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Tuesday 14 August 2007

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Hear our Voices

A forum for people whose voices are often not heard, whose lives have been affected by catastrophe, be it natural or manmade. Many have been abused and denied their universal human rights; others have seen their livelihoods washed away by floods or lost to drought. Their personal accounts are a testimony to their struggle and their hope for a better future. Stories from aid workers offer a glimpse into the relationships between victims of humanitarian crises and the people who help them.

IRIN welcomes editorial and photographic submissions for inclusion on this page, reserving the right to select and edit as appropriate.

Africa

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more testimonies »]

Estelle Kouakou, Cote d’Ivoire, “I want my life back”
		Untold numbers of women have become victims of sexual violence at the hands of rebel and government forces in Cote d’Ivoire, according to human rights organisations. Estelle Kouakou, 21, is one such woman who told her story to IRIN: full testimony
Josephine Morgan, Liberia, "The orphanage was taking our pictures and sending them to America."
		Josephine Morgan comes from a poor family. Her father, hoping for a better life for his children, agreed to an offer made by the head of an orphanage to take Josephine, her sister and her young brother. But the head of the orphanage is alleged to have taken the children so he could claim he needed as in increase in international assistance. Very little of the money he got appears to have been spent on the children. Now, after three years, Josephine has been reunited with her parents. She told IRIN of her ordeal. full testimony
Claudine Ngomora, "Life has become pointless, will I ever go home again?"
		Claudine Ngomora, 25, fled her home after an attack by people she says are known as the Rasta in February 2007. She has survived on the goodwill of friends and relatives in Walungu Territory in the province of South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). full testimony

Asia	[ more testimonies »]

Bilqees, Afghanistan “I found my daughter’s body soaked in blood”
		“I threw myself towards the car and there in the boot I found my daughter’s body soaked in blood. Her beautiful eyes were open and her right hand was clutched to her stomach where she was shot. I was told later that she was shot three times - in the stomach, heart and back. full testimony
Kamran Khan, Pakistan “I still cry sometimes”
		For me just being different is the toughest thing, but I never really understood how different I was until I was around nine or 10. Watching my friends run and play cricket, I wanted so badly to join them, but couldn’t. full testimony
Zahraa, “I was told to leave my home for good within one hour”
		We begged the police to give us only two days to inform our sons and collect all our belongings. But the police did not pay heed to our demands. When we started defying them and declined to leave, the police got angry and started beating my husband with their batons. full testimony

Middle East

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more testimonies »]

Um Muhammad al-Daraj, Iraq, “I had to forget my honour to save my husband’s life”
		I had to forget my honour to save my husband’s life. It was the most terrible 20 minutes of my life. I just felt pain and wanted to vomit all the time. In the beginning I tried to refuse but was hit in the face and had to cry in silence, while asking God’s forgiveness. full testimony
Anisah Kaseb, Iraq, “Violence has destroyed my family”
		[My son] killed himself on the day of his sister’s birthday on 14 May and since than my daughter Alia’a, 32, has tried to commit suicide twice, firstly by cutting her wrists and then by jumping in front of a car - which left her with a broken leg that required hours of surgery. full testimony
Alaa al-Bouz, Beirut, “I was taken to an orphanage when I was too young to even remember"
		My eldest brother Ziad used to send me out onto the streets to sell chewing gum. If I didn’t bring him back at least US$25 each day he would beat me up. Some nights I preferred to sleep on the street rather than go home. full testimony

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This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations or its Member States. Republication is subject to terms and conditions as set out in the IRIN copyright page.