Forgotten Refugees: Two Iraqi Brothers In India Paperback

"Forgotten Refugees: Two Iraqi Brothers In India" by Nandita Haksar is a poignant and essential narrative that chronicles the harrowing experiences of two Iraqi brothers who sought refuge in India. Born in 1988 and 1991, Babil and Akkad (pseudonyms to protect their identities) grew up amidst the escalating violence and chaos of post-Gulf War Iraq and the subsequent US-led invasion of 2003. Losing their father and everything they knew, they fled to India, seeking protection from the UNHCR, only to face a new set of challenges: being branded "illegal" foreigners, living in constant fear of deportation, and grappling with an increasingly hostile communal environment where their Muslim and Shia identity was a constant peril. Written by a human rights lawyer who has championed refugee rights for decades, this book is a powerful, first-hand testimony that exposes the complexities of the international refugee crisis, the shortcomings of agencies meant to help, and offers a passionate plea for the recognition of refugees not as statistics, but as human beings deserving of dignity and safety.