Sarah

Testimony

March 26, 2007

I'd like to thank Chairman Ackerman and the other members of the House Subcommittee on the Middle East for inviting me to testify today.

In 2003, I was waiting, anxious for the Americans to come to my country. We wanted to be free, and I wanted to work with them because I believed they would help us gain our freedom. In July of 2003 I looked for a job as a military translator. Instead  I was hired by private contractors. I first started working with the US Embassy in October of 2004, in the Human resources office as a Human resources assistant. My job was helping newly arrived American employees with all the requirements of checking into the Embassy. I also drafted memos to the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and helped with the hiring process.

When I was working for the Americans, I had to walk into the green zone every day; I had to take taxis, to change routs, times and gates just to get to my work. I had to disguise myself, so I won't be recognized. And when I get inside the green zone, I was abused by the Iraqi workers; I had to hear their bad and dirty words to me, and their grabbing and touching when I pass through the gates. I was in danger, I was so scared that one day it would  be my turn either to be kidnapped or killed by the insurgents. I and the other female employees asked the Embassy to protect us, because we were afraid and we were in serious danger. We asked them to provide us with places to stay inside the green zone, but they refused. I went through a lot just to get to my work on time, because I believed and trusted the Americans and the reason behind this war, but the Americans didn't trust us.

In June 2006, the Regional Embassy office in Basra asked for assistance, because most of their Iraqi staff quit their job due to the danger.  Only one employee was left in Basra, so I volunteered. I worked there as a cashier and handled the pay rolls. I also was a liaison between the Regional Embassy office and the Iraqi officials, by calling them setting up meetings, and escorting them in and out the US compound. Three times a day, and sometimes during the night, we were attacked with rockets and mortars.

In the same month I applied for a tourist visa to visit my cousin who lives in Portland, Oregon and after three months I got the approval.

In October 2006 I arrived in to the US . After that I received an email from my sister telling me that my family had received a threat letter from Al-tawheed wal Jihad group, which is known in Iraq as a terrorist organization. They threatened to kill me because of my work with the Americans. My father who didn't know before that I worked with the Americans, knows now, and he threatened to kill me too, because it's against the tribe tradition to work with the Americans especially if you are a woman. I am very lucky that I didn't get the threat while I was there because I would be dead now. "

I didn't ask the US Embassy in Baghdad to help me get asylum or any kind of help, because I knew they won't do anything to help me or protect me. They didn't protect me or my colleagues when we asked for their protection, instead they hired Jordanians to work for the Embassy, saying they didn't want to risk any more Iraqis.

On December 2006, I applied for an asylum and a work permit, because now I can't go back to my country and I can't go back to my home. I paid the fee for the work permit, and I attended all the interviews. The asylum officer told me that I should be hearing from them into three weeks after the interview.  It has now been more than two months and I'm still waiting to hear from them. I have called them several times, and they did nothing except reconfirm my information.

Before the war I worked with the Iraqi Ministry of Trade on the Oil for Food program. I worked there as a simple employee who takes orders from her boss.. I didn't get any benefits from this program except my salary as an employee who did her job. The beneficiaries were the big bosses and Saddam. The simple employees didn't have access to confidential information, because as you all know Saddam didn't trust anyone. 

I lost close friends who were killed by the insurgents, because they work with the Americans. One of my colleagues was kidnapped and found hanged using the veil that she wore.

We risked our lives working for the United States and now we need you to protect us.

Thank you very much.