July 13, 2007
State of Despair
Watch the program: Part 1 | Part 2

I went to Iraq in 2003, soon after the invasion, and spent six weeks there on my own filming stories for Australian TV. For half the time I followed an Iraqi exile who was returning for the first time in 25 years. It was one of the most interesting and stimulating times of my life and I got to see a country at a major turning point in its history.

In that post invasion "honeymoon period" Iraq's future was a tumult of conflicting possibilities. In awe of this beautiful, complex and richly historic desert paradise I naively hoped for the best. It didn't take long for things to seriously unravel and Iraq became too dangerous for me to return to.

I kept thinking about how ordinary people in Iraq would get by day to day in such a hellish environment. How do they do simple things, like buy tomatoes? How do the kids get to school, if at all? What is it like to live in a place where violence, death and hatred have permeated everyone's lives?

In 2005 and 2006 I did a series of stories on the Abu Ghraib torture scandal, talking to both the Iraqis who were detained and tortured, and U.S. soldiers who witnessed or carried out some of the abuse. The Iraqis I met were in Jordan and Syria, and it was then I got a sense of the scale of the exiled Iraqi community. Returning to Jordan and doing a portrait of the Iraqi community in exile seemed like a good way to find out more about what was happening on the ground in Iraq.

I met up with Alia Hamzeh, my Jordanian fixer and translator I had worked with on the Abu Ghraib story, and we set about tracking down Iraqis to interview. It was hard to convince some of them to talk. The fear and threats that had come with them across the border were too hard to shake, and the trauma these people are living with is inconceivable to someone like me.

It was a very bleak experience, and there was no real sign of hope. It was depressing to hear officials say that the only real future for these people will come with a political "solution" in Iraq. It is unimaginable right now.

The only uplifting moment was when I followed a couple of the kids –- asking them to show me how they get by and entertain themselves. They pulled out all the toys they'd found in the garbage and repaired, games they had made up to entertain themselves, and were keen to impress me with their inventiveness. Their resilience was so inspiring, but it was also bittersweet as their life in Jordan is seriously limited. I only hope they find a better place to be able to deal with the terrible things they've known in their short lives.

From Olivia Rousset, SBS Reporter
I just have a few thing's 2 say. How can Iraqi's treat their own people with such disgrace. The show i just seen 2day where the reporter said stated that a family of 4 was murdered cause of their views &/r their religious standings, & now there's talk again in the States of a deadline 4 the troops 2 leave. I hate 2 say it but that's going 2 b the final nail in the Iraqi coffen. What has the world come 2, when we murder each other over stupid things. I'm ashamed 2 b human at this point in time. Where all fr the same planet. Thank's 4 reading this. goodby. bye sos21.
the world is awear of the trauma ,violence and abuse that has become routine to the iraqi civilians.what needs more exposure is-what their people are trying to do to save themselves.
i just saw the episode when you went to jordan and i spent the last 30 mins crying. i appreciate you going out there and bringing those untold stories out. this iraq thing has been goin on for the longest time. i really wish something can be done..to at least help those kids.
The impact of your documentary State of Despair was tremendous. I felt like doing something for that family whose dad was tortured with such ferocity. How can I help? email me plz to londres1001@hotmail.com without ideas abt how I could help out
Ben B. (London/UK)...
I watched this program on Sat.14th July and the family in this really touched my heart. is there any way of helping them, any charity involved or any way of communicating with them to let them know they are not forgotten?
It is understandable that the situation in Iraq is hard to believe for us who are living in peace. Every time I watch the violent and tradgic scene especially of women and children, I always ask myself what makes people do things like this mass destruction. Indeed it is hard to imagine for people who are living in peace like us.

However one should think of there must be something behind the scene that drives such horrified behaviors. There must be some strong forces behind that want to seize control driven by political and economical motivations. They would use whatever they like regardless lives and compassion.

This is due to the balace has been broken by the US invasion. Prior to that all forces existed in some sort of balance. Once it is broken, the existing and emerging forces are fighting to form a new regulation and that is why the current situation is undergoing and it is painful and can be prolonged depending on the how strong/weak, leadership and mutual relationship of these forces.

As ordinary people, we hope this fighting would end soon and less destruction to human and society.
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World’s Untold Stories showcases courageous correspondents telling intimate stories of society's most vulnerable people. Often gritty, always powerful tales that open our eyes to a world that is at times disturbing and captivating. Storytelling that is raw and unyielding in its impact. World’s Untold Stories will bring the viewer tales from all corners of the world, and shine light on activities almost never exposed.

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