Home Recorded Stories “You’re just a maktum, there’s nothing here for you. Out!”

“You’re just a maktum, there’s nothing here for you. Out!”

Statement of Nasr El Din Ardam Ibrahim

by bassamalahmed
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As a stateless Syrian Kurds from the maktumeen class, Nasr El Din was not allowed to possess or acquire any property. He has been deprived of all his civil and political rights, and all his attempts to resolve his legal status were to no avail.

Nasr El Din Ardam Ibrahim was born in Ras al-Ayn/Sari Kani in Al Hasakah Governorate in 1956. He is now married with children. The majority of Nasr El Din’s family members are stateless, specifically maktumeen, including his father, wife and children. He talked to STJ field researcher in March 2018:

“When the census was conducted in Kari Mir and Sharshak in Ras al-Ayn/Sari Kani, our names were not registered, so we submitted our papers to the Personal Status Department, in al-Hasakah city, several times trying to resolve our status, but in vain. We also had tried illegal ways when, 25 years ago, we paid bribes to the employees at the Ras al-Ayn/Sari Kani Personal Status Department, including one named A.B. who promised to help us in resolving our legal status but did nothing. Employees there were always telling us that our documents/papers were sent to Damascus but they weren’t sent back. I managed to buy a house in Ras al-Ayn/Sari Kani and since my legal status was not changed, I applied to register it in the name of my cousin, but my application was denied by the Political Security Branch. I went there to ask them about the reason, I was not afraid as they wouldn’t kill me after all. I talked to an official there and explained my legal status to him. After inquiring about my file, he told me that they would follow up the matter but I had to resubmit my papers to the municipality first, without mentioning my previous attempt. But nothing came of it.”

You may read and download the full story in PDF format by clicking here.

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