those who look on, and…Genocide
If you had the power to save someone from genocide, would you?
Diane Maye is a former Air Force officer, defense industry professional, and academic. She is a PhD in Political Science and studies Iraqi politics. She is a member of the Military Writers Guild. She supervised over 400 people in Iraq and remembers all of them by name. The views expressed in this article are those of the author.
Most conscionable people would say ‘yes.’
But what if it meant looking into your old files? Finding and calling up old colleagues? Remembering people, situations, and events from over a decade ago? Would you still do it?
What if it was a hassle?
Of course, genocide is such a dirty word. It implies so much…death. Concentration camps. The holocaust. Faraway places. Its hard to imagine something like ‘genocide’ taking place today.
But, genocide is real. Genocide is happening. In the Middle East right now, no matter what ‘side’ you are on: Sunni, Shi’ia, Christian, Assyrian, Kurdish or Turkomen, you live in the shadow of death. Death is all around. Who is committing the genocide? Who is the victim? If you could save just one person, would it matter? People are so desperate to get away, the bodies of young children are washing up on faraway shores in their attempts to flee.
There are programs designed to help people that want to start over. I have helped people find these programs. It is hard, but I consider it an honor and a duty when someone asks me for help. I find them the answers. I get them in touch with the right people. If someone wants to survive, I will do all that I can to help.
But, it comes with hurt. It is the kind of hurt I wanted to leave in the Middle East.
A few months ago a friend asked me for help. He never worked for me, but I am his friend. He wants to leave. He wants to start over. He has young children, and he knows there is no future for them where he is now.
We talk. We look into programs. There are not many available. But, we try. We call lawyers. We talk to friends. Perhaps he can present a letter showing he worked for the Americans, and that he did a good job. He will need this for one of the immigration programs. We try to remember the past. Did he ever work for the Americans? Yes, of course! Can he remember their names? Some of them. Does he have his records? Yes, from one company! He digs up his old files and presents me the information.
We search and search on the internet and finally come across an old supervisor. It has been over a decade, but my friend speaks highly of this supervisor. My friend was shot in the arm while he was on the contract, working for this supervisor. It was a dangerous job. He checked passenger and cargo manifests and ensured millions of dollars worth of equipment was kept secure. Surely, the supervisor must remember him!
We email the supervisor certificates, snapshots of my friend’s life and his work for the company. And then we ask him for a letter of recommendation.
And then we wait.
The news comes today!
With excitement I open the email. I hold my breath…then the sorrow, and anger, and tears start to creep in.
The supervisor managed many people. He could not recall this one. There is a picture of him giving my friend a certificate, but he just could not remember him. The supervisor’s signature is on my friend’s employment records, but he signed hundreds of them. The supervisor does not remember the names of the people that worked for him or what they did while they were on the contract. Maybe he saw my friend in passing. Maybe a guy named Bill, or something, would remember him, but the supervisor doesn’t know where Bill is or what he does now.
He does not have any records from that time.
He does not remember my friend.
He cannot help us.
The door is shut.
We will keep trying to find another.
