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After a fierce battle comes a heavy silence.
With more confusion rather than hope.
Extensive burning of the oil fields covers this town, including blackening both sheep and shepherds. Continuous smoke and ash create a gloomy scene that not even the midday sun can penetrate. December 2016 Qayyarah, Iraq
A scene from Mosul, which was Iraq's second largest city. After three years of ISIS occupation beginning in 2014, the Iraqi government reclaimed the city. But the cost to the city and its people were enormous. Raging battles created immense damage and death. People were forced to flee. April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
Small, impoverished Syrian refugee settlements are scattered throughout Lebanon compared to massive city-scale camps in Turkey and Jordan. The Lebanese government estimates 1.6 million Syrian refugees live in the country. Lebanon population is estimated at 6.8 million. February 2016 Anjar, Lebanon
War has made it impossible to operate the 1950s oil refinery and it falls into a state of disrepair. The apocalyptic site engulfed in smoke from the oil fields burnt by retreating ISIS forces. December 2016 Qayyarah, Iraq
It's all plain and simple in the turmoil of combat,
the rapidly unfolding crossroads of life and death.
The Iraqi governments’ ability to recover territory diminished as ISIS placed IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and barricades around Mosul. Civilians were used as human shields. April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
Iraqi women pray immediately after being released from ISIS captivity. April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
Kurdish militants retreat after being ambushed by ISIS. October 2016 Ba’ashiqah, Iraq
In Mosul, the Iraqi army releases civilian captives from ISIS. The people quickly move to safety away from the front lines. April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
One day in October, 2016, the Kurdish militia I joined was suddenly ambushed by ISIS. Caught off-guard, the only place for shelter was between vehicles in the convoy. Men were pinned down between an armored vehicle and another truck. Commander Adalan ran to us to secure his unit’s position. He asked me to step aside and, seconds later, was shot the head. Miraculously, he would survive, but in the same battle, his comrade Awara was killed. October 2016 Ba’ashiqah, Iraq
During ISIS’s retreat from Iraqi forces, ISIS used civilians as human shields and took dozens as prisoners. Families were separated during these chaotic moments and were left searching, sometimes in vain, for their loved ones. April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
A young Kurdish soldier managed to escape a sudden ISIS ambush. October 2016 Ba’ashiqah, Iraq
In war, there are no winners. Everyone loses.
Only slow and painful time for them.
Civilians cannot escape the violence found all around them. A young girl injured during a fierce battle reaches a safety zone. April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
After fleeing ISIS, an Iraqi family from Tigris walks the 10 kilometers known as “No man’s land.” During this perilous journey, the young son stepped on a landmine. The family had to continue onward to find medical assistance for the child. They reached the Kurdish forces. May 2016 Hawija, Iraq
April 2017 Mosul, Iraq
A young child injured in Mosul receives emergency treatment at Erbil Hospital. The hospital is 50 kilometers away. December 2016 Erbil, Iraq
A refugee from Homs, Syria. Feb. 2016 Tripoli, Lebanon
There is excitement in the arduous steps
toward the unknown world.
Afghan refugees arriving at Lesbos Island. The recent Syrian civil war attracts more international coverage of the plight of these refugees. However, the number of Afghan refugees due to Taliban rule and the U.S.-led intervention that began in the early 2000s cannot be ignored. November 2015 Lesbos, Greece
A Syrian woman changes her baby’s diaper shortly after touching down on the Lesbos shore. The daily task is performed on top of torn rubber dinghies and scattered lifejackets. A surreal moment capturing the constant uncertainty and danger awaiting the refugees. People with a desire to give hope and a better life to their children. September 2015 Lesbos, Greece
In early winter, a Czech volunteer cradles a young Syrian girl who just crossed the sea. Paradoxically, this historic refugee movement has become a refuge for humanity. Thousands of volunteers have combed the shores and borders to aid the refugees. Among other support, they provide them with their first cups of hot tea, blankets, and, most importantly, a word of welcome. As if to confirm, they are not alone on this difficult road. November 2015 Lesvos, Greece
A Syrian refugee family looks with mixed emotion at the forbidding sea that they just crossed. Greeted only by the discarded dinghies and lifejackets of those that crossed before them. The coast has increasingly become more active with NGOs and volunteers giving aid to the arriving refugees. September 2015 Lesbos, Greece
The daunting surroundings
make them anxious and agitated.
With limited resources available for such an enormous task, the Greek government struggled to process the refugees. Permits to enter mainland Greece were issued slowly as the queues of waiting refugees grew longer. Under such uncertainty, people became frustrated. Tensions mounted. In a bid to be recognized by the Greek authorities, refugees jumped the processing queue. They began to criticize each other. Tense situations increasingly led to conflict and, occasionally, violence. September 2015 Lesbos, Greece
After arriving in Greece, a gateway to Europe, the situation for these refugees remained uncertain and perilous. Facilities were inadequate to accommodate the more than one thousand people arriving daily. The Greek government was unclear about how best to manage this precarious situation. Refugees landing at Lesbos grew exponentially, and, therefore, permits issued to leave the island were becoming difficult to obtain. The refugees, with uncertainty and confusion laying ahead, become fatigued and grow weary. September 2015 Lesbos, Greece
For those on this unwanted journey, each day is met with uncertainty. Despite parents’ best efforts to insulate their children, terror was inevitably visible in their gaze. September 2015 Northern Macedonia border
Love for the family is the guiding force
behind silent yet steady progress.
A Syrian couple try to sleep in Mitilini camp among overflowing throngs of refugees. With permits to the Greek mainland in short supply and insufficient facilities, all available space on the island is converted into sleeping quarters in the evenings. Sept. 2015 Lesbos, Greece
To gain access to the European Union, refugees had to pass through several Balkan nations. Often governments designate specific crossing points along secluded borders to ease refugee management. Sept. 2015 Serbia near the northern Macedonia-Serbia border
Refugees stand at the Slovenian border for long periods waiting to cross. To stave off the dire cold of winter, they burn anything they find to survive, including plastic bottles that produce toxic fumes. They were aware of the risks, but have no other alternatives. Nov. 2015 Slovenia border
An Afghan family on their journey. Commonly due to the great expense or to counter the inherent risk of the trip, often only a portion of a family embarks on the perilous journey with the hope to later bring remaining family members. However, an entire family or an extended family can undertake the hardship together. Sept. 2015 Lesbos
As people walk along difficult paths together,
they comfort one another,
overcome fears, and restore dignity.
Sept. 2015 Northern Macedonia-Serbia border
Unlike official border control stations, which were relatively quiet, temporary border control points to control refugee movements were constantly busy. Crowded day and night with refugees brought by bus or train. Oct. 2015 Serbia-Croatia borderr
Refugees who have successfully managed
to survive now long to return to normality.
Rohingya refugees newly arrived on the Bangladeshi shore. Quickly improvised rafts by the Rohingya typically are of poor construction and unable to chart long journeys. Often these trips overly rely on the vessel’s buoyancy. In addition, the vessels are often filled beyond capacity. The trips can easily go wrong. November 2017 Dakhinpara, Bangladesh
Once an area surrounded by rich, dense forests has now been completely denuded. The forests have been exhausted for building materials, heat, and fuel by the new settlers. July 2018 Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh
Refugees at Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar queue to receive food rations and other necessities provided by UNHCR. The camp was established in the early 1980s for Rohingya escaping the oppressive military regime of Myanmar. Today, the number of people living at the refugee camp stands at approximately 860,000 making it the most populous Rohingya settlement in the world. July 2018 Kutupalong Camp, Bangladesh
Life continues and begins within the Rohingya refugee settlement camps. Parents dream of more for their children as they escape persecution. November 2017 Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh
An adequate supply of clean water is essential to the survival of the 860,000 Rohingya refugees living in Cox’s Bazar’s Kutupalong camp. It is the world’s largest refugee camp. November 2017 Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh
Schools are available to children throughout the Rohingya refugee camps. Many children are born and raised in camps. It is likely that many will spend their entire lives near these camps. While living in difficult conditions, many refugees realize that education can improve their children’s future. November 2017 Kutupalong camp, Bangladesh
People describe the constant flow of refugees moving in as a flood and call the place where they merge a “Jungle.” Sudanese refugees, Adam and his friends who had met on the streets of Paris, planned to try out their luck in the Jungle. Refugees in the camp live by building their homes with wood and tents donated by charity organizations whose help is crucial to their lives in the Jungle. There is just enough electricity to run a few street lamps, and most part turns pitch-black once the sunsets.Life is a bit more bearable in the summertime that the sound of laughter can often be heard from different corners of the Jungle, but the slight trace of joy significantly loses its stage when winter approaches. Calais, the gateway from Dover, has notoriously temperamental weather, and the wind blows hard as if to knock everything on its way. Some people dream of crossing the Euro Tunnel to reach the UK, while others settle here in France.
However, the reality is harsh. The UK planned to instead bring Syrian refugees directly from the UNCHR camp near the border of Syria. France near the port to keep the refugees from entering the tunnel. African refugees who are often more neglected are deeply anxious whether the humanitarian effort from the international community may be deflected from them.
People describe the constant flow of refugees moving in as a flood and call the place where they merge a “Jungle.” Sudanese refugees, Adam and his friends who had met on the streets of Paris, planned to try out their luck in the Jungle. Refugees in the camp live by building their homes with wood and tents donated by charity organizations whose help is crucial to their lives in the Jungle. There is just enough electricity to run a few street lamps, and most part turns pitch-black once the sunsets.
Life is a bit more bearable in the summertime that the sound of laughter can often be heard from different corners of the Jungle, but the slight trace of joy significantly loses its stage when winter approaches. Calais, the gateway from Dover, has notoriously temperamental weather, and the wind blows hard as if to knock everything on its way. Some people dream of crossing the Euro Tunnel to reach the UK, while others settle here in France.
However, the reality is harsh. The UK planned to instead bring Syrian refugees directly from the UNCHR camp near the border of Syria. France near the port to keep the refugees from entering the tunnel. African refugees who are often more neglected are deeply anxious whether the humanitarian effort from the international community may be deflected from them.
The refugees who arrived in Greece by boat tried to go to Germany through the Balkans. This route was quite demanding. It started from Greece and through North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary before reaching Austria. However, these countries were reluctant to accept refugees due to their own economic situation. Hungary even closed the border, which was followed by Serbia and Croatia as well. The refugees had to choose this perilous journey driven by their own countries' political situation, and this journey was long and challenging. One Syrian I met in Bapska, Croatia, crossed a mountain on foot for three days, and took a boat to Greece. As soon as he arrived in Greece, he walked to Croatia without any rest. He was barely hanging in there without food. There were already thousands of refugees near the checkpoint in Opatovac, Croatia. The overpopulated temporary camp didn't allow to accept more people and the surroundings quickly became out of control.
People who couldn't get in had to sleep on the roads while suffering from cold and fatigue. Access to medical aid was also limited outside the camp. The Croatian government started to send the refugees beyond its capacity toward the Hungarian border as if it would become someone else's problem once they cross the border. The police tried to prevent media exposure. Refugees had chosen this journey as a last resort for their family's safety. Children were even more vulnerable to this harsh environment. Parents became extremely edgy under pressure to preserve the integrity of their beloved family. They asked me, "Where do we go now?"
The refugees who arrived in Greece by boat tried to go to Germany through the Balkans. This route was quite demanding. It started from Greece and through North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary before reaching Austria. However, these countries were reluctant to accept refugees due to their own economic situation. Hungary even closed the border, which was followed by Serbia and Croatia as well.
The refugees had to choose this perilous journey driven by their own countries' political situation, and this journey was long and challenging. One Syrian I met in Bapska, Croatia, crossed a mountain on foot for three days, and took a boat to Greece. As soon as he arrived in Greece, he walked to Croatia without any rest. He was barely hanging in there without food. There were already thousands of refugees near the checkpoint in Opatovac, Croatia.
The overpopulated temporary camp didn't allow to accept more people and the surroundings quickly became out of control. People who couldn't get in had to sleep on the roads while suffering from cold and fatigue. Access to medical aid was also limited outside the camp. The Croatian government started to send the refugees beyond its capacity toward the Hungarian border as if it would become someone else's problem once they cross the border. The police tried to prevent media exposure.
Refugees had chosen this journey as a last resort for their family's safety. Children were even more vulnerable to this harsh environment. Parents became extremely edgy under pressure to preserve the integrity of their beloved family. They asked me, "Where do we go now?"
Four Mohammeds eke out a living in this small town. There is Abou (meaning “father of” in Arabic) Sham (another name for Damascus) who is 24, Abou Rida 21, Abou Halep from Aleppo (also known as Halep which is the name of the town north of Syria) who is 24, and Abou Hamah 21 from Homs. Before bombs were being dropped and bullets passed through the neighborhood, Abou Sham worked at a restaurant. Another Mohammed was studying at university. The civil war had tumultuously rocked their entire lives. Worrying about their well-being, parents encouraged their children into the refugee exodus to cross the Aegean Sea. The first encounter with Abou Sham took place at Beograd’s central station in Serbia’s capital city, which happens to be a midpoint of the refugee route. He was filled with hope, and he was optimistic about the future. Of course, there would be difficulties, but he believed that learning the German language would help him to settle in quickly.
They arrived in Germany in October 2015. They remained for a short time in a refugee camp before coming to Marl. They settled in with a temporary certification of stay as their only permit requiring renewal every three months. The temporary permit does not allow them to work, and the German language lessons provided for them are organized by volunteers who charge them each 10 Euros per week. At first glance, their lives appear lethargic, and if one did not know the reason behind their situation, they could be misunderstood as being lazy. However, in reality, the things they cannot do outnumber the things they can do. The A4 sized single sheet of copied paper, acting as their temporary certification of stay, ironically becomes the restricting factor. News of harassment and violence committed on them by Neo-Nazis explains why they can only remain in their homes.
Currently, the German Government gives priority to issuing passports to refugee families with minors. Abou Hamah's sister lives together with her husband and a six-year-old child in Herne, which is about 30 minutes from Marl. The child attends a German school, and the couple received German passports. However, because he cannot communicate fluently in German, the husband is unable to find work. So he spends his time working as a volunteer for a nearby refugee camp. Based on the Refugee Policy of the German Government, by which two persons are considered one group, they were given an apartment with two rooms and one lounge and an allowance of 300 Euros per month for living expenses. Each household is also offered 150 Euros for maintenance, electricity, and water fees. Among other European countries, the cost of living in Germany is quite reasonable, yet this monthly allowance is not enough.
Abou Sham tells his story.
"In Germany, I am going to earn enough money to return to Lebanon so that I can live with my mother.
There is nobody near her now. I like hookah, but my mother likes it more than I do. So my dream is to
smoke hookah with her."
Their dream is to return to their native land. They came to Germany to survive, but they cannot give up
their homeland. Blocked borders became obstacles in fulfilling their dreams, their youth snatched away
by world powers' politics, and the digressed deviated? Spirits of religious fanatics eliminated their
memories. And so, we have made every Muslim into a terrorist.
Abou Hamah speaks.
“I go to meet my brother and sister once a month. They live near Düsseldorf and Herne but in reality, I
am worried about my parents. The government would not penalize them even though their children have
disappeared, but I am worried because they live in a place where they do not know when bombs will drop
from the sky.”
The U.S. and Russia, in the meantime, mediated to stop the war in Syria between the government army and
insurgent rebels. However, he does not believe it.
“How long do you think their promise will last? I, more than anyone else, wish for this war to end
quickly, but it is not a simple problem. In Syria, there is still the Daish and the Al-Nusra. I really
want to return to Syria. When the war ends, I am going to hurry back to Syria. That is where I want to
live, my homeland.”
He deeply ponders as he looks at images of Damascus during peacetime on the internet, then quietly asks: “When will that be?”
Four Mohammeds eke out a living in this small town. There is Abou (meaning “father of” in Arabic) Sham (another name for Damascus) who is 24, Abou Rida 21, Abou Halep from Aleppo (also known as Halep which is the name of the town north of Syria) who is 24, and Abou Hamah 21 from Homs. Before bombs were being dropped and bullets passed through the neighborhood, Abou Sham worked at a restaurant. Another Mohammed was studying at university. The civil war had tumultuously rocked their entire lives.
Worrying about their well-being, parents encouraged their children into the refugee exodus to cross the Aegean Sea. The first encounter with Abou Sham took place at Beograd’s central station in Serbia’s capital city, which happens to be a midpoint of the refugee route. He was filled with hope, and he was optimistic about the future. Of course, there would be difficulties, but he believed that learning the German language would help him to settle in quickly.
They arrived in Germany in October 2015. They remained for a short time in a refugee camp before coming to Marl. They settled in with a temporary certification of stay as their only permit requiring renewal every three months. The temporary permit does not allow them to work, and the German language lessons provided for them are organized by volunteers who charge them each 10 Euros per week. At first glance, their lives appear lethargic, and if one did not know the reason behind their situation, they could be misunderstood as being lazy.
However, in reality, the things they cannot do outnumber the things they can do. The A4 sized single sheet of copied paper, acting as their temporary certification of stay, ironically becomes the restricting factor. News of harassment and violence committed on them by Neo-Nazis explains why they can only remain in their homes.
Currently, the German Government gives priority to issuing passports to refugee families with minors. Abou Hamah's sister lives together with her husband and a six-year-old child in Herne, which is about 30 minutes from Marl. The child attends a German school, and the couple received German passports. However, because he cannot communicate fluently in German, the husband is unable to find work. So he spends his time working as a volunteer for a nearby refugee camp.
Based on the Refugee Policy of the German Government, by which two persons are considered one group, they were given an apartment with two rooms and one lounge and an allowance of 300 Euros per month for living expenses. Each household is also offered 150 Euros for maintenance, electricity, and water fees. Among other European countries, the cost of living in Germany is quite reasonable, yet this monthly allowance is not enough.
Abou Sham tells his story.
"In Germany, I am going to earn enough money to return to Lebanon so that I can live with my mother.
There is nobody near her now. I like hookah, but my mother likes it more than I do. So my dream is to
smoke hookah with her."
Their dream is to return to their native land. They came to Germany to survive, but they cannot give up their homeland. Blocked borders became obstacles in fulfilling their dreams, their youth snatched away by world powers' politics, and the digressed deviated? Spirits of religious fanatics eliminated their memories. And so, we have made every Muslim into a terrorist.
Abou Hamah speaks.
“I go to meet my brother and sister once a month. They live near Düsseldorf and Herne but in reality, I
am worried about my parents. The government would not penalize them even though their children have
disappeared, but I am worried because they live in a place where they do not know when bombs will drop
from the sky.”
The U.S. and Russia, in the meantime, mediated to stop the war in Syria between the government army and insurgent rebels. However, he does not believe it. “How long do you think their promise will last? I, more than anyone else, wish for this war to end quickly, but it is not a simple problem. In Syria, there is still the Daish and the Al-Nusra. I really want to return to Syria. When the war ends, I am going to hurry back to Syria. That is where I want to live, my homeland.”
He deeply ponders as he looks at images of Damascus during peacetime on the internet, then quietly asks: “When will that be?”
I photographed the people who endured the oppression of Myanmar's government and who were forced to cross the border to escape. They are Rohingya. They are not welcomed even in their native country and now have become a people who do not exist anywhere. I photographed people who do not exist. In the force of destruction and explosion, the fragile human bodies are scattered in the name of refugees. We didn’t get to move forward. Not even a step.
Those events that took place during the two World Wars are still being repeated with conflicts and wars whether they are visible or invisible, continuous or discontinuous. The only thing that has changed is that genocide can more easily occur with the development of weapons. Sadly, the human's barbaric behavior continues. I ask, “Why?” Why do humans talk about being wrong, not being different? Why do humans kill other humans? The question remains. It gets confusing if it is the human nature issue or the religion issue that should embrace human beings and advance human beings.
I photographed the people who endured the oppression of Myanmar's government and who were forced to cross the border to escape. They are Rohingya. They are not welcomed even in their native country and now have become a people who do not exist anywhere. I photographed people who do not exist. In the force of destruction and explosion, the fragile human bodies are scattered in the name of refugees. We didn’t get to move forward. Not even a step.
Those events that took place during the two World Wars are still being repeated with conflicts and wars whether they are visible or invisible, continuous or discontinuous. The only thing that has changed is that genocide can more easily occur with the development of weapons. Sadly, the human's barbaric behavior continues.
I ask, “Why?” Why do humans talk about being wrong, not being different? Why do humans kill other humans? The question remains. It gets confusing if it is the human nature issue or the religion issue that should embrace human beings and advance human beings.
Israel was established on land which, according to the Old Testament, God had promised to the people chosen by Him. Great Britain supported establishing a “national home for the Jewish people” through the Balfour Declaration in 1917, and Israel was founded on May 14, 1948. The violent conflict between Palestine and Israel then began and has become the Earth’s most volatile region. The two sides briefly reached a peace agreement with the Oslo Accords in 1993, but a series of assassinations of key political figures on both sides broke the fragile peace process. An on-going conflict continues today.
To make things worse, the decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem and declaring the city as Israel’s capital by the U.S. president Trump in 2017 struck a big blow to the peace process. This caused a global outcry and the Palestinians protested violently. The Israeli government is expanding, rather than withdrawing, illegally defined settlements under the 4th Geneva Convention, which prohibits occupying countries from relocating or residing in the occupied lands. Under the guise of protecting its own nationals, a large wall is under construction while Israel allocates military force and police within the settlement. The settlers arm themselves for safety.
Referring to the region of Palestine, Zionist Movement leader Theodor Herzl said that a nation should be established because it is “a land without a people for a people without a land.” However, people had already been living on that land. Hakam and his family live between the wall and the settlement, and Khwise lives in the Bedouin village, ‘Khan Al Ahmar,’ surrounded by the illegal settlements. In July 2018, the Israeli Parliament approved a bill defining Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. The Trump Administration cut aid to the UNRWA while canceling support for the East Jerusalem Hospital Network. The Promised Land doesn’t seem so tolerant toward the Palestinians. Israel’s Judaic god is merciless to those believing in another god.
Israel was established on land which, according to the Old Testament, God had promised to the people chosen by Him. Great Britain supported establishing a “national home for the Jewish people” through the Balfour Declaration in 1917, and Israel was founded on May 14, 1948. The violent conflict between Palestine and Israel then began and has become the Earth’s most volatile region.
The two sides briefly reached a peace agreement with the Oslo Accords in 1993, but a series of assassinations of key political figures on both sides broke the fragile peace process. An on-going conflict continues today. To make things worse, the decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem and declaring the city as Israel’s capital by the U.S. president Trump in 2017 struck a big blow to the peace process.
This caused a global outcry and the Palestinians protested violently. The Israeli government is expanding, rather than withdrawing, illegally defined settlements under the 4th Geneva Convention, which prohibits occupying countries from relocating or residing in the occupied lands. Under the guise of protecting its own nationals, a large wall is under construction while Israel allocates military force and police within the settlement. The settlers arm themselves for safety.
Referring to the region of Palestine, Zionist Movement leader Theodor Herzl said that a nation should be established because it is “a land without a people for a people without a land.” However, people had already been living on that land. Hakam and his family live between the wall and the settlement, and Khwise lives in the Bedouin village, ‘Khan Al Ahmar,’ surrounded by the illegal settlements.
In July 2018, the Israeli Parliament approved a bill defining Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. The Trump Administration cut aid to the UNRWA while canceling support for the East Jerusalem Hospital Network. The Promised Land doesn’t seem so tolerant toward the Palestinians. Israel’s Judaic god is merciless to those believing in another god.