Refuge(s)

by Aude Lorrillard (France)

I didn't expect to find Iraq

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April 2017. Hot afternoon. Border between Turkey and Irak. « Where do you come from? - Mardin, Turkey. - No, I mean, your nationnality … - French. -  Where are you going? - In Iraq ? - In Iraq ? What for? - To do circus in Khanke. - Khanke ? - Yes, in the refugee camp. - Are you alone? - Yes. - Do you speak kurdish? - No . Silence. In the room, the officers now stopped to work and look at me. « And what is this? - An accordion. - An accordion ? - Yes, to play music. - You are musician. - Well … - How much do they pay you to do that? - I’m not paid at all» Silence. «  You are coming from France to Irak to play music for free? - Yes. - For the love of humanity? - Yes. » Silence.