In September, 1996 the U.S. government airlifted approximately 2,100 Kurdish evacuees who are of special humanitarian interest to the United States from Turkey to a processing center on Andersen Air Base on Guam. They are former employees of the U.S. government or closely associated with US interests in the region. These Kurds have been paroled into the custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and have been given the opportunity to apply for asylum and resettlement to the U.S. Once approved for asylum and resettled to the US, they will be eligible for refugee program benefits and assistance. Asylees are also authorized to work and receive social security numbers and it is anticipated that they will arrive with Employment Authorization Document (EAD - I-765) cards.

The Institute for Cultural Partnership (ICP) was contacted by voluntary agencies in Pennsylvania to provide some documentation and training on Kurds. This profile was compiled in collaboration with the Kurdish Human Rights Watch (KHRW). ICP wishes to thank Dr. Pary Karadaghi, Executive Director, KHRW, for her technical assistance on this project. These two organizations intend to continue their work together to expand on the initial profiles and training seminars to include specific assistance in community and economic development for Kurdish communities across the state and the nation. A brief summary about these two organizations can be found at the conclusion of this profile.

BACKGROUND

HISTORY, LAND AND POPULATION

Kurds are a distinct national group but they have never had an autonomous homeland. Kurds have lived for thousands of years near the Zagros mountains along the borders of Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and the former Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan and Armenia). Kurdistan is not an independent state but a geographical area that stretches over those countries and the word itself means the homeland of the Kurds. Kurdistan is divided among nations all of which have governments mainly hostile to Kurdish interests. The Kurdish homeland is about 230,000 square miles, about the area equivalent to an area the size of the state of Texas. The region is mountainous and the Kurdish people long ago became bound to this mountainous region that they love; their survival as a distinct people is strongly linked to life in these mountains.

Much of this mountainous region has been cleared and is generally more arable than most Middle Eastern countries. Many Kurds still make their living off the land, both in farming and in the raising of livestock. The annual mean temperature is 55-65 degrees and the annual precipitation is 60-80 inches per year in the central highland regions and 20-40 inches in the lower regions. Most precipitation in the central regions in the form of snow, falling for about six months of the year.

Kurdish lands, rich in natural resources, have always sustained and promoted a large population.

The Kurds have in recent years seen a fairly steady rate of population growth and represent 15% of the overall population of the Middle East. They are the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East, after the Arabs, Persians and Turks. Their largest concentrations are now respectively in Turkey (approx. 52% of all Kurds), Iran (25%), Iraq (16%), Syria (5%) and former Soviet Union (1.5%). The total Kurdish population figures vary on who is doing the reporting. As a distinct ethnic group, including all the various nationalities, their reported population can range as high as 30 million.

The Kurdish people have had a long history of domination by other states and for much of their existence Kurds have been fighting for some form of autonomy. Modern Kurdistan is divided among a number of separate nations: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria and both Azerbajijan and Armenia of the former Soviet Union. It is noteworthy that the Kurdish people remain the only ethnic group that geographically and politically lies in crossroads of three major world blocs: the Arab World, NATO and the Central Asian bloc, and until very recently, a fourth, the former Soviet bloc. The Kurds’ tumultuous history is a major factor to the development of those characteristic that Kurds pride themselves and that their neighbors identify with them as well: physical prowess, fearlessness, independence, temper. Always living as a minority within various political states has been an important factor in overall Kurdish cultural and political development; this history also affects how they view the rest of the world.

KURDISH EVACUEES FROM NORTHERN IRAQ

The approximately 2,100 Kurdish evacuees currently being processed in Guam are from Northern Iraq, principally from four major urban areas: Dahuk, Irbil, Sulaimaniya and Zakho - the vast majority from Zakho (see map - Attachment A). These Kurds are former employees of: OFDA (Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance), MCC (Military Coordination Center), INC (Iraqi National Congress) and other governmental organizations. Immigration and Refugee Services of America (IRSA) reports that this group is a cohesive, close community and the Kurds have expressed a desire to be resettled by home region and agency affiliation. In fact, the evacuees in Guam seem to identify themselves by the agency for which they worked. The national voluntary agencies are attempting to resettle, when possible, by these regional and former employer preferences. There have been recent reports that a number of additional Kurds, particularly former employees of non- government organizations affiliated with the U.S., will be evacuated as well. If this happens, the total number of Kurdish evacuees will most likely be over 4000.

Many of these Kurds are reported to be associated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led by Jalal Talabani. The other major faction, the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), recently reportedly allied themselves with Saddam Hussein and launched a joint offensive in northern Iraq, taking the Kurdish capital of Irbil. It is reported that Saddam troops remain in northern Iraq, disguising themselves in Kurdish clothing. Those who were employed by and closely associated with U.S. interests were at particular risk, these Kurds and many of their family members were then airlifted to Guam.

IRSA reports members of this group are well organized, politically savvy, and exposed to western ways and culture. Previous reports indicated that Talabani’s PUK party was made up of mainly urban intellectuals . Unfortunately, even before the recent reported alliance with Saddani, the forces of the KDP led by Massoud Barzani have been at terrible and bloody odds with Talabani’s followers in an effort to win political control of Kurdistan. Many Kurds from prior evacuations and resettlement efforts were from the formerly US-aligned KDP faction.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

Local volags will have to be aware and sensitive to these former regional and employer associations and preferences when interviewing the new arrivals. Community building should be strengthened through clustering within these former associations.

The use of previously resettled Kurds (e.g. KDP-affiliated Iraqi Kurds; possibly Turkish Kurds) as interpreters, caseworkers, aids, ethnic sponsors, or even volunteers will have to be reviewed and evaluated in light of the current high level of tensions between various factions. It is known that Iraqi Kurds may have trouble relating to Turkish Kurds who represent the largest group of ethnic Kurds in both the Middle East and currently residing in the U.S.

There may be high expectations for special treatment in the resettlement process since these Kurds had a close association with the U.S. while in northern Iraq and, therefore, they may feel something special is owed to them. In addition, while in Guam, the evacuees are living in American-style middle class housing. This may require some adjustment as the Kurds face the reality of the American housing market.

A number of these Kurds may be eligible for certain benefits as former employees of the U.S. government. These benefits will be usually in the form of severance pay (up to one year - $1000 to $2000 has been reported as an estimate), but these benefits may take some time to be processed. Local volags be alert to these situations and counsel the recipients about banking this money for future needs. This money may also have some affect on certain means-tested public assistance programs.

Kurds are not necessarily accustomed to banking and saving money as government controlled Iraqi banks were not the safest place for many Kurds to keep their money. The evacuees may need some extra assistance in learning (and trusting) our banking system and, as well, will need to be counseled regarding the need to put some money away, particularly if separation benefits come to fruition.

KURDISH SOCIETY AND FAMILY

Kurds have retained much of the village and tribal social a structure that is very prevalent in that area of the world. Today, without an official central state and government, tribes serve as the highest source of authority in which people place their allegiance. As in other societies in the region, family bonds are very strong and greatly impacts their society and culture. Tightness of family and tribal loyalty are dominant societal traits. Families can be described as patriarchal, extended, sometimes polygymous. Women are highly respected and may be very closely protected by Kurdish men. However, Kurdish women can be expected to take an active role in family life and decision making. Kurdish men still tend to be socially conservative, particularly with women and sex. Some Kurdish men do not like to have their women seen in public; traditional head covering for women is only more common among older Kurdish women. Full public veiling with the traditional chador is fairly rare among Kurdish Muslim women. There are relatively few strict conservative Muslims among the Iraqi Kurds.

Families from rural areas can be large, and women from these rural areas may many young. Urban Kurdish women are more likely to pursue an education and career prior to marriage, and their families will tend to be closer to the size of an average American family.

What little information seems to be available indicates that many Kurds who previously came to the U.S. have shed a number of their more traditional Kurdish social customs. However, we do know that even in this country, maintaining many customs at special events and wearing traditional dress during times of celebration, is extremely important to many Kurds. This is particularly true of the music and dance traditions which are very much a part of Kurdish life. Finally, we must remember that while Kurds have some important common cultural traits, they are also one of the most diverse and factious groups from an area of the world best known for its diversity and factions.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

Agencies will want to take care not to judge these newer arrivals on the basis of the very few Kurdish refugees and immigrants that may have gone before them. Many earlier arrivals were very well educated and exposed to western culture prior to coming to the U.S. While we may find the Principal Applicants of this group have similar characteristics, we must wait to see what the experience and background of this group really is and determine their individual needs from there.

At this time, there is not much specific information on the family sizes, except they average from six to eight individuals per family. As noted, family size will vary based on the background of the evacuees and whether it is the nuclear or extended family. Family planning is practiced by many Kurds and various birth control methods (e.g. pills, IUDs) are generally known and available to Kurdish families. The costs of raising and educating a large number of children in the U.S. will need to be an important discussion topic for some families.

Many families, if not almost all of the nuclear families, will be intact and traveling together. Extended families seem to be the norm and there will be a great desire on the part of these families to be housed as closely together as possible. This could be the same house or apartment complex. It is also very preferable to locate as many of the Kurdish evacuees in close proximity to other Kurds as possible in order to encourage frequent communing and socializing. Obviously, finding suitable housing for large families, and then locating housing in proximate locations for larger numbers of Kurds will be a major challenge.

It is reported that a number of the young Kurdish women are pregnant. The combination of many children and another on the way will have significant impact on the number of potential wage earners we can expect in each family. While older children may go to work in many families, the education of children is of primary importance. Many Kurdish families use corporal punishment with their children; therefore, information and frank talk regarding U.S. child discipline practices and American child abuse laws is good precaution.

There have been no reports to date on the number of men in polygamous marriages and this is not expected to be a problem since the practice has been unlawful in Iraq for many years and, if practiced, it is probably not done openly. If such issues do arise, they need to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

From reports of earlier groups of Kurds, there does not seem to be a major problem of secondary migration even though earlier Kurdish arrivals were also resettled in somewhat scattered sites throughout the U.S. and in many locations with no existing Kurdish community. The initial stability of new Kurdish communities will need to be an important consideration if agencies are to avoid secondary migration. Since agencies will be asking local communities and institutions for substantial assistance in this resettlement effort, volags will want to point to successful resettlement outcomes and community building, not forwarding addresses.

To help assure stability, volags and service agencies must look at community development issues from the onset. The Kurdish Human Rights Watch may be able to offer some technical assistance in this area of community building. ICP is anticipating involvement in some related innovative community stability projects on a regional and national basis.

We may find that the Kurds’ high expectations may first become an issue due to the difficulty in finding suitable housing at an affordable rent (depending on the area of the country). Overly high expectations may also be seen as the norm for many Kurds in the job prospecting area. This was reported with earlier arrivals who had hoped to find initial employment that was a better fit to their educational and occupational backgrounds. This is further discussed under the occupation/skills/employment section.

This group is more attuned to western culture and customs than many other refugee groups and therefore orientation and adjustment times may be shorter. There may be some adjustments to a number of our social and legal norms Many Kurds prior experiences with government and government services have not been positive, and their resultant resistant nature may be viewed by some as a little rebellious. Counseling in basic social customs, with a special emphasize on our legal system, should be planned. Alcohol is consumed so our strict local and state drinking and driving laws will need to be fully understood. A high percentage of Kurds use tobacco and local non-smoking ordinances and restrictions will need to be carefully explained.

The identification of group leaders and working with them will be critical for a smooth resettlement. Biographical data and information from the national offices and ORR will be useful in this identification process.

LANGUAGE AND EDUCATION

Kurds speak one of a number of Kurdish dialects and better educated Kurds will speak Arabic, which is the language most common across the Middle East region. The two primary dialects of the evacuees are Kurmanji and Sorani and, when spoken, they are generally understandable to one another. The majority of evacuees speak Kurmanji which is the mostly widely spoken dialect of Iraqi Kurds. It is reported that many of the Principal Applicants also speak Arabic. There are also a number of English speakers among the group, particularly the Principal Applicants who were previous U.S. employees. A number of English speakers that have been identified who speak at a translator level.

Many Kurdish schools now teach English as a requirement beginning from the fifth grade and through the twelfth grade. Most Kurds have had little opportunity to use and practice their English and therefore are not proficient at all. This educational background will be useful when they enroll in English language training. Education is extremely important to Kurds; families encourage their children to achieve in school and see success in school as a important step to success later in life. Many Kurdish man and women go to college and pursue professions, and it is not unusual to have both a husband and wife in successful careers. We do not have much information on the education levels of this group of Kurds in Guam as yet. This will be clearer as volags receive biographies on their cases and additional information comes out of Guam.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

There is a good chance that there will be at least one family member with some English speaking ability. As a close knit social group, we can expect other Kurdish English speakers ready to help other families needing interpreter assistance. Finding Arabic speakers will probably be easier than finding Kurdish speakers in most areas. This may help to patch over some difficulties; however, the Kurds needing the most interpreter assistance will most likely not have Arabic speaking ability.

IRSA has noted a potential problem if volags use KDP-affiliated Kurds to assist in resettlement and interpreter needs. Agencies need to stay alert in this politically sensitive area which reflects the current factious infighting over in Iraq. We do know that many previously resettled Kurds had prior affiliation with the KDP. With the recent events and supposed KDP alliance with Saddam, we cannot necessarily assume continued alliance of these Kurds with the current political factions and leaders back in Iraq.

Kurds will likely have a strong desire to want to help the newly arriving evacuees. Therefore, some of these political differences may be suppressed at least during the initial resettlement phase. Fewer of these such problems will be apparent as everyone is helped to focus on resettlement and community building, and there is, hopefully, less time and energy for political debate.

RELIGION

Nearly three fifths of all Kurds are, at least, nominally Sunni Muslims of Shafi’ite rite. IRSA reports that the vast majority of the evacuees are Sunni Muslims; there are about 200 Christians. It has also been noted in very recent reports out of Guam that there are also some non-ethnic Kurds in the group. In Kurdistan, adherence to Muslim laws and customs varies from country to country. Iraqi Kurdish Muslims are said to be less religiously observant and much less conservative in religious practices. In Iraq, educated Kurds are reported to be somewhat less observant. Kurdish Muslim women in Iraq are much more independent than in Turkey or Iran.

Kurdish Muslims in the U.S. Have not generally associated with other Muslim groups and this will most likely be true now as well. Previously resettled Kurds have been reportedly less dogmatic in areas such as adherence to strict dietary laws. It is also reported that Muslim Kurds in the U.S. seem to be favorably disposed towards American Jews. Before their emigration to Israel, there was a significant Kurdish Jewish population and close relations existed between these Kurdish Jews and Muslims.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

Agencies will have to work with both the new Kurdish community and existing local Muslim communities to assess what support will be available and appropriate. The practice of religion has not been a major resettlement issues in the past with the Kurds. Many of the evacuees will take a more secular approach in their religious life. Other than prayer rugs, practicing Muslims will not need specific equipment or space for their prayer, either individual or communal. Kurdish Muslims will most likely focus on family concerns and community building rather than any initial religious infrastructure such as a mosque.

Most of the Kurds will not follow strict dietary laws. Some may and agencies will have to be alert to such needs as properly slaughtered meat. Sources for acceptable foods (similar to Kosher requirements) will need to be identified. Muslims traveling outside of a Muslim environment may be willing to forego strict adherence to proper Muslim-slaughtered meat. As a community settles, and if there is a religious presence, such commodities may be purchased from nearby cities if it is not available locally.

OCCUPATIONS/SKILLS/EMPLOYMENT

Kurds have as broad a range of professions, skills and occupations as can be found in most large ethnic groups from the Middle East. The information on this particular group of evacuees indicates that the Principal Applicants all held jobs with U.S.-related agencies. They held professional, administrative, secretarial, security, service and food related, janitorial and other positions. Specific and more helpful information will become available as the biographies arrive.. There have been some reports from previous groups of Kurds of disappointment with the level of jobs they were able to find in the U.S. This may or may not be indicative, since many earlier Kurds were well educated and among the elite in Kurdistan. Some of the available reports show that previously resettled Kurds were mostly urban and literate, 75% with at least a high school education and 10% with a college degree. There is also some evidence that manual labor is somewhat more stigmatized in some parts of Kurdish society than here in the U.S. where our workers are much better compensated for such jobs.

Kurds are very hard working and will not want to become dependent on state and federal assistance. It will be therefore very important that they have an orientation regarding the short-term nature of private and public assistance. They will need to understand very early the nature of their responsibility to become self-sufficient as soon as possible. The evacuees will need help in understanding that entry level jobs in the U.S. are just that, and advancement opportunities and job mobility are the norm here. Kurds also tend to be entrepreneurial and volags and service providers should be alert to opportunities and begin investigating micro enterprise possibilities if appropriate. One strategy may be for a number of Kurds to consider pooling their severance benefits to help capitalize a micro enterprise.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

The most relevant emerging issue is the number of wage earners that will be employable in each family group. With pregnant mothers and already large families with small children to care for, self-sufficiency strategies are more limited. Many Kurdish women will expect and want to be employed at least part-time outside the home and this should be encouraged where possible. Older children most likely will be able to work; in many cases, parents will want to see any such employment balanced with continued educational opportunities.

Agencies can expect some dashed hopes and occupational frustrations with these Kurds as with any group of better educated and skilled new arrivals. Employment prospects and outcomes relate to an individual’s desire and motivation, not to an ethnic group. We must do employment histories thoroughly, counsel our clients to determine suitable occupations and, finally, help them locate the most appropriate job in the area.

Agencies should stay alert for future micro enterprise opportunities and refer Kurds to local small business development services in their area. There are ORR-funded micro enterprise projects in a number of areas throughout the country, and these agencies can be contacted for some technical assistance as well as leads on a local organization that can provide direct assistance in developing small and micro businesses.

CUSTOMS/TRADITIONS/ARTS

Many of the important Kurdish folk customs revolve around music and dance. Many Kurds are skilled at weaving and textile arts. Throughout their difficult history, cultural, art and craft traditions have helped the Kurdish people endure. One of the greatest contributions we can make as facilitators in Kurdish resettlement is to acknowledge the deep and important cultural traditions of our newest arrivals and help them, where possible, to find appropriate forums to help sustain these traditions. There may also be good opportunities to develop some of these folk customs, arts and crafts in creative and economically beneficial ways. ICP and KHRW are exploring opportunities that may lead to direct assistance for Kurdish communities in some of these areas that may have an impact on longer-term community stability.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

There are no particular dress customs for volags to be concerned about. Appropriate dress, particularly for work, should not be a problem. Appropriate clothes for a particular climate may be a problem as many of these Kurds had to leave their homes very quickly and without time to pack many clothes. Many Kurds will want to make some of their own clothes and help in obtaining the proper equipment and supplies will be very useful.

Food preferences, aside from some possible Muslim dietary restrictions, will pose no difficulties. Most foods Kurds favor are readily available; they prefer a lot of fresh food which can be obtained in abundance in most places. Many of their preferred dry goods (e.g. rice, other grains) and spices can be found in most local Indian and Asian stores.

MEDICAL ISSUES

We know that this group does not have any particular health problems. There have been some report of injured Kurds among this group, but nothing serious. Kurds are accustomed to western medical practices. Kurdish women may prefer female gynecologists. There may be a number of mental health issues to address as many of the Kurds have gone through war-related trauma in addition to resettlement stress.

RESETTLEMENT ISSUES

Depression ad emotional problems are not uncommon with Kurds, as with other refugee groups experiencing similar trauma. Volags, sponsors and service agencies will need to be watchful. As Kurds have strong communal commitments, they may also become depressed, the women especially, if their extended family members are not close by them. Appropriate referrals to mental health specialists should be discussed with family members.