Life After Iraq - an exhibition in Glasgow.

Billy Briggs

Much attention has been given to the conflict in Iraq, but much less to the resulting humanitarian crisis. Five years after the US-led invasion, at least 4.7 million Iraqis – equivalent to almost the entire population of Scotland – have been forced to leave their homes. Most of these have fled to neighbouring countries such as Syria, which currently hosts around 1.5 million Iraqi refugees, but a small proportion have come to the United Kingdom and applied for asylum.

To raise awareness about the situation of Iraqi refugees, and to encourage the UK government to do more to offer them the chance of sanctuary in the UK, the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) commissioned myself and photographer, Angela Catlin, to interview refugees living in both Syria and Scotland to document the legacy of conflict on their lives.

In Syria, we visited Damascus where many thousands of refugees are living in increasingly difficult conditions, and in Scotland Iraqis also spoke candidly about their experiences.

Life After Iraq, a photography exhibition about Iraqi refugees in Syria and Scotland, is at St Mungos Museum of Religious Life and Art in Glasgow until October 26th, 2008.

 If you're in Glasgow over the summer I hope you have time to visit our exhibition. Thanks for your time. Billy Briggs. www.billybriggs.co.uk

For more info and opening time see www.glasgowmuseums.com

Refugee Week Scotland '08 runs from June 16-22.

www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk

For more on Iraq’s refugee crisis go to – http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/iraqi-refugees-facing…