Damascus 16 June 2008 – Acclaimed
Iraqi oud (lute) player Naseer Shamma
has raised more than USD 24,000 for
UNHCR's Iraqi refugee programme with a
concert at the Damascus Opera House to
mark World Refugee Day, which falls on
Friday. The take from the concert will be
used to provide financial support for 150
of the most vulnerable Iraqi families in
Syria over a month-long period.
Sold out within two days of tickets going
on sale, the concert featured new music
that Shamma created to reflect the
situation of Iraq and Iraqi refugees. The
programme included musical dialogues
with other performers from Iraq; different styles challenging and mingling, with wisps of music evoking
Iraq's past.
"I am terrified that we are losing Iraq's culture. Its sense of oneness, its true being," Shamma said. "I am
committed to supporting my people as human beings who have a lot of talent to offer and share."
At times Shamma played his six-string oud with one hand only, a technique he developed to remember
Iraqis who had their hands cut off in the late 1980s during the autocratic regime of the late President
Saddam Hussein.
After playing "Good Morning Baghdad," he called on the audience of 1,300 people to support UNHCR's
Iraqi refugee programme, which is facing a funding crisis. "This support is a lifeline. We all need to do
our best to gather people, gather friends to support Iraqi refugees."
In the past Shamma's music has been compared by musical critics to a political rally without words.
Despite the standing ovation and the warm media reviews, Shamma worried that his work advocating for
refugees could affect his music and oud playing.
"I play my music with more conviction, more strongly, but my mind is preoccupied with the problems of
my people. I will not stop, but I am challenged with finding the time and space for my practice, my
music," said the musician, much of whose work is inspired by his exile.
Shamma fled Iraq in 1993 when a friend warned him that his arrest was imminent. Several years earlier,
he spent 170 days in prison followed by 50 days in hospital. He left Iraq the day of the warning and
headed to the Jordanian capital of Amman.
Since then, he has only returned to Iraq once - he brought a group of doctors to Baghdad in 1997 to
help children needing surgery. Shamma says he will only return to Iraq when there is real democracy
and no sectarian divisions. "I need freedom for people in Iraq," he said after the concert.
As food and fuel prices rise and their savings dwindle, Iraqi refugees are becoming more impoverished.
The worst consequences of this poverty are child labour, homelessness, children not attending school
and early marriage. UNHCR's financial assistance programme targets this vulnerable portion of the
refugee population - currently some 4,000 families receive help.
2
UNHCR SYRIA UPDATE
JUNE 2008
HIGHLIGHTS
o The Syrian President issued 2 legislative decrees on 4 May increasing by 25 percent the monthly
salaries of state employees and pensions of state retired employees to compensate rising prices.
UNHCR, like other international organisations, is being requested by local partners to consider a
revision to existing salary scales paid under projects. This, in addition to the fall of the US Dollar,
has already cost the UNHCR refugee programme over USD3 million in currency exchange losses
and is jeopardising direct assistance provided to refugees.
o With the recent rise in the price of diesel from SYP7 per litre to SYP25 per litre, each
Syrian household has been given coupons to buy 1000 litres of diesel (over a period of
one year) at the former subsidized price. This subsidy will not be offered to Iraqi refugees
therefore worsening their already difficult economic circumstances.
o There is rising anxiety among Iraqi refugees due to rumours that visas for families with children
enrolled in schools will no longer be automatically extended at the end of the school year and that
people may be forced to return to Iraq. Nonetheless, the Syrian authorities have assured UNHCR
that Iraqi families with school age children currently in Syria would be issued 1 to 3-month
residencies to allow them to stay over the summer, until the beginning of the next school year.
o The food distribution in Damascus was suspended last 29 April when the main distribution
site in central Damascus (Ma’rad) was dismantled. While the distribution continued
outside Damascus (Aleppo, Hassakah, Raqqa, Daraa, Lattaqia, Tartous, Abu Kamal, Deir
Ezzor, Homs), the current registration centre located in Douma is being considered to be
the next site for the food, non-food and cash assistance distribution. The food distribution
in Damascus will resume before the end of June.
3
o International Medical Corps (IMC), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Première Urgence
(PU) have all signed agreements with UNHCR.
o UNHCR mobile Registration continued in Homs from 6 May to 17 May. A total of 737 cases
(2,584 individuals) were registered. Mobile Registration then moved on to Tartous (1467
individuals registered) and will be in Lattaqia in the first two weeks of June.
o The third and final group of 41 Palestinians from Iraq to be resettled in Chile departed Syria on 13
May, bringing the total number of refugees from Al Tanf camp to leave for Chile since the
beginning of April to 116. The group was received by senior members of the government,
including the President. A Swedish delegation carried out interviews with Palestinians from Iraq at
Al Tanf camp in May, to prepare for the departure of another group of refugees for Sweden.
Statement of Principle with Sudan?
o During his visit to Syria in May, Ambassador van Eenennaam, Chairman of UNHCR’s
Executive Committee, met with members of the Government, NGOs and UN sister
agencies; visited UNHCR operations and met Iraqi refugees to report on his findings to the
ExCom upon his return to Geneva. The mission helped emphasize the growing reliance of
refugees on UNHCR direct assistance and the need for predictable and sustained funding
for the remainder of 2008.
IRAQI REFUGEE NUMBERS
There has not yet been any census of Iraqi refugees. Official Syrian government figures vary from 1
million to 1.5 million Iraqi refugees living in Syria.
To date, UNHCR has registered over 203,982 Iraqi refugees (52% male, 48% female).
o 23,160 registered since 2007 are classified as victims of torture/violence in Iraq.
o 30,825 registered since 2007 have an important medical condition.
o 4,754 registered since 2007 are considered to be women at risk.
Registered active Iraqi population by Ethnicity (as of 31/05/08)
Nationality Individuals Percentage
Arab 172,091 84.1
Armenian 1,443 0.8
Assyrian 7,432 4.0
Chaldean 16,161 7.8
Kurd 2,591 1.6
Turkmen 427 0.3
Other 3,837 1.5
Registered active Iraqi population by Religion (as of 31/05/08)
Religion Individuals Percentage
Muslim – Sunni 119,904 57.1
Muslim – Shiite 36,001 19.5
Christian 29,353 15.0
Sabean-Mandean 8,704 4.1
Yezidi 1,206 0.7
Islam (not specified) 6,566 3.0
Other 2,248 0.6
4
REFUGEES RETURNING TO IRAQ FROM SYRIA
In November 2007, a UNHCR/IPSOS flash survey of 110 Iraqis at the UNHCR Registration Centre in
Damascus about refugees’ reasons for returning to Iraq showed that 46.1% of respondents felt they
could no longer afford to live in Syria. 25.6% answered that people’s visas had expired and they were
forced to leave. 14.1% had heard that the security situation had improved and that they could go home.
According to the UNHCR Iraq Office, the convoy organized by the Iraqi government on 27 November left
Damascus with 375 returnees.
A UNHCR/IPSOS survey on returnees was completed on 17 March by a group of 15 interviewers in
several locations around Damascus. Out of a total of 994 respondents, 86% were registered with
UNHCR and 14% unregistered. Of the total:
• 4% (39 out of 994 people) are currently planning to return to Iraq
• 89.5% (890 out of 994) are not currently planning to return to Iraq
• 6.5% (65 out of 994) do not know if they are returning to Iraq
• 27% of the total know people who have returned to Iraq (62% of them are still in touch with
these people)
VISA AND RESIDENCE ISSUES FOR IRAQIS
According to the new visa regulations which came into force after 17 October 2007, fourteen groups of
Iraqis can obtain an entry or residence visa for Syria. In addition to the visas issued for people in these
categories, the Syrian government issues one week transit visas to Iraqis flying into Syrian airports in
order to return to Iraq.
The visas issued under the new regulations are valid for anything from 1 to 3 months. While refugees
with children in school or suffering from health problems used to be entitled to renew their visas with
adequate justification, recent reports from refugees suggest that the length of stay permitted by the visa
being now determined based upon the content of medical reports. It also appears that it is increasingly
difficult to obtain an entry visa on medical grounds.
In a number of complex cases, the lawyer appointed by UNHCR has been successful in securing visa
extensions by providing legal justification.
Nonetheless, there is rising anxiety among Iraqi refugees due to many believing that visas for families
with children enrolled in schools will no longer be automatically extended at the end of the school year
and that people may be forced to return to Iraq.
The Syrian authorities have recently assured UNHCR that Iraqi families with school age children
currently in Syria would be issued 1 to 3-month residencies to allow them to stay over the summer and
until the beginning of the next school year.
As far as UNHCR is aware, simple overstay in Syria does not automatically lead to deportation. Iraqis
facing a greater risk of deportation are those who:
• Have been arrested or detained
• Have destroyed their documents or do not have documents
• Have entered Syria illegally
• Have committed any type of criminal acts (such as forging documents, being
• involved in prostitution, petty crimes)
5
IRAQI REFUGEE MOVEMENTS
UNHCR did not see the large numbers they expected following the start of the military intervention in
Iraq in 2003. However the bombing of the Golden Mosque of Samara in 2006 marked the decline into
extreme sectarian violence that forced millions of Iraqis from their homes.
From February 2006 to October 2007 Syria received between 30,000-60,000 refugees each month.
Despite a sharp decline in the number of Iraqis entering Syria following the imposition of visa regulations
in October 2007, the flow since the start of 2008 appears to have stabilised again. Since February 2008,
according to Syrian Immigration sources, the daily average number of entries of Iraqis into Syria at Al
Tanf border is roughly the same as the number of departures of Iraqis from Syria at the same crossing
point.
REGISTRATION
UNHCR has a registration team of 50 clerks and 10 international supervisors.
The waiting time for refugees to obtain a registration appointment is 2 months. The waiting time for
renewal appointments (to update refugee information a minimum of one year after initial registration) is
on average 6 months, except in urgent cases. Efforts continue to reduce these waiting periods to a
maximum of two weeks. As of 1 April, all refugee certificates newly issued or renewed are valid for 2
years instead of the previous 1 year.
MOBILE REGISTRATION
Since October 2007, UNHCR has launched mobile registration for Iraqi populations residing outside
Damascus.
The table below shows the various mobile registration exercises since October 2007:
AREA INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED DATE
Hassakah 4809 October 2007 - January 2008
Abu Kamal 1352 February - March 2008
Deir Ezzor 599 March 2008
Aleppo 5948 April 2008
Homs 2584 May 2008
Tartous 1100 May 2008
According to mobile and non-mobile registration figures, a total of around 12,000 Iraqi individuals
registered with UNHCR are residing in Aleppo.
The next mobile location of Lattaqia (an estimated 400 cases, 1,500 individuals) is planned for the first
two weeks of June prior to the registration of families newly arrived from Mosul in Hassakah. 135 new
families from Mosul have arrived in Hassakah, including 80 which arrived in the last 3 to 4 weeks before
the border was closed. The mobile registration team is planning a visit to Hassakah in mid June 2008 to
register all new arrivals.
6
BUDGET AND PARTNERS
Since the beginning of 2007, UNHCR has signed agreements with the Syrian Government (including the
Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Governorate of Al Hassakah and Ministry of Higher Education),
Palestinian Red Crescent, Syrian Arab Red Crescent, local NGOs and UN Agencies.
To date, UNHCR’s 2008 budget amounts to a total of US$56,104,614 including US$37,403,076 for
Emergency Assistance to Iraqi refugees, US$9,350,769 for Health and US$9,350,769 for Education
projects.
THE SYRIAN ARAB RED CRESCENT (SARC)
UNHCR’s main implementing partner to date is the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
In 2008 UNHCR signed an agreement with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent for over US$5,256,543 for
emergency assistance to Iraqi refugees, and another agreement under health for a total amount of
US$4,826,673. These funds are being used to support and manage new and existing clinics, expand
medical services outside Damascus, support community outreach, distribute food, manage community
centres and provide school supplies to Iraqi children.
To date the Syrian Arab Red Crescent has opened clinics (7 in areas of high concentration of refugees
in Damascus) to provide subsidized health services for Iraqi refugees that have either registered or
applied for an appointment to register with UNHCR. The agreement also includes financial support for
the referral of patients to Syrian public hospitals for cases that cannot be treated at primary health care
facilities.
All refugees who apply for a UNHCR registration appointment, or who are registered, have access to
subsidized health care at Red Crescent clinics.
7
INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANISATIONS (INGOS)
According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, national NGOs do not have the right to work with
refugees.
Three international NGOs (Première Urgence, the Danish Refugee Council and International Medical
Corps) have signed MOUs and have been officially authorized to begin work in Syria.
Première Urgence (PU) is focusing on education activities related to UNICEF’s and UNHCR’s programs
in Jaramana, including rehabilitation and the building of schools, distribution of materials and
establishing remedial teaching for 2,000 children in schools. The UNHCR sub-agreement with
implementing partner Première Urgence was signed with a total budget of USD 995,988.10 to cover the
construction of two public schools which should host a total of 2,400 school children.
IMC opened its first clinic on 25 May in Saida Zainab for refugees and Syrians. While this clinic will be
funded by the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), IMC’s next two clinics in
Massaken Barzah and Jaramana will come under the agreement with UNHCR. Individuals coming to the
clinics will have to cover 20% of the cost of consultations, medication and laboratory tests. IMC is also
looking to enhance the Syrian Arab Red Crescent’s medical infrastructure, build its capacity in the fields
of mental health, basic health care and hygiene, psychosocial support, and support two SARC dental
clinics.
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) started taking over the administration of UNHCR’s 6 community
centres on 11 May. DRC will help identify the most vulnerable Iraqi unregistered families, as well as
provide literacy courses, recreational activities for children and adults, remedial courses, psycho-social
support, vocational training and quick impact projects. Additionally, DRC will be involved in school
rehabilitation using the Danish Government’s contribution to UNHCR.
UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP AND WHO JOINT
PROGRAMMES
UNHCR is working closely with sister UN Agencies in order to expand the reach of its assistance
programmes. UNHCR has joined forces with the following UN Agencies:
UNRWA – to support Palestinian refugees from Iraq at El Hol and Al Tanf refugee camps.
UNFPA – to support a programme that aims to prevent and respond to Sexual Gender Based Violence
in the Iraqi refugee community.
UNICEF – to support the Back to School campaign, establish UNICEF child friendly spaces for refugees,
cooperate on child protection and cooperate on health issues.
WFP – to support food distribution of dry food rations in coordination with the UNHCR complimentary
food ration. 128,357 refugees are currently obtaining assistance with a target of 300,000 by the end of
2008.
WHO – to support healthcare for Iraqi refugees.
IOM – to support programmes targeting Women at Risk and survivors of Sexual and Gender Based
Violence.
The UNHCR Registration Centre at Douma provides a good opportunity for many of these initiatives to
model interventions. UNICEF has established a child friendly space and UNFPA has a women’s clinic.
8
EDUCATION
The Syrian government has a clear policy that welcomes all children from the Arab world living in Syria
to enrol in school, thus offering free education to all Iraqi refugees. Accordingly, in 2007 UNHCR signed
an agreement of over US$20,000,000 with the Syrian Ministry of Education (MoE).
Despite an important increase in the number of Iraqi children attending Syrian schools (47,456
according to the Ministry of Education), many are either not enrolled or are dropping out because of lack
of documentation (especially for grade 7-12), overcrowded schools, financial difficulties, difficulties with
the Syrian national curriculum, and psychological trauma of children.
With UNICEF estimating that 80% of Iraqi children are registered at school at primary level but that only
20-30% are registered at secondary level due to lack of documentation, legal age restrictions or child
labour issues, UNHCR Syria has set a target of getting another 20,000/25,000 Iraqi refugee children and
youth into school for the school year 2008/2009.
UNHCR 2008 Education Programme in Syria
In 2008 the UNHCR Education Programme is establishing new partnerships with local and international
partners while remaining committed to supporting the MoE, its biggest implementing partner in the field
of education.
UNHCR Syria’s appeal budget for education in 2008 is US$47 million of which only US$9,350,769 has
been received to date. They have been allocated as follows:
Partnerships:
• UNHCR, subject to the availability of funds, has committed to supporting the construction of 6
compound schools. US$6.3 million have been allocated for the construction of the first which
also involves a German government grant to the Syrian government of EUR4 million. UNHCR
and the German government (KFW) are to sign a cooperation agreement.
• US$400,000 agreement with the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch & all the East (GOPA)
will contribute to the following: (i) vocational training (600 Iraqi students); (ii) life skills capacity
building (500 Iraqi students); (iii) informal afternoon educational support (300 Iraqi students); (iv)
summer camps (200 Iraqi students); (v) GOPA will also conduct a campaign for raising
awareness of children and parents about rights to education of 500 beneficiaries. Costs related
to tuition fees, books, transportation and other expenses will be covered by UNHCR.
• US$200,000 agreement with the Common Charity Committee (Caritas Syria) to cover the needs
of vocational training for 950 Iraqis in Damascus.
• UNHCR has finalised a US$1,500,000 agreement with Première Urgence to construct 2 schools
in Jaramana (primary + secondary).
9
UNHCR Syria Direct Implementation:
UNHCR has established 2 pilot Education Information Units (EIU) at the UNHCR-SARC Community
Centres in Jaramana and Saida Zainab (February and March 2008). These EIU will help Iraqi refugees
obtain accurate information about formal and informal education opportunities in their communities.
Staff and volunteers advise and provide appropriate solutions for refugees whose children are not
enrolled in school or are encountering difficulties with education. The EIU also offers informal activities
and skills training classes for children and adults.
• The Jaramana EIU has started remedial classes for enrolled Iraqi children and has established
partnerships with 3 Syrian Institutes: (i) New Vision Institute for grade 1-6 (242 Iraqi students
registered); (ii) Sky Line Centre for Languages for grade 7-8 and grade 10 (100 Iraqi students
registered); and (iii) Basel Language Centre for grade 9 and 11-12 (121 Iraqi students
registered).
• The Saida Zainab EIU has started remedial classes for enrolled Iraqi children and has
established partnerships with 2 Syrian Institutes: (i) Academe Institute for grade 1-6 (215 Iraqi
students registered). This Institute has offered free remedial classes for 16 students at grade 9
and 14 students at grade 12; (ii) El Wafi Institute for grade 9 (80 students), grade 12 (32
students), grade 7-8 (57 students), grade 10 (88 students) and grade 11 (19 students). Classes
will last 6 weeks (1 April-15 May 2008).
Classes and recreational activities for out-of-school children will take place in the summer.
A third EIU will shortly open in Qudsaya with more areas to follow.
Other Activities:
In addition to the 2008 educational funds, UNHCR has provided 10 German DAFI scholarships for Iraqis
in higher education. UNHCR is also advocating in favour of a 25% discount in tuition fees for around 100
Iraqi students in Syrian Universities in 2008/2009.
UNHCR participates in the education sector coordination meetings attended by the Ministry of
Education, SARC, UN agencies (UNICEF), donors (European Commission, Swiss Development
Cooperation) and NGOs (Première Urgence, ICRC, NRC, ICMC). These meetings are aimed at
coordinating education activities in Syria, sharing information and developing joint strategies.
10
HEALTH
Since 2007 there have been around 350,000 subsidised consultations and medical care from UNHCR’s
health partners for Iraqi refugees.
UNHCR has agreements with:
• The Ministry of Health: UNHCR is implementing the agreement signed with the Ministry of Health in
May 2007, providing drugs for chronic diseases and medical equipment for 50 primary health
centres. Value of purchased medical equipment: around US$3 million.
• The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) operates 11 clinics across Syria: 7 in Damascus (including
one administered by the French Red Cross) and one in Homs, Deir al Zour, Hassake, al-Raqqa and
Edleb. UNHCR is setting up a health management information system in Syrian Arab Red Crescent
(SARC) clinics.
• The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC): UNHCR signed an agreement with the Palestinian Red
Crescent in June 2007 to provide emergency health services in the Palestinian refugee camp in Al
Tanf. More than 4,500 refugees were treated by the Palestinian Red Crescent in 2007.
• Al-Bairouni Hospital: An agreement was signed to provide services to 500 cancer patients for a total
of US$1 million. Over 140 patients are currently receiving cancer treatment in this hospital. To date,
445 cancer cases have been attended through SARC clinics and Al Baironi hospital.
• Other Partners:
− UNHCR is continuing to cooperate with the Ibn Sina Mental Health Hospital and Al Maali Health
Centre, a specialized centre for disabled children, agreements are finalized.
− Some 6,300 Iraqi patients have received medical treatment through the Ibraheem Al-Khalel
Convent.
− Syrian NGO Terre des Hommes is providing rehabilitation and health care to children in need of
surgery, orthopaedic prostheses, and vision and hearing apparatuses.
− Al-Bassel Hospital gave operations to 450 refugee patients suffering from severe cardiac
problems.
− UNHCR also has an agreement with two private clinics (the Italian Hospital and the Tobi El-
Jerashi Hospital) to treat emergency cases.
− Al Mogtahed Hospital provides full medical services for Iraqis including renal dialysis.
− Al-Amal Centre for autism, speech disorder, cerebral palsy and visual impairment will treat
around 30 refugees with special needs.
Mental Health
• A joint UNHCR and WHO programme in March 2008 gave training to around 30 psychiatrists to
become trainers on how to identify refugees with mental health problems. This will cover 70 primary
health care centres across Syria.
• Mental health and psychosocial support groups have started in the community centres of Masaken
Barzah and Saiza Zeinab with each session attended by 10 to 15 individuals.
11
ASSISTANCE IN NUMBERS
2006
(US$ 713,675.87)
Number of beneficiaries
2007
(US$ 53,620,801.23)
Number of
beneficiaries
June 2008
2008 projection
(US$ 56,104,614.29)
Number of beneficiaries
Food NA 54,800 128,357 300,000
Cash Assistance NA 11,791 13,245 39,000
Health
Assistance
4,979
consultations
200,151
consultations
200,000
consultations
400,000
consultations
Vocational
Training
NA 1,585 1,585 2,000
Emergency
Grants
NA 1,576 around 800 3,000
Non Food Items NA 150,000 128,357 300,000
Registration 21,878 150,602 203,982 300,000
School Uniforms 7,666 20,000 30,000
FOOD AND NON-FOOD ITEM ASSISTANCE
UNHCR and the World Food Programme have broadened the criteria for food (and non food items)
assistance to include over 90% of registered refugees as of the beginning of 2008. 128,357 individuals
in Damascus, Aleppo and Hassakah have received food assistance since the start of 2008. The number
of beneficiaries is expected to reach 300,000 by the end of 2008.
The food packages consist of dry food items provided by WFP such as oil, rice and lentils and other
complementary items provided by UNHCR such as sugar, tea, tomato paste, pasta, cracked wheat. The
non-food item packages include mattresses, blankets, soap, detergents, diapers and sanitary pads.
CASH ASSISTANCE
UNHCR started the distribution of ATM cards to Iraqi refugees identified as urgently needing financial
assistance in December. So far, a total of 4,367 cases (13,245 individuals) are receiving financial
assistance through the ATM card system.
Heads of households receive approximately US$100 (SYP5000) per month, with an additional US$10
(SYP500) for each dependent.
The cash assistance is intended to support the enrolment of Iraqi children in Syrian schools and
prevention efforts against problems such as sexual gender based violence, homelessness and child
labour.
UNHCR is following up on families who have not collected their ATM cards and has identified some
communication challenges that are being addressed.
12
OUTREACH
UNHCR’s greatest challenge is to identify the vulnerable population of refugees in Syria, the majority of
whom live in urban environments. While Registration identifies many, high percentages are not
registered. Outreach at a community level is essential to gain access to the unregistered vulnerable
population. There are currently 47 outreach workers working with UNHCR covering 30 areas in
Damascus and rural Damascus. Issues raised include:
− absence of financial resources
− large numbers of Iraqi children not attending school
− problems faced by female headed households
− lack of support for families with disabilities
− increasing numbers of juvenile domestic workers (young girls) and street workers (boys) who
support the family income
− insecurity felt by the Iraqi population regarding visa status, with many reports of exit stamps when
attempting residency renewal
The target is to engage around 100 volunteers who can help UNHCR access the most vulnerable,
unregistered population.
SEXUAL GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (SGVB)
At least 250 survivors of SGBV have been identified since January 2008.
UNHCR is supporting survivors and working towards prevention activities including direct assistance
(both financial and material).
UNFPA, UNICEF, IOM, UNDP and UNHCR are working on a joint strategy and initiatives to have
access to and assist refugee women in detention.
UNHCR is currently securing access to more than 70 Iraqi women in Douma Prison, and 8 Iraqi Girls
(12-17 years old) in the Juvenile and Rehabilitation Centre.
The majority of the girls and women are survivors of SGBV including rape and forced prostitution.
Since the beginning of the year, 2 juvenile survivors of trafficking have been resettled to third countries.
IOM with the support of the Syrian Government is in the process of opening a new shelter for victims of
trafficking.
UNHCR is supporting several safe houses in Damascus which provide accommodation, food, social
counselling, vocational training, medical services for women and/or her children who have suffered any
form of violence (domestic, sexual) either in Iraq or in the Syria.
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Three Community Centres have so far been established under direct implementation by UNHCR and
managed by the refugee community itself. Three additional community centres run by SARC have
opened. The six centres are located in the main four areas around Damascus that have the largest
refugee concentration, namely: Masaken Barzeh, Sayyedeh Zeinab, Jaramana and Qudsaya.
The Danish Refugee Council is gradually taking over the administration of all the community centres.
At present the Community Centres offer English, French, Arabic, computer skills, and classes for the
disabled and Library services. After school activities prioritize curriculum support for Iraqi refugees
struggling at school.
Some Community Centres also provide important venues for social and legal counselling to several
hundred vulnerable Iraqi refugees, closer to their homes.
13
RESETTLEMENT
UNCR is encouraging resettlement countries to make rapid decisions to facilitate the departure of the
most vulnerable Iraqis. Over 20% of cases submitted by Jordan and Syria are women at risk.
In 2007, UNHCR Syria submitted 7,852 Iraqi refugees for resettlement to all countries.
That same year, only 833 Iraqi refugees actually departed for resettlement countries.
The chart below is the resettlement submission breakdown by Country of Submission since February
2007:
Country of submission Cases Individuals
NZL 48 183
USA 1906 7843
AUL 347 1314
CAN 290 1158
DEN 5 10
GBR 30 71
NET 51 201
SWE 129 377
FRA 10 36
POR 1 5
Liechtenstein 1 4
IRE 2 9
FIN 54 211
NOR 17 70
Total 2891 11492
The chart below is the resettlement departure breakdown by Country since February 2007:
Country of submission Cases Individuals
USA 226 871
AUL 2 9
CAN 46 192
GBR 2 4
NZL 16 51
DEN 1 1
FIN 26 105
NET 24 100
SWE 35 114
NOR 4 25
Total 382 1472
UNHCR BO Damascus expects to submit between 8,000 and 10,000 Iraqi refugees for resettlement to
all resettlement countries in 2008 subject to places made available by States and any operational
constraints.
14
PALESTINIANS FROM IRAQ
While the exact number of Palestinians who fled Iraq and are now living in Syria is unknown, around
3,000 are stranded in three camps on or near the Syria-Iraq border. They are in a particularly vulnerable
situation owing to their non-admission (temporary admission in the case of El Hol) into Syrian territory
and the fact that many fled Iraq after 2003 because of persecutions. The living conditions vary according
to each camp but can be very difficult and unsafe, further lowering refugees’ morale. All three camps are
entirely dependent on assistance from UNHCR and its partners (mainly UNRWA, WFP, UNICEF, the
Palestinian Red Crescent). UNHCR is seeking other solutions for these Palestinian refugees, such as
resettlement inside and outside the region. Discussions are underway with the Swedish and the
Sudanese governments.
AL TANF CAMP
Located in the ‘no-man’s land’ between the Iraqi border and Syrian passport control.
Refugee Population: 751.
The first refugees began arriving from Iraq in May 2006 when they were barred from entering Syria.
Since October 2007, when the population was around 350, all new arrivals are Palestinians who had
been residing in Syria with Iraqi documents obtained fraudulently and who have been deported or left
voluntarily to Al Tanf Camp. Despite the relocation of refugees to Chile in April and May, the arrival of
over 100 Palestinians from Damascus is putting further strain on the already difficult living conditions in
the camp.
Living conditions: the camp is makeshift and located right next to a large motorway. Hazards include:
extreme temperatures and harsh weather conditions; outbreak of fires in tents; accidents caused by
passing trucks; poor medical facilities. With great numbers of refugees continuing to arrive at Al Tanf
(200 are expected shortly), the camp has reached its limit in size without expanding across a dangerous
motorway or across the border.
Assistance: UNHCR and its partners are providing essential food/non-food items, drinking water,
infrastructure and community programs administered in coordination with UNICEF, the Palestinian and
the Syrian Arab Red Crescent organisations as well as UNRWA (including medical team, school, sewing
workshop, recreation centre for children and work-incentive scheme).
116 Palestinians living in Al Tanf were resettled in Chile in April and May 2008.
15
EL HOL CAMP
Located in Hassakah Province in north-eastern Syria.
Refugee Population: 309.
In September 2005, 286 Palestinians ex Iraq stranded near the Iraq-Jordan border were exceptionally
allowed entry into Syria and transferred to El Hol Camp under UNHCR auspices. Since then, only a very
few new cases have been admitted to El Hol.
Living conditions: refugees are allowed to travel within Hassakah Governorate and have access to basic
medical care and education. However there is no possibility of local integration and residence in the
camp is mandatory.
Assistance: basic food items are provided by WFP and the distribution of complementary food items and
the running costs of the camp are covered by UNHCR. The food distribution takes place twice a month
through UNHCR’s implementing partner, The Governorate of Hassakah. There is one clinic inside the
camp operated by 3 doctors working in alternate shifts, 6 days a week. Additionally refugees have
access to a public health centre in El Hol village, although it was already overburdened before their
arrival. UNHCR’s support allows refugees to receive free medicine. Access to primary education has
been given to over 100 school aged refugee children in Grades 1-9 at El Hol village school, with
textbooks and school uniforms provided by UNHCR. Access to secondary education in Hassakah,
however, remains extremely rare.
AL WALID CAMP
Located 200 meters inside Iraqi passport control at the Al Tanf border crossing.
Refugee Population: 1,942, hoping to be admitted in either Syria or Jordan, many of whom have family
members in Al Tanf Camp.
Residents of this camp are assisted by UNHCR’s Iraqi Operation Unit in Amman, ICRC and ICS.
Living conditions: Refugees in Al Waleed live under conditions totally unsuited to extended human
habitation Conditions there are terrible: harsh physical environment; risk of outbreak of fire in the tents;
accidents caused by passing trucks; infestation with snakes and rats; very few facilities and extreme
temperatures (+50 C to sub zero).
The health of refugees in the camp continues to deteriorate with medical assistance being difficult to
provide. The medical dispensary in the camp (staffed by Palestinian refugee health workers) sees an
average 100 patients among the refugee. The nearest medical facility is 400 km away. There is no
ambulance service and patients have to be transported in taxis. Neighbouring countries have restricted
medical evacuation and is almost impossible to admit patients.
There is high level of frustration and desperation among the refugees stranded in camps with no viable
alternatives, including a lack of proper services to refugees injured and psychologically traumatized by
violence in Iraq.
Assistance: Al Walid Camp receives little assistance and few services owing to the difficulty of access
for international organizations and the security conditions in Anbar Province. UNHCR and its partners
distribute food and non-food items to meet basic needs: daily food rations, non-food items, power
supply, and kerosene for cooking and heating as well as health care services and referral services
including medical evacuations. UNHCR has also rehabilitated 12 classrooms and pays for 42 teachers.
A total of 340 students attend school in Al Walid. Regular monitoring visits are carried out by UNHCR
staff, including undertaking detailed profiling exercises to identify protection and vulnerable families for
possible relocation. ICRC provides water and sanitation services as well as medical supplies.
UNHCR in coordination with the authorities and partners have set up camp management structure that
includes refugee committee members elected by the refugee population.
June 20 is World Refugee Day, so if you can not donate money to a just organization at least think about how fortunate we, as Americans are. We are graced with the ability to give refuge to humans running from war, famine, disease and the like. Too bad we can not give refuge to more.
Other blog entries below are concerning the Iraqi refugee crisis and an amazing Ethiopian man/ once refugee's story. Please read to understand the full impact. Also I will attached a pdf file from UNHCR, the refugee UN agency. It is a recent update on the Iraqi crisis.
Objectivity is not an innate human trait yet as journalists, that is what we strive for. It is rarely seen but Tim Russert was as close to objective that I have ever seen. He was one of my idols, someone I looked up to and hoped one day to emulate. His passion, intelligence and skill will truly be missed. Rest in peace Mr. Russert, you were a true patriot.
“Threatened, Frightened and without a Country: Iraqi Refugees”
Due to the prolonged violence and chaos in Iraq, millions of the country’s citizens have fled their homes out of fear for their lives. They sought refuge in neighboring countries. Nearly five years after the start of the war, Iraqi refugees’ lives are in limbo with no end in sight.
Part One: Collateral damage
It had been very hot July day, but at night it cooled off just enough to sit outside comfortably and relax. Late in the evening, a family gathered to enjoy the soft, warm breeze off the desert. They invited a friend who was relatively new to the area for tea, nuts and a peaceful night of conversation.
The 19 year old guest, Mohammad Subhi Jabbar, sat with the family and discussed everyday occurrences like the horrible traffic earlier in the day and the unusually warm weather. He was animated and very polite. He cracked jokes and seemed to be fully enjoying their company.
Then the subject switched. Jabbar is not a native Jordanian like the family he was visiting. He is not from Amman and he did not come to Amman by choice. He was forced.
Two years ago, Jabbar and his identical twin brother were walking to a small store in the heart of their hometown, Tikrit, Iraq, to buy sodas; just enjoying the walk and the company of each other.
“It was a just a regular day. It was quiet in the city and we were having fun,” said Jabbar.
And in an instant, Jabbar’s life changed forever. A man shot Jabbar’s twin directly in the head. The attacker ran away and Mohammed rushed to his brother’s side to discover that his brother, his best friend was dead at age 17.
The life Jabbar had planned for himself was over. He always imagined his brother would be right by his side during all the important parts of his life; college, marriage and when he had children of his own.
As Jabbar speaks of the day that has shaped who he is today, he is unemotional, almost stoic. His tone and expressions are very unlike how they were just 10 minutes before when he was laughing and talking about the weather.
“He was gone, and there was nothing we could do about it,” said Jabbar matter of factly.
The Jabbar family mourned the loss of their son and brother. Jabbar assumed it was Sunni insurgents who murdered his brother but never knew for sure. A week later, the Sunni family received a threatening letter from their son’s killers.
“Get out of Iraq now, or your other son will be next.”
Jabbar and his mother and father packed up all they could carry and headed to a safe refuge in Amman. They left their home, their friends, family and their business. The Jabbars owned several hotels in the city of Tikrit, hotels where American soldiers and contractors stayed. Jabbar says this is the most likely reason their family was targeted by insurgents.
They left their lives and everything familiar not for monetary gain, intrigue or whim but out of necessity; for fear for their lives. Jabbar is now an Iraqi refugee, one of approximately 2.2 million who have fled the violence and chaos in their country.
Jabbar came to Amman in November 2005. He entered the New York Institute of Technology in West Amman and is studying English. The family has registered with the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees, and Mohammed has been given a temporary visa by the Jordanian government.
His parents have not received visas, however. Without permanent or temporary visas, they are not allowed to work legally in Jordan; they cannot pay taxes or vote. Without steady employment, their savings are dwindling and they do not know how much longer they can live off what money they have left.
Jabbar is among a long line of refugees waiting to be resettled to a third country. The UNHCR office in Amman has registered approximately 50,000 Iraqi refugees as of Oct. 1, 2007. Approximately 6,000 Iraqis have been formally recognized as refugees and have been submitted for resettlement by the Amman based UN agency.
As of Oct. 1, only 753 refugees have departed Jordan. An estimate of the total number of Iraqis in Jordan is 700,000. The total resettled is approximately one-tenth of a percent of the total numbers of Iraqi refugees in Jordan.
Yaghdan (only Yaghdan’s first name will be used to protect his identity), a young Iraqi man from Baghdad, was very excited and optimistic when the U.S government came to Baghdad. He was working for a computer supply company up to 20 hours a day for $8 a month. Life under Saddam Hussein was not easy and he felt the U.S would help improve the Iraqis’ lives.
“The UN sanctions after the first Gulf War put Iraq in a very bad economic situation. But at least it was safe. If you didn’t complain, you were left alone,” said Yaghdan.
Yaghdan said at the beginning of the 2003 war, everything was going relatively well. The computer company he was working for was booming as was the whole Iraqi economy.
“Everyone was very happy at first. We all had very high expectations. We saw Germany and Japan as an example as what we could do as a nation with America’s help. We were all optimistic; no one thought the situation would get worse,” Yaghdan explained.
The first mistake, he said, was the lack of focus regarding security on the Iraqi borders and in the jails and prisons.
“The borders were wide open. The gangs and the criminals got out of the prison and were free to do whatever they wanted because the government collapsed and there was no police,” Yaghdan said.
After the economy took a tailspin and the security situation worsened, Yaghdan began to work for USAID in the Green Zone helping rebuild the Iraqi education system. He was proud of his new career because he saw first hand the results and efforts being put forth by the American government.
As the situation in Iraq became more chaotic and violent, so did Yaghdan’s personal life.
“At all four main gates of the Green Zone there were militia observing. Militia men followed me many times but I was able to get away. Unfortunately one day, one of the militia was from my neighborhood and they recognized me,” said Yaghdan. “They sent me a threat… a dog’s head and a paper that said my head would be next and in the garbage. I left Iraq for good.”
Just like Jabbar, Yaghdan left his life and everything he knew in Iraq. Yaghdan’s family is still in Baghdad and he has managed to stay in contact with them via e-mail. He has never told his parents or the rest of his family he was working for the Americans in Baghdad. All they know is that he is alive-not where he is and certainly not that he is in America.
Yaghdan worries if the word gets out he is in America and he worked for the American government, the militia and other criminals would think he is wealthy which could put his family in Baghdad even more at risk.
“They might kidnap or torture them,” said Yaghdan. “They are trying to stay alive.”
After Yaghdan received the death threat, he and his wife fled to the United Arab Emirates and became two of the over 2 million Iraqis without a home or a resolution in sight.
Once Iraqi refugees get out of Iraq safely and arrive in a neighboring country, their problems rarely stop there. Many Iraqis in Jordan and Syria, the two countries that are hosting the majority of refugees, have extensive problems finding health care.
Fortunately, there are several non profit organizations that have opened clinics to help refugees. Caritas International is a Catholic relief organization based in Vatican City that has set up a free clinic in Amman.
In July 2007 the waiting room is crowded with Iraqis in desperate need of medical help. Most are women and children, some with very serious conditions like tuberculosis or cholera. The patients are very vulnerable and have suffered tragic losses, according to Tarek Nassar, a case worker at the clinic.
“I do not think I have met an Iraqi who has not lost a family member or friend due to the violence in Iraq. They describe it as complete chaos,” said Nassar.
He says they feel lost and abandoned. Some just want to be resettled to call anywhere a home, but many still hope to one day return to Iraq. Overwhelmingly, Nassar says they have lost hope for their country.
“Some still pray to go back, but their faith is weakening,” said Nassar.
Nassar’s patients have experienced problems after they left Iraq as well. In Amman, an Iraqi patient almost lost his wife in a hit-and-run car accident. The person responsible for the accident was later caught and jailed by Jordanian authorities, and the victim, his wife, was taken to a private hospital and put in intensive care with severe brain injuries.
The cost of private healthcare is expensive in Jordan, however, and the Iraqi man could not afford to pay. He pleaded with the accused family to help with the burden. The victim and her husband were then threatened by the other family. A group of lawyers who are dedicated to refugee rights have begun working on the Iraqi man’s case and are trying to reach a settlement with the accused family.
Although many Jordanians sympathize with the Iraqis’ hardships, they do not feel their country should have to shoulder such a burden. Since the influx of Iraqis began in 2003, prices for housing have risen, making it difficult for many to afford homes.
Zeralda Haddad and Eyad Musharbash married in April 2005 and had their first child, a son Jad, in August 2007. Haddad was a classmate of Musharbash’s sister in college. The two met and fell in love in 2002. Haddad is now a college professor and Musharbash is a bank manager.
If the young couple lived in America, they could afford a home and would be considered upper middle class but in Amman they have a small two bedroom apartment and are barely making enough to get by let alone put money aside for their child’s future.
“At first, it was the rich Iraqis who came to Jordan, and all the prices went up. We will never be able to afford a villa with the prices like this,” said Haddad.
The couple both came from upper middle-class families in Jordan. The families had to sacrifice to become this way. The fathers in both families had to leave Jordan to find work that paid adequately.
Although it was very difficult for Haddad’s father to leave his family and his home, Dr. Yasser Haddad moved to Saudi Arabia to practice medicine. In Saudi Arabia, Haddad who specializes in kidney diseases makes more than three times the salary he would if he remained in Jordan with his loved ones.
Musharbash’s father moved to Jacksonville, Florida to open a convenience store. The youngest son, Eyab, has not seen his father since he left over 15 years ago. Eyab has not been able to receive a tourist visa from the U.S government and only communicates with his father by phone.
The common experience of growing up with an absent father has infused a fierce desire in the young couples’ hearts. They do not want to ever separate their new family for financial gain nor want to leave Jordan together.
But the dream of giving their son and future children bright futures seems to contradict that vision. The couple hopes to send their children to private schools and give them the best of everything.
“I love my country and never want to leave, but I fear we may have to move to Dubai to make a decent salary. I do not want to split up our family, but I see no choice,” said Haddad.
Part Two: Fleeing the violence; seeking safe refuge.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a small country with a history of giving refuge to people. Ever since the creation of Israel, Jordan has been home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian people. Many of the Palestinians have integrated into Jordanian society, but approximately 160,000 still live in refugee camps across the country.
Jordan lost a large amount of land after the creation of Israel. The monarchy assisted the Palestinians in the wars of 1948 and 1967. After both wars, large numbers of Palestinians fled to Jordan.
The lost land was some of Jordan’s most prized not only for the religious significance, but because of the quality of the land for farming and grazing.
The country has no oil production, a limited amount of fresh water and a severe deficit of natural resources. The official unemployment rate is 15 percent. Roughly the size of the state of Indiana, Jordan’s population is approximately 6 million. The influx of Iraqi refugees has increased this struggling country’s population by 12 percent over the past four and a half years.
“Jordan is in dire need of international funding. They can not economically maintain the amount of people in the country without outside assistance,” said Imran Riza, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Amman.
A former UNCHR representative in Amman, Robert Breen, wrote in a 2006 report that the situation in Jordan is deteriorating and only getting worse.
The Jordanian government says the large number of Iraqis is costing the kingdom approximately $1 billion per year. Jordan’s annual budget, including revenue and expenditures for 2006, was approximately $10.5 billion, which means one-tenth of Jordan’s annual budget is now being spent on non-citizens many of whom are illegally residing inside Jordan’s borders.
The Jordanian government has provided schooling to Iraqi children as well as health care services to all Iraqis. But the Jordanian government was surprised at the start of the 2007 school year to find many Iraqi children had not enrolled in school. UNHCR worries the lower than expected turnout is due to illegally residing Iraqis who fear they will be deported if they are discovered.
Queen Noor, the wife of the late King Hussein, in partnership with a U.S.-based aid agency and UNHCR, has started an outreach program to provide basic health services and also gives vouchers for school uniforms to Iraqi families. The volunteers also give the families’ information on UNHCR services such as the official registration and applications for resettlement.
“Community outreach for Iraqis is essential. Our experience of the past year shows that many Iraqis do not come to our offices,” said Riza. “It is therefore our responsibility to go to the areas where Iraqis live to ensure that they receive our support and attention.”
The goal is to reach 14,000 Iraqi families and to encourage 50,000 Iraqi children to enroll in the Jordanian public school system. But there is a price tag on the services provided by the Jordanians.
“The provision of these services has resulted in a great burden being placed on the government budget, as many commodities and services are still highly subsidized by the government,” Mukhaimer Abu Jamous, the Secretary General of the Jordanian Minister of Interior, wrote in a UN special report in June 2006.
Jordan has been hampered by its meager resources and the increasing demand for services, which Abu Jamous says has caused inflation and a rise in the cost of living for Jordan’s citizens.
“The kingdom faces serious pressures in terms of natural resources, infrastructure and economic capacity,” wrote Abu Jamous.
Despite Jordan’s economic difficulties, the government said it will stick by the Iraqi people on humanitarian terms and because the two countries have a long-standing relationship.
At the same time, Jordan has requested financial aid from the global community to lessen the economic burden. The government has also appealed for international support to resettle the Iraqis in Jordan. Many nations, including the U.S, have given aid but the Jordanian government says they need more help.
Jordan is not the only country Iraqi refugees are fleeing to. The Arab Republic of Syria has absorbed approximately 1.5 million Iraqi since 2003. Per capita, Jordan’s population increase due to Iraqi refugees is larger than Syria’s. Due to the increasing numbers of Iraqis fleeing the violence, Syria has suspended its open-door policy to refugees.
Visas are either issued in Baghdad or at the Syria border but only to a limited group of people. The categories of Iraqis the Syrians are primarily allowing in the country are those who work in commerce, transportation or education industries.
“Your average refugee is lucky if they manage to get a visa at all,” said Sybella Wilkes, the press officer for the UNHCR office in Damascus.
Jordan has not officially closed its borders but like Syria, all Iraqis need a visa before entering the country. The government says the visa requirements are in part due to the strains being put on their economy and infrastructure but more so because of security concerns.
Jordan’s neighbor to the east is troubled about the situation in Jordan. The Israeli government fears Jordan’s economy is being pressured and the influx of refugees is destabilizing the country.
The Israelis are also uneasy about Jordan’s security. Andy David, the Israeli deputy consul general in Chicago, said open borders may result in terrorist infiltration. David said there are too many uncertainties regarding who is a terrorist and who is a refugee.
“But at the same time, the Jordanians feel sorry for the Iraqis. The refugee situation is breaking the Arab honor, the strong loyalty to family. The destabilization in Jordan will affect the whole region and Israel,” said David.
But not everyone sees Jordan and Syria as economic victims of the war in Iraq. Yaghdan, the Iraqi man who worked for USAID, said host countries like Jordan and Syria are taking advantage of the Iraqi refugees and the current crisis for their own gain.
“At the beginning, I wasn’t looking to be a refugee. I was looking for any possibility to go back to Iraq; but it never settled down,” said Yaghdan.
Yaghdan and his wife fled to the United Arab Emirate and stayed illegally for five months. They could not get visas. The young couple did not want to live illegally any longer especially since without visas, they were not permitted to work. They traveled to Syria in hopes of attaining a UAE visa at the embassy in Damascus.
“But unfortunately, UAE doesn’t want Iraqis. I couldn’t get a visa. The government is against Iraqis, they don’t want Iraqis in the country. Maybe they just hate Iraqi people, I don’t know,” said Yaghdan.
After five months in U.A.E and another five months in Syria, Yaghdan reached out for help from an old American friend whom he worked with at USAID.
After all the terror and frustration; the fear of being of murdered by insurgents in Baghdad and the frustration over visas in UAE and Syria, the couple was finally resettled and is now residing in the west suburbs of Chicago.
“We were waiting with out any information. Were we going to get refugee status, were we going to be resettled?” Yaghdan said.
Yaghdan’s resettlement is unique; very few Iraqi refugees have been resettled. But his waiting and hoping for resettlement or a residence visa is commonplace. Jordan’s resettlement numbers are below one percent of the total Iraqi refugee population.
Jordan is not a participant of the 1951 Convention on the status and treatment of refugees and has not signed the treaty that stemmed from the meeting. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a 30-article proclamation adopted by the UN General Assembly to ensure the rights and equalities of all people.
According to the UNHCR, despite Jordan’s lack of participation in the convention, the country has been tolerant of the laws and articles in the declaration.
But according to the 2007 World Refugee Survey, Jordan has failed on many aspects of the convention principles. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a private, non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C, compiles the annual report.
Jordan has several
Palestinian refugee camps. One in
particular near the Iraqi border, Ruweished camp, confined 100 Palestinian Iraqis
until they were resettled to Brazil in fall 2007. The largest camp in Jordan is near the
capital city of Amman; Al-Baqa is home to more than 100,000 Palestinians from
both the 1948 and 1967 wars with Israel.
Jordan and Syria have denied Iraqis residence visas, which is needed to find legal employment in both countries.
"They do not have permission to work or otherwise support themselves or their families,” Lavinia Limon, the president of United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, wrote in the 2007 World Refugee Survey. Reports of prostitution and child labor are growing more common as other options disappear.”
A study conducted by Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies, a Norwegian think tank, in May 2007 found approximately one in five Iraqi adults in Jordan are employed. The report also found one in five Iraqis hope to emigrate to a third country.
Yaghdan said the Syrian and Jordanian governments are mistreating the Iraqis in their countries. “The Iraqi people are not living there for free. They are paying double for rent, double for food, double for health care. They are spending money but not really making any,” Yaghdan said.
The two governments do not deserve international financial support, said Yaghdan, who is extremely upset about his fellow Iraqis’ struggles. He said Syria and Jordan are already economically gaining from the Iraqis while doing nothing in return for them.
“They are using the Iraqi issue to blackmail the international community to benefit their own people. Don’t know where the money goes to, maybe filling some pocket of a corrupt government official,” said Yaghdan.
Part Three: A way out
Yaghdan said the U.S government had the best intentions when Iraq was first invaded in March 2003. “The U.S’s goal was to help the Iraqi people, and a lot of Iraqis were happy to see the U.S,” said Yaghdan.
He primarily blames the Arabic world surrounding Iraq, especially the Iran government, for the chaos that now overwhelms Iraq. “Because of the Iranian influence, all the good things we were trying to do they were destroying. We were doing a very good job, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough,” said Yaghdan.
Regardless of who is to blame for the current violence in Iraq, one fact remains: the Iraqi people are living in turbulent times and face an unpredictable future. There are not many solutions to a situation of the magnitude of the Iraqi refugee crisis. And the 2.2 million Iraqis refugees are only one-seventh of the world’s refugee population.
“This time we are speaking about Iraqis fleeing civil war and fleeing occupation and fleeing ethnic carnage and fleeing chaotic violence. Just like the war itself, this refugee crisis is complicated, has grown exponentially, and has no end in sight and no simple solution,” wrote Limon in the USCRI 2007 report.
One solution would be to resettle the 2.2 million Iraqi people to the 19 countries worldwide that accept refugees. The host countries, like Syria and Jordan, could also provide the Iraqis with visas and give them the same rights as natives. In turn, the international community could provide the governments with financial resources to help lessen the burden. Or the global community could work together to resolve problems of violence and instability in countries like Iraq that are causing its people to flee for their lives.
According to USCRI, the American government should take “moral leadership” by urging the host countries to fully protect the rights of Iraqi refugees, regularize their status and allow them to work, to ensure Iraqis have the means for survival during their exile and establish an effective and efficient program to resettle refugees.
"The United States must acknowledge our special obligation to Iraqi refugees," wrote Limon. "The sad and salient fact is that America has been unable to protect these people while they were in Iraq."
Yaghdan agrees the international community, and the American government in particular, should help with resettlement and the general treatment of Iraqi refugees but he also feels it is time for the Iraqi government to step up and help its own people.
“The Iraqi government has a lot of money, and they should give money to the Iraqis to help them live outside of Iraq. The government should take responsibility to make things safe and keep them in the country, but the Iraqi government is too corrupt,” said Yaghdan.
Of the approximately 14 million refugees worldwide, over 2 million are Iraqi, but only 69, 400 were resettled in 2006. That is less than one half of one percent of the world’s refugees.
“Most of the world’s refugees will never make it to these (American) shores,” said Merrill Smith, a director of USCRI and the editor of the World Refugee Survey.
USCRI says there is an international silence and inaction in regard to the Iraqi refugee crisis and the global disregard to their plight is only compounding the Iraqis’ tragedy.
"Millions of disenfranchised, desperate people could lead to the destabilization of the host governments or to repressive, inhumane treatment," wrote Limon.
America resettled nearly 60 percent of 2006’s refugee, but when the number of resettled refugees is put into context with the nation’s population, the U.S is only ranked sixth.
Not all Iraqi refugees wish to be resettled in America, though. Jabbar, the Iraqi refugee whose twin was murdered by insurgents, does hope to be resettled but does not want his new home to be America.
“I’m not sure how I feel about America and I’m not sure how Americans would feel about an Iraqi,” said Jabbar.
Nevertheless, some Americans, angered by the low resettlement numbers, are taking action. When Kirk Johnson was in Iraq in 2005 working for USAID, he met many Iraqis who risked their lives to help the U.S. government.
Johnson and Yaghdan worked at USAID together in Baghdad and became close friends. When Yaghdan was stuck in UAE, he reached out to Johnson who rallied for the Iraqi man who lost his home to help the U.S. rebuild his country.
UAE does not allow any UNHCR representatives in the country so any refugee is virtually stuck in the country unless they make the make the perilous trip back to Iraq or like in Yaghdan’s case, move to another country seeking visas.
Yaghdan’s horror story sparked Johnson’s List Project, a database of more than 800 Iraqis that includes their contact information and whereabouts. All of these Iraqis have worked for or aided the U.S. government and are now seeking refuge. Twelve Iraqis have been resettled from Johnson’s list after the US Department of State began working with Johnson.
Johnson is no longer optimistic when it comes to the government’s actions although he does acknowledge the U.S. Congress has a few champions of the Iraqi refugee crisis, including US Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MASS).
“Instead of protection, we have offered them bureaucracy and doublespeak, false words and dubious hopes,” wrote Kennedy in a September 2007 press release supporting the passage of a Senate bill he co-sponsored regarding Iraqi refugees and the need for resettlement reform.
The bill, if passed, would specifically target refugees like Yaghdan for resettlement.
“Because they supported us, insurgents have repeatedly threatened to kill them. Many have lost their homes, their property and their livelihoods. They face ongoing threats every single day,” wrote Kennedy. “Sohave fled the country and are waiting in refugee camps, and others are in hiding. All of them hope that the United States will not forget their sacrifices.”
The Senate bill, if passed by the House of Representatives, will oblige the U.S Secretary of State to set up a refugee resettling process inside of Iraq. The Department of State is the authorized federal department that officially accepts registered refugees referred to them by organizations, mainly the UNHCR.
“If you are very vulnerable, if you are afraid for your life, if you have no other chance
to be resettled, it means the difference between life and death. It's very important,” the U.N. High Commissioner
Anton Guterres said in a State Department press conference in February 2007. The Department of State has promised to accelerate the resettlement process.
To date, the department has never reached the proposed number of resettled Iraqis in any given month. "We spent many months putting together a very complicated infrastructure.
There are many moving parts in the refugee resettlement,” said Ellen Sauerbrey, the Assistant Secretary
of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, at an October press conference. "I have no doubts that we will
easily reach 12,000." Johnson doubts the government will reach the proposed 12,000 by the end of the year. He said
the State Department in March promised to resettle 25,000 Iraqis, yet in the very next month, it allowed in one.
He does not see any requirement for action by the US government.
"Do refugees have to be destitute, hungry
and helpless for the world to take action?
Without the pitiful pictures, will international institutions and governments mobilize to protect and assist refugees?” wrote Limon in the USCRI report.
Johnson said the U.S government has recognized the threat but not the urgency of the Iraqi refugee crisis and the actions leading to a solution should lie strictly on the American government’s shoulders.
Yaghdan said the ultimate solution to the devastating crisis is to make Iraq safe and stable. He said Iraqis just want to go home but he does not believe the county will be stable enough any time soon.
“Maybe in 10
years, but I don’t think so. I lost
everything in Iraq, why even go back there, to those memories,” said Yaghdan.
Violence levels in Iraq are at the lowest levels since February 2006. The Iraqi embassy in Syria organized trips for Iraqis to return home. Thousands from Syria have gone back to Iraq. The Syrian Government recently imposed stricter visa regulations, making it more difficult for to receive visas.
UNHCR said the time is not right for a mass exodus back to Iraq and do not believe the departure should be promoted, organized or encouraged. The UN agency interviewed 110 Iraqi families leaving Syria who said their reasons were lack of visas, money and difficult living conditions in Syria. They added they were merely encouraged by the reports of lower violence levels.
The prisoners were allowed to go outside once a day. This was their only chance to feel the sun on their skin and inhale fresh air. It was also Hayelom Ayele's one chance to escape his uncertain fate inside an Ethiopian prison in the late 1970's.
"I broke out of jail. Either I wait and be slaughtered or give it a try. And it worked," said Ayele with a smile.
Ayele was one of the nearly half a million Ethiopians who escaped to the safe haven of Sudan during the Communist take over of Ethiopia. Although Ethiopia is beginning to heal, it is not the country it once was.