The Iraqi who fled for his life can now enjoy family life in Derby

LEAVING behind his wife and four children and coming to Derby from Iraq was not an easy decision for Wahid Ali to make.

But he knew it was the only way to avoid arrest, torture and possibly death at the hands of Saddam Hussein's government.

As a member of the anti-government Iraqi Communist Workers' Party, which was banned by the country's ruling party, 40-year-old Mr Ali would spend time attending protests and distributing leaflets encouraging people to rise up against the dictator.

In September 2002, he and two friends were putting up posters in Tuz Khurmatu, in the Salah ad Din province, when they were caught by government security forces.

After managing to escape, Mr Ali fled the country, walking through neighbouring Iran and then Turkey before coming to England in the back of a lorry.

He said: “One of my friends in the party took me by car through a security checkpoint secretly and arranged an agent to take me to a safe country.

“I could not move to another part of Iraq because the whole country is controlled by the Iraqi government and the party is banned – it is still not safe now.”

After arriving in the UK, Mr Ali applied for refugee status, which was granted.

But he had to wait another four years before being given indefinite leave to remain – during which time he was sent to Birmingham to live in asylum-seeker accommodation with three other men.

It was only in September last year that he was finally joined by his wife, Amina, 35, and children Zwan, 15, Ozin, 14, Kuzin, 12, and seven-year-old Helin, after leave was granted.

Now the family live happily in Rutland Street, Normanton – Mr Ali works at the Thorntons factory and his children attend Pear Tree Junior School, Bemrose Community School and Mackworth College.

Mrs Ali is attending English classes and the family feel they have settled in well to the community.

Mr Ali said: “I miss my brother, sister and mother who are still in Iraq but I like Derby very much.”

Karina Martin works with refugees such as Mr Ali to help them settle in to their new community.

She is also a project co-ordinator for Refugee Week – an annual festival celebrating the contributions refugees make to Derby – which is running now and culminates in a number of free events this weekend.

She said: “Derby is home to a vibrant and diverse population that includes over 50 refugee nationalities.

“This week gives people the opportunity to discover more about refugees and asylum seekers and experience the wealth of talent, skills and fresh ideas they contribute,” she added.

Until asylum-seekers are granted refugee status, they are not allowed to work in the UK, meaning that although they may be highly educated, they are often unable to use their skills.

Many of them turn to volunteering in an attempt to contribute to the community they live in and many of the musicians, speakers and speciality acts performing at event this week are asylum-seekers or refugees.