the U.S. support?
• What branch of Islam do the majority of Iraqis follow?
• What is the size of Iraq's oil reserves?
QUIZ
• Kurds make up
•
•
•
– ½ of Iraq population
– 1/8 of Iraq population
– 1/5 of Iraq population
Ashoura is a religious event that is celebrated by
– Shiite
– Sunni
– Christian Assyrians
Which of the following does not border Iraq?
• Jordan
• Saudi Arabia
• Afghanistan
Iraq gained its independence from
– Turkey
– Great Britain
– France
Iraq: fact sheet
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Official Name: Republic of Iraq, (Al Jumhouriya Al'Iraqia) Arabic
Capital: Baghdad.
Size: 172,960 square miles (3 times the size of the state of Illinois)
Population (1997 estimate) 22,219,289; 109.0 persons per square mile
(70 percent urban, 30 percent rural.)
Ethnicity/race: Arab 75%–80%, Kurdish 15%–20%, Turkoman, Assyrian,
or other 5%
Religions: Islam 97% (Shiite 60%–65%, Sunni 32%–37%), Christian or
other religions (Sa’bah and Yazedeiah) 3%
Major Cities (1985 estimate) Baghdad (4,648,600), Basra (616,700),
Mosul (570,900).
Major Religion: Islam (official). Other religions: Christianity
Major Languages Arabic (official), Kurdish, Assyrian, Armenian
Literacy: 40 percent.
Geography & population
•Kurds
•15-20% of Iraq’s
pop.
•Mainly Sunni Muslims
Some Christians,
Atheists
•20 millions spread
into 5 nations
•Brutally persecuted in
all the countries that
they live in
Kurds
Sunni Arabs
Shiite Arabs
Sunni Arabs
20% of Iraq
The powerful
minority since the
independence
Shiiteof
Iraqvoiceless
The
majority in iraq
They live mainly in
the south
and the center of
Iraq
Iraqi Refugee: Internal and external
displacement
Iraqi Refugee: Internal and
external displacement
Islam
• Muslims accept five pillars of the faith:
–
–
–
–
–
Submission to God,
Prayer
Fasting,
Charity
Pilgrimage to Mecca.
• There are two dominant sects in Islam: Shiites
and Sunnis
– Split over leadership 1,400 years ago, leading to variations in
law, theology and practices
UNITED IN ISLAM, DIVIDED IN PRACTICE
Sunnis
Shiites
•Leaders
• Hereditary. Imams directly descended
• Elected by the Muslim community, from Ali are revered as infallible sources
•Holy Cities
•
•Holy Days
•
•Prayer
•
•Primary
location
•
based on merit and consensus. No of religious guidance. Today, mullahs or
special reverence for historic imams.ayatollahs are arbiters of religious law
Scholars and legal experts offer
and practice and lead communal prayers.
non-binding opinions.
• Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, plus Najaf
Three key cities in the life of
and Karbala in modern-day Iraq, for their
Mohammed: Mecca, Medina and
ties to martyred imams.
Jerusalem
• The same, plus Ashura (marking the
Month of Ramadan; Eid al-Fitr,
martyrdom of Ali's son Hussein at
(feast ending Ramadan); Eid alKarbala in A.D. 680), and several other
Adha, (festival of sacrifice after
days honoring key moments in the lives
pilgrimage to Mecca); Al-Hijra (the of imams.Three times daily.
Muslim New Year)
• Call to prayer also invokes the name of
Five times daily. Call to prayer
Ali. Forehead rests on a pebble of
invokes God and Mohammed.
Karbala clay to recall martyrs.
Forehead touches prayer rug when
• Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain
prostrating.
Worldwide
Sources: USA TODAY research; Council on American-Islamic Relations; Reza Aslam, professor of
religion, University of California-Riverside
Culture
Self
Responsibility
Time
Control
Visible
(Behaviors)
Invisible
(Assumptions)
(Value)
Functional “Abdullah”
•
•
•
•
•
Collaboration
Hierarchy
Duties
Hospitality
Dignity
Functional “Amy”
•
•
•
•
•
Independence
Competence
Individualism
Equality
Assertiveness
Practical Challenges
• Cultural Adjustment
• Family Structure
• Expectations
• Communication
• Conflict resolution
Family Structure
•
•
•
•
Loss of a parental role
Reverse family roles
Hierarchy vs. Egalitarianism
Closeness vs. Distance
Where is home?
Acculturation Strategies
Embracing ones’ native culture
I am only comfortable in my
own culture and am not
interested in the new one.
(I am lost, I am neither here
no there, I do not have a
place to call home)
(I am part of both cultures, I
am at home in both places)
(I want to be an American
and have nothing to do
with my original culture)
Embracing the new culture
Non Western Ways of Handling
Conflict
• Mediation
• Misdirection
• Indication
• Taking the low down position
• Silence
• Relational Yes or No
Issam Smeir
Mosaic Counseling LLC
[email protected]
(www.mosaiccounseling.org )