Seyyed of Quarters 15 (32)

Memories of Iranian Released POW, Seyyed Jamal Setarehdan

2017-6-6

Seyyed of Quarters 15

Memories of Iranian Released POW, Seyyed Jamal Setarehdan

Edited and Compiled by: Sassan Nateq

Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company

‎2016 (Persian Version)‎

Translated by: Zahra Hosseinian

Little by little, our countenances were ruining. Sometimes, using water was banned as a punishment and we had to clean ourselves with pieces of our clothes when went to the toilet. The cesspools of some toilets were filled and the guardians occasionally took several of prisoners to empty them. Instead of ewer, empty cans of tomato paste had been put in the toilets. At the late October 1989, they put new ewers in the toilets. I was surprised by Iraqis’ generosity. They ordered us to clean everywhere and wiped the glasses of windows. I said to myself: "these are for the sake of him not us," when they said an inspector wanted to visit there.

Time of taking in fresh air and walking in the morning finished and we returned into quarters. I explained for prisoners the story of Imam Musa ibn Ja'far’s imprisonment by order of Harun al-Rashid: "When Shiites went to visit Imam, he was taken out of a dark dungeon and chains of his hands and feet were opened up and dressed with clean clothes to deceive people. Now, the history is repeating and Iraqis are exactly using the same deceit about us."

An hour later, a soldier came and took me to the interrogation room. One of interprets was there. "Seyyed Ehsan said that you have gathered prisoners and talked behind them and inspector’s back."

I was quiet and did not tell anything. He also spoke about the story of Imam’s imprisonment. I thought that they would kill me this time. Whatever Seyyed Ehsan asked and the interpreter translated, I did not answer. My most optimistic thought was that he would break my hands and feet. I asked God to help me as always. In the meantime, a green phone which was in front of window, rang. Seyyed Ehsan picked it up. He said something and hung up with a smile. He seemed happy. He said something to the interpreter and told me: "Go, go."

We came out and the interpreter said: "luckily for you, it was agreed with his leave and he became so happy to forget punishing you."

Seyyed Ehsan went, but I was extremely worried. I was waiting he come back and punish me. If he reported, they gave me hell. But thanks to God Seyyed Ehsan forgot the issue and didn’t follow it, when he returned.

Sometimes, the soldiers came and took our Fils forcefully and went. Their behavior was unpredictable. I hid my written prayers inside my stuff bag or between blankets. The other prisoners also hid their prayers. One day, before noon, Iraqis entered the quarters out of blue. I scared they found the prayers during their search. I whispered continuously the ninth Ayah of Sūrah Yāʾ-Sīn, "And We shall raise a barrier in front of them and a barrier behind them, and cover them over so that they will not be able to see." Iraqis turned our stuffs upside down. The written prayers were in front of their eyes, but they were more interested in money and didn’t see them because of prayer’s effect.

In such cases, the prisoners had to hide the things and rosaries which had made by date palm seeds, or the Iraqis were taken them. I did not want to spend my time for making a thing which was finally taken by Iraqis. Sometimes, with needle and thread I sewed some Ayahs of the Quran on a clean sheet, until I thought to make a prayer rug for myself. I tore a piece of my sheet, then drew a dome and minarets of a mosque on it and with a needle and thread I filled the empty spaces of them. A few days later, I had a prayer rug.

The guardians took the rest of Fils, a few rosaries and hand-made decorative things which had been made by prisoners, and then left the quarters. That day was our quarters’ turn to take delivery of TV set. We had eaten our lunch and television broadcasted recitation of the Quran. Everyone was busy doing something. Seyyed Aabed, Iraqi guardian, had stood by the window and looked inside. One of prisoners got up and changed the TV channel. The other channel showed a foreign film. Suddenly, Seyyed Aabed went mad and started a row. He called other guardians and they all beat us up. I did not understand why Seyyed Aabd became angry that moment, but the next day Adel Varqaee had asked him: "Sir, why did you beat us?"

"The Quran was reciting for you," He had replied, "but you had just sat down and did not look at it and each one were sunk in a thought when one of you suddenly changed the channel. Whoever do this, I’ll kill him. The Word of God must not be interrupted."

Sometimes, I saw some Shiite guardians wanted to change the TV channel, but didn’t move and didn’t touch TV out of respect to the recitation of Quran. When it was finished, they changed the channel and went out.

Days were spent slowly and with difficulty. I walked in the ground when it was allowed to go outside for taking in fresh air, and most of the time I remembered my family. I felt my heart squeezed and I was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. Not to forget my family, I recalled memories of happy days I had with them. I remembered details of their faces and behaviors and I talked with them in my daydreams. I was afraid. I was afraid everything disappeared in my mind. I suddenly remembered my teachers. I walked across the ground and repeated their names.

• Teacher of third grade, Mr. Ashrafi; teacher of fourth grade, Mr. Sadraie; teacher of fifth grade, Mr. Amighi; teacher of ...

Seeing the white hair of old prisoners, I remembered my grandfather. I had a lump in my throat. The sorrow of separation weighing on my heart and tears gathered in my eyes. "He will be dead by now!" I said to myself. I muttered Yasin for him and concealed my tears from prisoners and the Iraqis. Thinking about those days both made me happy and sad.

To be continued…