From Basra to Britain
A football match in Eaton Park brought together refugees who’ve settled in Norwich. They’re here because they fear persecution in their home countries.
Hundreds of people have joined a ‘Simple Acts’ campaign, to help understand how refugees come to be in the UK.
Samir Jeraj, a councillor for Town Close ward signed up as part of Refugee Week. In our Opinion section, read what he learnt along the way.
It’s estimated around 300 refugees live in Norwich. The majority are from the Congo, or more recently, from Iraq, as a result of a partnership with the United Nations. One Iraqi refugee told us his story.
Ali worked as a translator with the British Army in Basra for 3 years. But when the British withdrew, he was left fearing for his life. The 33 year old fled to Jordan with his wife and young child: “We were at great risk and there was a great risk against interpreters. Many people lost their lives by the militia.”
In Jordan he waited for a visa to allow him to come to England. Under an agreement between the Government and the UN Refugee Agency, he is entitled to live and work in Britain. He and his family arrived last year to start a new life here in Norwich. The family he’s left behind in Basra have moved but remain in Iraq and are still at risk because of his associations with the British. He says his mother is grateful he is alive and always tells him: “If you are safe enough, I am safe too.”
Yesterday’s football match in Eaton Park saw the local fire service and volunteers from The British Red Cross take on a team from the Norwich International Youth Club. The teams were made up of refugees from Afghanistan, the Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Iraq and Iran. Some fled their home countries as young as 13. The match was the closing event of Refugee Week, which helped highlight the role Norwich has had providing refuge.
When asked if Ali could see himself ever returning to Iraq, without hesitation he replied: “I can never go back, in 5 years or 10 years. It will take 3 or 4 generations to get things to change.”
Final score: British Red Cross 3 : Norwich International Youth Club 2
Ali’s real name has been withheld.
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