Iran’s Unrest Amid Hastings Calm
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN
The turmoil gripping Iran is being closely followed by the Kurdish Iranian community in Hastings. Omid Ibrahim, the owner of the popular Kings Barbers on Queens Road, says the impact of the events 2,500 miles away is “deeply personal” and that “every phone call with family now starts with a fearful ‘Are you safe?’”
Omid is from the Kurdish border region in the mountainous north of Iran close to the Iraqi border. He came to Hastings in 2008 and trained to be a barber at Hastings College. He quickly settled into the local community and says people have made him feel at home. He is married to Danielle, a nurse, and has two children at local schools.
Whilst Hastings is now home to him and his family, the recent protests and subsequent crackdown in Iran followed by the US and Israeli military assault have cast a long shadow over their daily lives. “There is no escape from the emotional and psychological toll,” he says.
Omid’s father still lives in the family home, and his brother recently suffered a gunshot wound during a demonstration. “News alerts and social media make it hard to escape the unfolding crisis,” he says.
While he supports efforts to topple the theocratic regime in Tehran, Omid remains deeply sceptical of American attempts to foment revolt in Kurdish areas. This distrust stems from a long history of broken promises. In 1991 the Americans encouraged the Kurds to rebel against Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime during the Gulf War, only for their priorities to shift; this precipitated a vicious crackdown by the Iraqi army and a massive humanitarian crisis. He warns: “The only certainty is that there will be more bloodshed, and no one can be sure what will happen.”
The images of his homeland in turmoil make Omid thankful for the coastal calm of Hastings. He is grateful, too, for the support that the people of Hastings and St Leonards have shown to him and others of the Kurdish Iranian diaspora. “Their kindness will never be forgotten,” he says.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply