Memoirs of war and captivity of Azizollah Farrokhi, Part II

Iraqis: "We were your prisoners!"

Mehdi Khanbanpoor
Translated by Fazel Shirazd

2016-8-28

Note: Azizollah Farrokhy is one of the combatants and prisoners of war during the sacred war and during the Iraqi imposed war against Iran. He was born in Tehran 1342 (1963), and he interviewed with Iranian Oral History site for his memoirs of the war and also being captured at Saddam's army camps. In the first part of this interview, you will have read memories of Farrokhi about sent to the front of war for first time and liberation of Khorramshahr and also moments he was injured. 

Let's go slightly ahead, you were incurred and came back war to fight. When were you captivated?

It was in Aban 1362(November 1983), but I have not been incurred yet. Because I was injured in two legs. It took too long time. I walked when I was able to put on boats; however, I am not able to wear tight shoes now. I have to wear cotton sport one. That time, I wore boats hardly, I said myself that I should go. In Aban 1362, I was injured in one of steps in operation Valfajr 4 and it caused me to be captured by enemy.

When were you freed from captivity?

I was freed with other prisoner of war in the year 1369 (1990).

You mean it took seven years. It means you were there for six or seven the month of Ramadan…

The most of friends used to fast during this month because there was not enough food to eat. Most of solders tried to fast even in other months beside holy months of Ramadan.  Many of friends who were not injured in stomach or were not injured in other parts of body and were able to fast, could fast there. After injured, I needed to improve my body, it was difficult situation, but I had no choice to avoid fast. Moreover fast was much useful work. It means, not only there was not enough food, but also it helped to promote spirituality, and we enjoyed of fast. In general, we enjoyed of worship in such situations. When all constraints caused to make a hard condition, we only believed in God. When we you are surrounded by each sides, the hope is very useful, and it is worship. It means hope to God.  In other months, many of the friends fasted, and it was also enjoyable in every months, especially when we, like-minded peers, were living in one dormitory. Each one tried to provide a food in time of breaking the fast (iftar).  

The holy month of Ramadan has a multiple effects and special mood. We ate food just the once a 24 hours. We received the food once for each three meals.  One of interesting point is that when the door of dormitory were opened at night for giving foods, it was an opportunity to go out and see sky and stars. Because there were a lot of dishes. So the friends took turns to go out of dormitory and each one had a chance to go out for three or four times until end of holy month. We received breakfast, lunch and dinner at one time of a day; some spoons of soup for breakfast, some rice for lunch, and some soup for dinner. We went to get the foods and it was a good opportunity to see the stars and the sky.

In many of dormitories, if there was an older man, he song religiously before dawn prayer. One of older man was Mr. Khalil. He was old at that time. There were also some Basij or military old men who were older than other. Beside Basij or soldiers who were mostly young, there were rarely older ones among us. They song one hour before dawn. Mr. Khalil always song traditional and spiritual lyrics to prepare friends gradually for eating and praying at dawn (Sahari) and fast. The most of friends had started to pray the night prayer and read Quern and worship. Some of them, who were sleeping or late, could be gotten up and did ablution by a glass of water. A toilet was made by a screen in corner of the dormitory and there was a water bottle to use for toilet. It was difficult condition. The enemy tried to humble us. For example, it was very impolite act when we need to go to the toilet behind of the screen.  It should be noted that power of spirituality is so high and can solve all of the problems and made fun Baathist enemy were trained for offending and mental tortures. As far as they confessed in last days that you are not our prisoner, in fact we are your prisoner. It was 1:00 am and I was in charge of the dormitory and awoke. One of enemy forces, named Ghanem, knocked the window which covered by bars in front of it, said me:" Aziz! I swear that we are your prisoner." It was very interesting to me. I did not think that a man with evil deed made such a confession. Then I laughed and said:" you beat us whenever you wanted to do it, you caused us to be thirsty and hungry, sent us to individual prison, now you say that we are your prisoner! Why are you our prisoners? You are out of prison but we are inside of it.  He answered: "you are right, but were not able to stop your works. Whatever we forbade, you tried to do it. We commanded you that didn’t pray! But you did it. We commanded you that didn’t mourn! But you did it. We commanded you that you shouldn't pray together! But you did it. So what commander are we? In fact, you were our commander, you did whatever you wanted to do; therefore, we were your prisoner." He said more strange words:" when I go to my city, my friends say me that you became a religious man, Ghanem!" I said myself: "oh, how evil they can be that say you are an evil (laughing)." Actually, behavior of prisoners affected Iraqis forces. When they passed through the dormitory, they saw some of prisoners were reading Quran, praying, running outside and some of them were playing football. They expected us wonderfully to fight and argue together. There were 50-60 prisoners in one dormitory where there wasn't enough food and water and facilities to live and it was a stressful and tense environment, but nobody shout at another one. Why? Because they just think about good behavior, prayer and brotherly relationship. In my opinion he was a wicked person, but he confessed that your spirituality affected me.

In non-Ramadan mouths, we had made some groups for meals. For example, a dormitory with 60 persons, could be divided in 6 groups. Each group involved in 10 persons who sat around a tablecloth. These groups and division would be canceled in the month of Ramadan. We made a long tablecloth and had a meal together for Iftar and Sahari. God also blessed us. It means there were sometimes additional foods. In the all times of a year, we had Spiritual and religious opportunities a lot. We used of the opportunities in the month of Ramadan more than other months, such as using of Quran classes and Nahj al-Balagha classes. At the beginning of captivity, I remember that we had a Quran in each dormitories. It was translated by late Elahi Ghomshei. It was a good translation. We set a wooden board into a hollow place of the wall, and put Quran on it. We were 57 or 58 persons, and we could not see Quran in its place. Because friends were always reading it. We rotated reading Quran among friends for every 20 minutes.  It means every one could use of Quran just for 20 minutes every day, It could be occurred at midnight.  Someone, who was on pervious shift, could wake you up and said: "it is your turn to read Quern! Do you want to read it?" and you could get up and read Quern. You would be able to get up or say that I didn't want to read it now, I was sleeping, say next one! Restrictions caused to use of opportunities well, it was clear in the month of Ramadan. I remember that I read five components of Quern in a year. It means I finished Quern every five or six days.  The most of friends were in such situations. I believe that it was kind of legendary period that we went up some steps.  The friends were closer together in the month of Ramadan, and prayers were more obvious. 

What camps were you there?      

Amber was the first camp where I was sent there, in the province of Ramadi. Then I was sent to another camp in Ramadi area. I was there for two months, and again we were returned to Amber. I was sent to Mosul after two years. I stayed there for 13 months. In Mosul, we was moved to come Iran. We were in the list of 400 persons who were supposed to be exchanged as injured persons.   

Were you freed during the war?

No, I wasn’t. I was freed after war. Of course, I was written in the list of prisoner several times. When I was imprisoned in 1362 (1983), I was accepted by the Red Cross committee to be exchanged and freed, but I was not accepted by Iraqi commanders, so they rejected me. They believed that I was not a good person, I should be stay in the prison. General Nazar was responsible for all prisoners. In 1364 (1985), Once they took me to a room where the Red Cross committees were sitting in one side, and Iraqis commanders were in another side. General Nazar was sitting at the top. As soon as I came into the room, a soldier, who was absolute responsible for prisoners, raised his head and saw me, and said something in ear of the General. I have not closed at the table of committee yet, but he shouted:" go out!" Because I was active in the camp very much. I came back and went out of room normally, quite indifferent, and unconcern about it. He were shouting still, but I did not pay attention to him at all. Almost, in all commissions and exchanges in the years 1362, 1364 and 1365 to 1367 when it was certified that 400 prisoners came back to Iran. About three hundred prisoners were freed and came back Iran, we, eighteen prisoners, were stayed there. We came from quarantine of Baghdad to Ramadi camp again. So mental discomforts of friends was exacerbated there again. It was a very bad time. We stayed there for one month and a half, then 40 prisoners were exchanged and came back to Iran. We, 40 were stayed there until last day of captivity, then we returned to Iran after 20 month.

At that time, I had to take responsibility for dormitory. I found that it is not a good situation to avoid responsibility. If not, God would reprimand me. It was really difficult responsibility to care of patients that some of them needed four protectors during the day. We were in such difficult situation in months of Ramadan for two years.  

Why did they need protectors?     

  There was a person who had mental problem. One should wash his clothes, one should give him his drugs and one should move and walk with him not to annoy others.

 Were they shell-shocked?  

 Yes, they were Shell-Shocked, or it was an inborn one that appeared there and intensified by increasing pressures, or perhaps there it was made in them. The difficult situation caused us have 5 patients in one camp with 1200 pensioners, for example. If there were one or two persons in one dormitory, four protectors would be placed there to provide their medicines and help them to take a shower. But when all of them were gathered to send Iran in an appropriate time, so there was no such difficult situations. 16 shell-shocked patients were in my dormitory. Others, who were in my dormitory, had heart disease and their hands and feet were cut and injured. Now you can guess that I had to do the works of 100 people alone. It means I should do the works of all the injured friends at same time. Moreover, I taught Kung Fu to them, so I should set the time, when they came to dormitory, for teaching Kung fu to them, and then they tried to teach it to other friends. It means 350 friends were practicing it every day.

 When we entered in the camp, there was a special condition. The most of friends were young. They were separated and came there to control them. To come there was a fate from God. It was better to stay there, not come to Iran, and help them during two years. It means we were as a trailer for them.  If God did not help us to come that camp, what would be happened for young friends?  We were caming there every day, and spoke and justified and tried to entertain them with sports. One day I laughed heartily when we were going to come back to Iran. It was 1369 (1990). I had told all of elite friends of dormitories to come and learn as a coach then taught it to friends, and it was very useful. One day, one of friends came in front of the dormitory and said hastily and with anxiety: "Please! Teach me the forth method of Kung fu technique, at least in the last moment." I laughed and answered: "oh guy, it was just an entertainment. I entertained you for two years. When you come back Iran, you can learn whatever you like to do. We are going to come back Iran tomorrow. How interest you have in it!" see where his mind is engaged. God wanted them to be engaged in sports and exercises. Believe that they were always thinking about the techniques or a combat for next session.  It is interesting that I was doing these exercises too in the captivity.  Events are connected as a chain. What God wants to happen, it will be occurred surly. I mean it was a fate from God that I learned a martial art, what I needed to learn during one years but I learn it for two month, and came there and taught it to friends during two years.  

  We were for two months of Ramadan in there during two years. It was very difficult situation and was a hard holy month. Sometimes the foods were spoiled. Because we forced to keep warm the foods in the blanket for 24 hours. If they became cold, we would not be able warm it again. We had not oven or stove. To keep warm the foods caused them to be spoiled; therefore all friends could be poisoned. In addition, some materials were added in the foods to sicken the prisoners during the year. Actually, it was doing to humiliate the friends. But, because all of affairs were controlled by God, they did not succeed.

 Thank you very much

 You're welcome! Good luck.