Don't Kill Kolbar!

A graffiti made famous by the hashtag # کولبر نکشید (Don't kill Kolbar).

Who is Kolbar?

Klober is a Kurdish word referred to as a worker, a cross border laborer, recruited to carry goods on his/ her back across Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey borders. Kolbars are deprived of insurance, retirement plans, and unions. Highly educated young people with no occupation are among Kolbars. They are found to be above 20000 people making a livelihood out of Kolbari.

Merchandise carried by Kolbars is illegal because the taxes are not paid. These goods usually are TV, cigarettes, tires, textiles, and air conditioners, and sometimes guns. Kolbari is taken into account as the most dangerous job in Iran. Hundreds of Kolbars aged between 13 to 60 years old lost their lives. Most of them are shot without warning by the border guards while passing the border. A graffiti of Kolbars created by an Iranian artist was used by millions of twitter users who supported Kolbars by the hashtag # کولبر نکشید (Don't kill Kolbars).

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About the Author

Mahtab is an Iranian Social activist determined to bring a change in society. She is a strong voice for women in Iran.