Why I Speak Out: My Story as a Kurdish Asylum Seeker

My name is Sirwan Muhammed Salih. I am a Kurdish Iraqi who fled my home in 2015 after years of fear, injustice, and political pressure. I have been living in the UK ever since — in exile — unable to return safely.

For years, I remained quiet. I avoided politics, afraid it would affect my asylum case. But silence is dangerous. What I’ve seen and lived through in Iraq, and what others still endure, can no longer go unspoken.

This website is my voice.

I will use it to speak about:

• The corruption of the Iraqi government
• The betrayal of Kurdish leaders
• The fear faced by activists, protestors, and ordinary people

I am putting myself at risk. But I have no choice. The world must know what is happening.

This is my way of resisting oppression. This is my voice in exile.