Dr. Julia Montany, director of Immigrant and Refugee Services for Las Cumbres Community Services, spoke to Susan Morée about what the nonprofit organization is hearing from New Mexico-based Iranians and Afghanis about the conflict in Iran. This is a transcript of their conversation.
Susan Morée:
So, Julia, tell me, you are connected at Las Cumbres with both the Afghanistan refugee population in New Mexico as well as an Iranian population. What are you all hearing from the Iranians who live in New Mexico now that this conflict has begun in Iran?
Julia Montany:
Yeah, well, Susan, I think it's a little bit of mixed feelings for Iranians. There's relief that the intense suffering that Iranians suffered under the Khomeini regime is potentially going to be ended. You know, it's a very complicated situation for them. But, you know, there's a lot of hope around that regime being ended and resolved. But there's also, you know, mixed feelings about the way that it's happening and who it's being conducted by. So, it's, I think, a very mixed situation for people.
Susan Morée:
And Afghanistan refugees who are living in New Mexico, are you hearing from them? Arethey feeling re-traumatized watching this conflict and Iran being bombed after so many years of the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
Julia Montany:
I think for some people, that is definitely a factor. Seeing the images of violence, bringing back the memories that they have of things that they have experienced, would certainly be re-traumatizing or triggering for many people. For others, I think it's something that has become normalized or something that they are desensitized to, is what I've been told as well.
Susan Morée:
And I understand there's a large Afghanistan refugee population in Iran. How are the Afghanistan refugees in New Mexico feeling about their safety?
Julia Montany:
Yeah, well, obviously there's, you know, a lot of fear, a lot of sadness, a lot of concern for their safety. There's a large community in Iran that have become refugees largely without documentation. There's a lot of concern around, you know, how they're going to be surviving in Iran, especially now that things have become so difficult for Iranians even. So how much more difficult is it going to be for the Afghan refugees in Iran to survive? And so families are very afraid for their loved ones in Iran. There's a great deal of concern for them.
Susan Morée:
And can they go back to Afghanistan?
Julia Montany:
I was told the feeling is that there's nothing really there in Afghanistan for them to go back to. There's no home, there's no food. So that doesn't really seem to be a feeling that returning to Afghanistan is actually a realistic option for folks.
Susan Morée:
Well, thank you so much, Julia. I really appreciate your taking the time to talk to me.
Julia Montany:
Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for having me.
