Abir Al-Sahlani

“The most defining moment in my life was the meeting with my first human smuggler.”

Abir Al-Sahlani, shares with us the accounts that led to her life in Sweden and the reality of many migrants forced to flee from their country in search of security and protection. Although successful integration did not happen without its adversity and setbacks, she did not allow these moments to define her success.

“The most defining moment in my life was the meeting with my first human smuggler. My father was in the opposition of the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq, and was threatened to be killed by the regime which led to our escape to Bulgaria in 1977.”

“In my case, my mother had given all her savings to the smuggler. When I first met him we lived in student housing. It was September and he arrived at our apartment, and I opened the door to my room to welcome him. I was alone in the apartment, and as a fifteen-year-old girl, I did not know what to expect. After just a few minutes he started to sexually assault me. I started to scream and was shouting for help. Eventually, the neighbours came to the rescue and prevented the situation from escalating further. 30 years later, I still bear this memory with me.”

“I get so angry over the fact that we still don’t have any legal option for migrants and refugees, who really need protection. The frustrating fact is that migrants are forced to cross borders through human smugglers and put their safety and even their lives at risk. Smugglers take advantage of the large number of migrants that are willing to take risks in search of immediate protection and security.”

 “The smuggling of migrants is truly a global concern.”