By Bradley Secker, PhotoJournalist @ GME, 24.11.2011

Bissam

 

Multi talented Bissam, a 42 year old gay man from east of Baghdad, has worked as an actor for theatre productions, various Iraqi TV sit-coms, as a translator and interpreter for the US army, and international media organisations.

            He describes Iraq as a “valve of death,” and that all he saw for his 34 years there was war, tension, and loss. He has lost many loved ones to war, sectarian violence and suicide in recent years.

            Having to first flee Iraq in 2004 as a result of death threats from militant groups, Bisam’s work with the Americans was a dangerous gamble, although he ignored the threats until they got personal and directed towards his family. In the face of threats on his life, he says he was happy to work for the US army, and believed that he was helping to rebuild his country for the future.

            Bissam was married for four years, two years of which he was in Baghdad, and two in Damascus. He was never happy with married life or his wife after the first six months, and says that he’s fortunate that they didn’t have any children together. When he tried to divorce his wife after two years she refused, and two years later she finally divorced Bisam on grounds of abandonment. For the divorce formalities, Bissam had to return to Baghdad and to his wife, one afternoon she searched his bags and found things that shocked her. Bissam’s diary and a gay porn DVD were at the bottom of the bag, she read the diary and about her husbands’ gay life in Damascus, information she later used as munition against him.

            Bissam’s spouse at the time wanted to expose his sexuality to his family and friends, in the hope of gaining everything she could in the divorce as a bribe. She eventually told his family and word soon spread around the community, very soon after which Bissam was forced to flea his country for the second time, and for the second reason. Since leaving he has had no contact with his family, and had to pay bribes for new travel documents because his wife held his ransom. 

            Whilst seeking refuge in Damascus, he has not been allowed to work legally, but despite the formalities Bisasm worked informally from time to time as a guide to tourists, as an Arabic teacher, and a translator for journalists, whilst continuing his acting career.  He has been registered and certified as a refugee by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since the end of 2006, from whom he receives financial aid for basic items. £1350 Syrian pounds (approximately GBP £20) per month is provided to Bisam as a voucher by way of text message, and he can use it to buy food from a subsidised government food store.

             Bissam’s gay life in Syria has been hindered by deception from secret police on dating websites, in cruising grounds and on the streets of Damascus. He feels vulnerable of being taken advantage of by Syrian men; a previous lover of his robbed and beat him, from which he didn’t go to the police for fear of deportation or accusations of homosexuality.  One day Bissam's landlord tried to sexually assault him when he came home, knowing well that he could not go and complain to the police without putting himself at risk.  Soon after that he has been caught been experiencing the nightmare of being an unwanted refugee in the middle of the Syrian revolution. More and more arrests and harassment from the secret police and living in constant fear.  He decided therefore to flee to Turkey, where he is at the moment.  There he is forced to hide his sexuality and pretend he is straight.  He had recently had to flee from the "safe" house where he was staying because one of the residents suspected he was gay and started beat him up and threaten him!

                His wish is to be somewhere that he can be happy, free, and safe in a same-sex relationship.