Ngemva kweminyaka engamashumi amabili i-United States yethula ukuhlasela kwayo e-Iraq, uMohsin* uthe izinkumbulo zisamlethela “ubuhlungu obumangalisayo”.
“Okwenzeka ngo-2003, angifuni ukuthi kwenzeke noma yikuphi emhlabeni – hhayi e-Iraq kuphela, noma yikuphi,” esho.
Kuze kube yimanje, uMohsin, 46, owabaleka e-Iraq wakhosela e-Australia, uthe namanje akaqondi ukuthi kwenzekani ezweni lakhe.
Kodwa akabeki cala kuphela owayengumongameli wase-Iraq, uSaddam Hussein, nakuba “engumbusi onokhahlo ngokwedlulele”.
“Ubani okufanele asolwe? USaddam nje? Cha, i-US nayo inecala. Bekungeyena uSaddam kuphela okufanele simsole – i-US isiphethe ngendlela efanayo,” esho.
UMohsin wabaleka kwelakubo eminyakeni engu-18 eyedlule njengoba impi yayishuba, ezizwa engasenayo enye indlela ngaphandle kokuthi ahambe ngoba impilo yayingakabi ngcono nakuba amasosha aseMelika amxosha uMnu Hussein.
Owayengumongameli wase-Iraq uSaddam Hussein waboshwa ngoDisemba 2003, wabulawa eminyakeni emithathu kamuva ngemuva kokulahlwa ngamacala obugebengu obubhekiswe kubuntu yi-Iraqi Special Tribunal. Umthombo: AAP, AP / Darko Bandic
“[The US] bathi bazofika bezolungisa izwe kodwa kwavela ukuthi cha. Amaqembu amavukelambuso kanye namasosha ase-US ayebulala abantu, edubula abantu. Noma ngubani ofika kubo uzibeka engcupheni yokubulawa,” usho kanje.
NgeSonto mhla ziyi-19 kuNdasa wezi-2023 kugujwa iminyaka engama-20 selokhu kwaba ngumongameli wase-US okwaholela empini eyaqhubeka kwaze kwaba ngu-2011.
Amasosha aseMelika eduze komthombo kawoyela ovuthayo endaweni kawoyela e-al-Ratka eningizimu ye-Iraq ngoMashi 2003. Amasosha ase-Iraq ashisa indawo kawoyela ngesikhathi ebalekela amasosha omfelandawonye ayeqhubekela phambili e-Baghdad. Umthombo: Getty, AFP / I-Andersen engavamile
UMohsin ubekholelwa ukuthi impilo izobuyela kwesijwayelekile ngemuva kwezinyanga ezimbalwa, kodwa bekungenjalo.
“Ngo-2005, yacekelwa phansi. Kwaqubuka izingxabano zamahlelo… kwase kungasekho lutho kithina. Ngangizohlomula kanjani kuleli zwe? Yilapho engazi khona ukuthi kufanele ngihambe,” esho.
Ngonyaka olandelayo, uMohsin nomndeni wakhe babalekela eMalaysia ngaphambi kokuya e-Indonesia.
Bafika e-Australia ngesikebhe ngo-2010 ngemva kokuba enikezwe a kodwa kwakuwuhambo oludabukisayo.
Endleleni eya eChristmas Island kwagadla inhlekelele, futhi abantu abangu-91 kwabangu-131 ababesemkhunjini bagwiliza, kuhlanganise nezingane zakhe ezintathu ezincane.
“Ngizama ukukhohlwa isipiliyoni enganginaso … Uma i-Iraq ithuthuke izikhathi eziyisigidi namuhla, ngabe isengeke ibe yinhle ngokwanele futhi ngeke ngibuyele lapho. Engingacabanga ngakho ulwazi enganginalo. Futhi nami angifuni ukukukhumbula,” kusho yena.
Yini eyabangela ukuhlasela?
Impi eholwa yi-US yaqhamuka ngemuva kokwanda kokwesaba ubuphekula, ngokusho kukaBenjamin Isakhan, uprofesa wezepolitiki yamazwe omhlaba eDeakin University.
Ezinyangeni eziyishumi nesishiyagalombili ngaphambili i-US yayinyakaziswa yi- .
“Ukwesaba kwangempela e-US ngaleso sikhathi ukuthi izwe elifana ne-Iraq lingase libe nezikhali zokucekela phansi futhi kungenzeka ukuthi lifukamele amaphekula,” kusho uSolwazi Isakhan.
Abazili bathwele isidumbu sikaShamil Nafe, 30, emigwaqweni yase-Adhamiya e-Baghdad ngesikhathi somngcwabo wakhe, ngoDisemba, 2003. kungqubuzana namabutho. Umthombo: AAP, AP / Muhammed Muheisen
Ngaphambi kokumemezela lokhu kuhlasela, uMnu Bush wathi abezobunhloli baseMelika bathole ukuthi i-Iraq “inezinye zezikhali eziyingozi kakhulu ezake zaklanywa” nokuthi “igcine amaphekula, okuhlanganisa nabe-al-Qaeda” – ababeqondise ukuhlasela kwangoSepthemba 11. .
Lapho ucingo olusemthethweni selushaywe, owayengundunankulu wase-Australia wangaleso sikhathi futhi bazibophezele amasosha ukujoyina ukulwa. Uthe kuyintshisekelo yezwe lase-Australia “ukuphuca i-Iraq izikhali zayo zokucekela phansi okukhulu”.
Kepha ezinyangeni zokuqala zempi, kwavela ukuthi ubuhlakani obuphakamisa ukuthi i-Iraq inezikhali zokucekela phansi abantu abaningi bebungaqinile njengoba bekushiwo.
UDavid Kay, ngaleso sikhathi owayeyinhloko ye-CIA’s Iraq Survey Group (ISG), wathi ngo-Okthoba 2003 azikho izikhali zalolu hlobo ezitholakele.
Ngemva konyaka, i-ISG yethula umbiko kuKhongolose yaseMelika kulandela ukusesha kwezinyanga eziyi-15 okubandakanya abahloli bayo abayi-1,200 ababeseshe iziza kulo lonke elase-Iraq. Azikho izikhali zembubhiso ezitholakele, futhi i-ISG yaphetha ngokuthi uMnu Hussein ucekele phansi ezokugcina eminyakeni eyishumi edlule.
Yathi uMnu Hussein unezifiso zokuthi aqale kabusha izinhlelo zamakhemikhali nezenuzi uma unswinyo selususiwe. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi bezingekho izimpawu zakamuva zokuxoxisana noma intshisekelo yokusungula uhlelo olusha lwempi yebhayoloji (BW), i-Iraq “ingabe ibhekane nobunzima obukhulu ekumiseni kabusha ikhono lokukhiqiza i-ejenti ye-BW esebenzayo”.
Izimangalo zikaMnu uHussein ubenobudlelwano obusemthethweni ne-al-Qaeda, ezasetshenziswa njengezizathu zokuhlasela, nazo bezibuzwa. Ngo-2006, umbiko weSenate yase-US owehlisiwe waveza ukuthi abukho ubufakazi balokhu.
‘Ubani ongazizwa ejabule ngokundiza kwefulegi lakwelinye izwe ezweni lakubo?’
U-Basim Alansari wayesengumbaleki wase-Iraq njengoba ebukele izwe lakhe libhidlika kumabonakude bukhoma endaweni ahlala kuyo abafundi enyuvesi yesifunda i-NSW.
UMnu Alansari wayeneminyaka eyisishiyagalolunye kuphela lapho ephunyuka eMpini YaseGulf yango-1990 – eyabangelwa ukuhlasela kwe-Iraq izwe elingumakhelwane iKuwait – nomndeni wakhe, futhi ekugcineni wafika e-Australia ngesikebhe lapho eneminyaka engu-17.
Wazizwa egcwele injabulo ngemva kokubuka amasosha ase-US eqopha ifulegi laseMelika phezu kwesifanekiso sikaMnu Hussein.
“Ngikhumbula ngifonela ubaba ngihambe Saddam akasekho!” ,”baba.”
Uhlangatshezwe isililo esinzima nguyise, owasinda ngokulambisa ejezini likaMnuz Hussein.
Basim Alansari. Umthombo: Kunikeziwe
Lapho uBasim ecabanga ukuthi uyise wayekhala ngokungavamile ngenxa yenjabulo, wathi ubaba wakhe wamthethisa.
“Ubani ongabona ifulegi langaphandle liphephezeliswa ezweni lakubo, futhi azizwe ejabule emzuzwini onje?” UMnu Alansari ukhumbula ubaba wakhe ethi.
UMnu Hussein wacasha ngemuva kokuthi amasosha aseMelika ebambe inhloko-dolobha, iBaghdad, kungakapheli nenyanga ehlasela. Waboshwa ngoZibandlela wezi-2003, wabulawa eminyakeni emithathu kamuva ngemuva kokulahlwa yicala lobugebengu obubhekiswe kubantu yi-Iraqi Special Tribunal.
Ngemva kokuketulwa kwakhe, okwaqeda ukubusa okunonya kweminyaka engu-24, kwalandela olunye udlame.
Umholi we-Al-Qaeda e-Iraq, u-Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, owabulawa amasosha ase-US ngo-2006, waqala ukuhlasela okwachitha igazi okwakuhloswe ukuba aphendule iningi lamaMuslim angamaShi’ite ngokumelene namaSunni amancane empini yombango. Ekugcineni yenzeka futhi yagcwala i-Iraq kusukela ngo-2006 kuya ku-2008.
U-Basim Alansari (phakathi) nabafowabo ababili e-Iraq ngaphambi kokuba baye e-Australia. Umthombo: Kunikeziwe
Imibhikisho emikhulu e-Australia nasemhlabeni jikelele
Njengoba kwakuya ngokusobala ukuthi i-US izohlasela i-Iraq, izigidi zabantu zangena emigwaqweni zifuna isixazululo esinokuthula.
Phakathi kwezigidi eziyisithupha neziyi-10 zabantu bakhombise emhlabeni wonke ngomhlaka-15 no-16 February, 2003, ngokombiko weBBC ngaleso sikhathi. Abanye bawuchaze njengombhikisho omkhulu kunawo wonke ohlanganisiwe emlandweni, kanti iGuinness World Records iqaphela i-Italy njengenabantu abaningi abalwa nempi kubantu abayizigidi ezintathu.
U-Mohammad Awad ubephakathi kwamakhulu ezinkulungwane zabantu abahlangene kulo lonke elase-Australia ngaleyo mpelasonto.
UMnu Awad ukhumbula ehamba nomndeni wakhe beya ezitolo eBankstown, entshonalanga yeSydney, lapho bathenga khona izimpawu, upende, kanye nokucwebezela ukuze baklame amaphosta.
Ukhumbule ukuthi abazali bakhe bebechaza ukuthi bebeya kulo mbhikisho ngoba okwenzekayo “akunabo ubulungiswa”.
U-Mohammad Awad uhambele umhlangano wokulwa nempi eSydney esengumfana. Umthombo: Kunikeziwe / U-Mohammad Awad
“Kwakuyimfundo yethu yokuqala mayelana ne-imperialism nakho konke okwenzekayo eMpumalanga Ephakathi; kungani ukungenelela kweMelika kungasebenzi, zonke lezo zinto, “kusho uMnu Awad, manje oneminyaka engu-23.
“Ngiyakhumbula [chanting]’UJohn Howard uyigwala’.
“Bengingakaze ngiye embhikishweni, bengiqala ukubona umbhikisho omkhulu kangaka wabantu.”
Ababhikishi eSydney bafuna ukuthi kungabi nampi e-Iraq ngomhlaka-16 February, 2003. Umthombo: AAP, AP / UDan Peled
Abantu abaningi base-Australia abaqavile nabo babekhuluma ngokuphikisana nempi, njengoba umufi uHeath Ledger ejoyina abalingisi akanye nabo uJoel Edgerton, uNaomi Watts, kanye nezinkulungwane zabanye embuthanweni owawuseMelbourne ngemva kokumenyezelwa kokuhlasela.
Futhi ngoJanuwari walowo nyaka, u-Toni Collette kanye noJudy Davis babephakathi kwezishoshovu ezimelene nempi ezazama ukwethula uMnu Howard isicelo sokuba yisakhamuzi saseMelika ngoba wayeqondanise i-Australia nesimo saseWashington esiqinile ngokumelene ne-Iraq.
“Ulandela uBush ngobumpumputhe, njengemvu, engena emgodini futhi ngubani owaziyo ukuthi kungaba yini imiphumela,” kusho uCollette ngaleso sikhathi.
UHeath Ledger (kwesokudla) noJoel Edgerton embhikishweni ophambi kweVictorian State Library eMelbourne ngomhla zingama-20 kuNdasa, 2003, kulandela isimemezelo sokuhlasela kwe-Iraq. Umthombo: I-AAP / UJulian Smith
Inani lempi
Ngo-2008, uMnu Bush wavuma ukuhoxisa amasosha ase-US e-Iraq, inqubo eyaphothulwa ngaphansi kukaMengameli uBarack Obama ngo-2011 – ngawo lowo nyaka amasosha aseBritain asele ahamba.
I-Australia yaqeda ukusebenza kwayo ngo-2009.
Inani lezakhamuzi ezafa phakathi nempi kunzima ukulisho. Ngo-2009, eminyakeni emithathu ngaphambi kokuphela kwempi, Kwabulawa ama-Iraqi ayi-110,600.
Ngo-2008, uMnu Bush wavuma ukuhoxisa amasosha ase-US e-Iraq, inqubo eyaphothulwa ngaphansi kukaMengameli uBarack Obama ngo-2011. Umthombo: AAP, AP / Anja Niedringhaus
Lapho ememezela ukuhlasela, uMnu Bush uthe i-US izosiza “ukwakha i-Iraq entsha ephumelelayo nekhululekile”.
USolwazi Isakhan uthe leso sithembiso besingakafezeki, futhi njengoba i-Australia ibambe iqhaza, uhulumeni kufanele enze okungaphezulu ukuqinisekisa ukuthi iyenzeka.
Uthe “izinto ezilula” njengokuhlinzeka ngezinhlelo zokushintshana nezomfundaze zabafundi base-Iraq zingahamba ngandlela thize ekusizeni ukufeza lokhu.
USolwazi Isakhan ukholelwa ukuthi iNtshonalanga ifunde “izifundo eziningi ezinzima” ngemuva kwezimpi zase-Iraq nase-Afghanistan.
“Awukwazi ukungena kule miphakathi exakile futhi ekhungethwe izingxabano uyilungise eminyakeni emihlanu uyiguqule ibe yintando yeningi eqinile eminyakeni eyi-10 noma engu-20,” usho kanje.
“Akukho ukulungisa okulula, futhi ngicabanga ukuthi lokho kuyinkinga enkulu ngempela yenqubomgomo yezangaphandle okwamanje… ngoba ukuhlala kude kuyinkinga, futhi ukungena kuyinkinga.”
*Igama lishintshiwe.
Riaan 
