Love in a Torn Land - Fascinating story of a bride of Kurdish freedom fighter.

A common question that every parent asks his or her kids is what do you want to be when you grow up? This triggers all sorts of funny, interesting, and innocent ambitions from a kid. I dreamed of becoming every odd thing possible under the sun model, actor, cabin crew, CA, Pilot, and the most bizarre and the funniest of all was traffic police. However, have you ever heard a kid say that his/her dream is to become freedom fighter ? 

In my last post, I told you that I am going to read a non fiction called Love in a torn land by Jean Sasson. My uncle wanted to gift me a book and I picked up this one from a near by  bookstore. It was a random prize catch actually.

Jean Sasson

Love in a torn land is a first book I read by Jean Sasson. I googled about her and found that Jean Sasson is an American writer who calls herself “a voice for women of the middle east.” Jean has spent 20 years in various parts of Middle East. She made her debut with “the rape of Kuwait” in 1991. The rape of Kuwait is about refugees of Kuwait who fled to the various parts of the world during Iraq invasion in 1990.

While reading Love in a torn land, I thanked God thousand times for giving me a “normal life” in a “normal country”. A good book can change your life and thoughts completely and this is one of those books.  I would think twice from now onwards before disturbing God for my silly problems.

Love in a Torn Land By Jean Sasson

Love in a torn land is not a stupid love at first sight kind of story. Jean has presented “love” in a practical way to its readers. It is an account of a real hero and heroine and the things they did in life to save their real love for each other and their country. This book has shaken me to the core. I have read quite a few numbers of prison diaries before like Shantaram, the confession, the innocent man etc .Still I cried and was lost in deep thoughts while reading it (P.S I did not cry when Dumbledore died in the last series of Harry Porter. I mean I do not cry easily. So, keep your tissue papers ready with you when you join Joanna ‘s journey).

Joanna Al – Askair a daughter of Arab father and Kurdish mother who decided to become Peshmerga when she was just 10. Her dream came true when she married her childhood crush who is a Peshmerga. A Kurd freedom fighters call themselves "Peshmerga which means “one who faces death” in Kurdish language. The baathist party came into power after 1958 revolution, which completely changed the life of Joanna causing many deaths in her family and destroying her father’s business. Joanna left her comfortable city life and high paid job to be with her husband and to accomplish her childhood dream. 

Baathist party, which was then led by Saddam Hussein, hated Iraqi Kurds. Saddam was “Hitler” of Middle East. He together with Ali Hassan Al-Majid aka “Chemical Ali” killed millions of Kurds with the deadly chemical weapons. Being Kurd was a curse during those days. The Baathist government at the drop of the hat arrested Kurds. Iraqi Kurds were not even allowed to own chemical masks for their safety from chemical attacks. Saddam's men used various inhuman ways to torture Kurds. There were separate laws for Iraqi Kurds and Iraqi Arab. 

My favorite excerpts from Love in a torn land :

“Often I ask myself, where is the rest of the world? Is there anyone out there who knows what is happening to the Kurds? Does anyone know, or care, that Baghdad has been murdering innocent Kurdish citizens for decades? Or that their lust for our blood is increasing? Does anyone know that Arabs are taught that Kurds are animals, or that they are encouraged to rob, beat, and murder us? Does the world know that the government in Baghdad has been emptying entire villages of Kurds, taking the men away to God only knows where, and shipping the women, children and elderly men to live in a refugees camps in the south ? Does the world know that these Kurds are forbidden to return home? Does the world know that Arabs are moving into our homes, and appropriating our livelihoods?
If the world knew, would they care?
Its as though we Kurds are bleeding from thousands of wounds, yet no one will expose our sufferings.”

 "Where were the peacekeepers? Where was the UN? Why was the entire world ignoring Saddam's attack upon on his own people? Were we Kurds considered, so disposal? I longed to stand at the top of the mountain and shout out, Where are you, world? Where are you?"

Love in a torn land has left deep impact on my mind and I would recommend this book to everyone. Both Fiction and Non-fiction readers would love it. Finally, I would sum up by saying that Love in a torn land is a pragmtic  story of a true brave heart, Joanna. 

A piece of SHE...'s rating : 5/5

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