Story of Survival

Kurdish refugees in Nashville still struggle with the trauma experienced in their homeland. While some Kurds deal with health issues from physical wounds, many are influenced by the emotional scarring of surviving genocide.

Included in the documentary below, produced by Nashville's WNPT in 2009, are two stories featuring survivors of chemical attacks waged by Saddam Hussein’s regime. One of those stories is about my son-in-law Meran Abdullah, who was living with his family in the Kurdish village of Ekmole, when the chemical attack began...
 
At this very moment, Meran and my daughter Eva are in Iraqi Kurdistan visiting. During their visit, Meran is doing what is necessary to submit a claim to a genocide victim survivors fund, for compensation.  Nothing will replace what was lost, but it is felt by many that this it is only just to make this offer to the victims, to help them get on with their lives and help their families.  It has taken a long time to get to this point, but the Kurdish people have worked hard to remake their communities.  I am very proud of my son-in-law and his extended family. They are the best of America, they are who America has always been.  People seeking a better life, and working hard to accomplish it.

So Eva catches me on MSN Messenger last night and tells she, Meran, and the boys are all in...Fort Benning, GA...Why? Read on...

Eva/Nirgaz says:
Hey! I am in GA
Frau Maus says:
why?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
The boys and I went to visit Meran in Columbus, GA...near Ft. Benning...where he is staying till he knows if got clearance to deploy or not
Frau Maus says:
heck is he getting that close? whoa NSA?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
We hadn't seen him for 4 weeks since he went to VA
NSA?? for working overseas in Iraq with company GLS
as civil contracted translator
Frau Maus says:
You mentioned NSA at one point. How did it get from that to GLS?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
NSA was a couple years back...never heard anything from them
Frau Maus says:
so it was a matter of networking and time, eh?
What does GLS stand for, and what does it do?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
This is a different opportunity where recently they were hiring a whole slew of Kurdish translators...200+
Going to work with army engineers from what Meran has heard so far...in the northern Kurdish parts
I guess...as far as networking is concerned
GLS...Global Linguistic Solutions...it is the most recent company that took over the civil contract that Meran's former Employer...Titan...was doing...since then its been taken over several times
Frau Maus says:
It seems the Kurds in the north are still doing well then, eh? Kirkurk sounds like it's still controversial, but are the Kurds already getting oil revenue from it?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
I not sure as to the revenue...but Meran's uncle in Duhok said things are quiet and prosperous in north...lots of new construction...new airports...new growth of all kinds...
Frau Maus says:
http://www.gls-corp.com/
Eva/Nirgaz says:
Good investment to have real estate there now
Frau Maus says:
Good to hear. They deserve it after all this time and pain. I hope they can have some peace and prosperity for a good long time....
So will Meran invest while there?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
If Meran goes for sure...maybe I will be able to swing flying you down to visit me and daniel for a weekend or something?
Frau Maus says:
when will he know?
Eva/Nirgaz says:
soon...he is waiting on security clearance...
Frau Maus says:
always waiting on that darn clearance...how long does it take these people?! lol
Eva/Nirgaz says:
lol!
I have to go...they boys are swearing they could eat pillows! I have some cute videos and pics I will share soon...love ya Mom! (So would you be interested in what I just mentioned...when I know for sure I wll talk with you more about it) Say hello to Will!
Frau Maus says:
definitely interested...
tell everyone hello and I love them and tell Meran best of luck and I am proud of him...
HUGS!
Eva/Nirgaz says:
oh...and we have a kitty now too...nameless so far!
i will