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Renowned Iraqi poet Saadi Youssof said on Tuesday he doesn’t feel he belongs to Iraq anymore and added that Iraq is currently a US colony ruled by an Islamic regime. Youssof cherished the British nationality he holds and said that there’s nothing that links him to Iraq but the memories of his childhood.
“I don’t feel anymore that Iraq is my country. I used to remember Iraq a free and independent country and not a colony or an occupied territory, Youssof said during an interview with the Czech republic official Radio Station Cesky Rozhlas following an homage party in his honor after he won Spiros Vergos Prize for Freedom of Expression organized by Prague Writers Association. “Nowadays I feel that Iraq is a US colony”, Youssof added.
“Iraq where I used to live was a secular and liberal country, but today it is ruled by an Islamic regime, it became an Islamic republic”, the writer declared. “I cannot stand this fact and I cannot imagine myself as a part of this country anymore,” he added.
“I have a British passport now and I don’t feel any connection with Iraq”, he said. “However, I still have some childhood memories that I use in my poems from time to time, that’s all what is left from my Iraq,” the poet added sadly.
The poet is a person “who sets freedom, beauty and a better life as his targets”, Saadi Youssof said. “A real artist shall defend beauty in life and nature and he shall teach beauty,” he uttered.
The prominent Iraqi poet has a repertoire of 3000 printed page of poetry works. “My experience and my age make me feel that I should be more responsible as an artist, I have to exert a lot of effort to change some of my writing styles and I shall choose new subjects to write about.”
Saadi Youssof who lives in the United Kingdom since 1999 was born in Abi Al Khassib region in Basra in 1934. He graduated from Basra High School, afterwards he got a BA in Arab Literature and worked as a teacher and a journalist.
Youssof is considered one of the most important Arab poets and he won a lot of prizes such as: Sultan Al Uways Prize, The Italian International Prize, Kafafi Prize (from the Hellenic association) and in 2005 he won Feronia Prize for being the best foreign author.
Since 1952, Youssof issued 35 poetry collections and translated novels and poems collections for many international writers, authors and poets. He also issued many novels and stories and his works were translated into foreign languages.
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