Return to Iraq, a broken country

2018-03-14

IRAQ - In recent years, thousands of Iraqis have voluntarily returned from Belgium to Iraq. Whoever returns, often did not really choose that, even if it is called "voluntary". The voluntary returnees from our country have often undergone a failed asylum procedure. Others could not handle the long waiting periods, with a high probability of a negative decision - in the years 2015 and 2016 the Belgian asylum authorities could not cope with the flow - and they missed their family.

How do you do that, drawing a line under the life you know, leave, and then return to it? How can European countries that focus on the return of asylum seekers who have exhausted all legal remedies be committed to better reintegration after return? MO * journalist Tine Danckaers who previously made reports about returning to Erbil and Kabul, this time went along with photographer Karim Abraheem to Baghdad. In the Iraqi capital where another heavy bomb attack took place at that time, Tine Danckaers met Iraqi returnees. She talked about hopelessness - the most important push factor to leave, corruption, the desire for security, resignation and the importance of reintegration support.

Tine Danckaers

Tine Danckaers (° 1970) works for the Belgian magazine MO * since its launch in 2003. She focuses on the turbulent Middle East and follows the theme of asylum and migration, at the micro and macro level.

Karim Abraheem

Karim Abraheem is a photographer. The common thread in his oeuvre is man in his daily environment. His interest goes to social themes such as the situation of undocumented migrants and the multi-cultural environment.