As we informed you yesterday, the emergency spending bill is being debated on the floor of the house as this entry is being written. Many of you have already taken action and contacted their elected representatives urging them to support the bill. We want to express our gratitude to those peacebuilders whose support and dedication are significant parts of our efforts to help vulnerable Iraqi refugees.
In addition to the bill being debated right now, we also want to report that the deadline for the bill might extend until June 15 (Latest: Members of the House voted on the bill on Thursday, May 15). This development provides extra time to ensure that your voices as concerned constituents are loudly and clearly heard by members of the house.
We urgently need you to call your Representative RIGHT NOW via the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Tell them:
We are very pleased with the responses we have received from you so if you have time, drop us a note about how it went or leave a comment on this blog.
Thank you for taking action on behalf of vulnerable Iraqis and their families.
Photo credit: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she thinks a compromise is likely. (Ken Cedeno - Bloomberg News)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Update: Emergency Spending Bill in da House
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
ACT NOW: House Vote to Determine Fate of Millions in Need
As early as noon TOMORROW, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on an emergency spending bill for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, including an amendment that would provide over $1.3 billion in lifesaving humanitarian assistance for Iraqi refugees and vulnerable civilians in Iraq, as well as other global humanitarian concerns.
Without your help, this hard-fought humanitarian provision is likely to get stripped out of the emergency spending package! Such an outcome would be catastrophic for millions of war-affected Iraqis who are facing a deepening humanitarian crisis.
We urgently need you to call your Representative RIGHT NOW via the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Tell them:
- Time is running out for many of Iraq's most vulnerable civilians and refugees. Millions of Iraqis across the region are finding themselves in desperate need of basic humanitarian assistance, including food, health care and education.
- We not only have a moral obligation to help, it is a matter of international security. Effective humanitarian assistance to Iraqis in the region will save lives, create stability, and improve America's standing in the world.
- One of the amendments to the emergency spending bill under consideration would provide an additional $1 billion in lifesaving humanitarian assistance for FY 2008 and FY 2009 to assist Iraqis and other victims of conflict ($675 million for refugees and $400 million for internally displaced persons and other vulnerable civilians). It would provide another $250 million in bilateral assistance to Jordan to help Iraqi refugees and alleviate the strain on national systems.
- The emergency spending bill is the fastest and only available means to address unmet humanitarian needs in Iraq and the region for FY 2008.
Please take a minute RIGHT NOW to call your elected Representative via the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121. Urge him/her to work with colleagues to prevent humanitarian funding for vulnerable Iraqis from being stripped out of the FY08 emergency spending bill.
If you have time, drop us a note about how it went or leave a comment on this blog. Thank you for taking action on behalf of vulnerable Iraqis and their families.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Headlines 5/9/08
A collection of articles that shed light on the multiple dimensions of the Iraqi Displacement Crisis:
Iraqi legislators ask Iraqi Government to support refugees
EPIC is encouraged to see the Iraqi Government beginning to realize its obligation to help its own citizens. It is certainly a small step in the right direction and we hope to witness an increasing role by the Government of Iraq. We will monitor the story and will keep you updated on the developments.
Jordan pledges to UN continued help to Iraqi refugees
While this is important and encouraging, we strongly urge the Jordanian government to continue its efforts and we urge the United Nation to take a more proactive role.
More funding needed to help Iraqi refugees, UN says
EPIC has constantly and strongly called for more international support and it is our hope that the international community will do its part to alleviate a tragic situation.
Finally, two stories describing the beginning of a journey from uncertainty to ambition and hope. Iraqis in Idaho and Iraqis in Virginia.
All these articles strongly demonstrate that more work still needs to be done and more resources should be allocated to help Iraqis starting new lives in the United States. They also show the complexity of a crisis that undoubtedly requires our collective effort to be altered.
Photo Caption: Alaa A. Amir, right, translates some paperwork for the Saeed family — left to right: Robert, Thaer, Vivian, Stewart, and Steve. The Amir and Saeed families live in the same apartment complex in Boise. By Troy Maben for USA TODAY.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
IRAQ ACTION DAYS: 3 Ways You Can Help
"I have only praise. It was the best organized event I attended. I went home feeling well briefed, empowered and more effective." - Sister Ann Marie, OP, participant of Iraq Action Days
I am pleased to report back to you the resounding success of IRAQ ACTION DAYS in furthering our fight to help millions of Iraqis in need of humanitarian relief and protection.
From April 14th-16th we were joined by hundreds of concerned constituents from across the U.S. and leading experts just back from Iraq and the Middle East. We began with an all-day national Iraq Forum at George Washington University attended by more than 220 concerned citizens, NGO colleagues and government officials. Photos, video highlights and media coverage are now available at www.IraqActionDays.org
IRAQ ACTION DAYS would not have been possible without the generosity and energy of EPIC supporters and readers like you. Thank you!
The forum was followed by two days of meetings on Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to do far more to help Iraqi civilians who are displaced or otherwise affected by violence in Iraq. On Tuesday, April 15th and Wednesday, April 16th we were joined by 22 NGO colleagues and 57 constituents representing 15 states and 40 congressional districts from across the country. Our case was strengthened by the participation of Iraq War veterans, resettlement and aid workers, Dominican sisters from 12 different congregations, recently resettled Iraqi refugees, doctors, students and homemakers.
Right now we need YOU to help us build on the momentum of IRAQ ACTION DAYS. Here are 3 simple ways to join the fight to help millions of Iraqis in need of humanitarian relief and protection.
Together we can strengthen the U.S. and international response to Iraq's humanitarian crisis, and as we help Iraqis survive, rebuild their lives, and reclaim their country, we are planting the seeds of sustainable peace, development and self-determination for all Iraqis.
Photo caption: Iraqi Ambassador Samir Sumaida'ie addresses crowd of hundreds at National Forum to Respond to the Humanitarian Crisis facing Iraqis.
Smugglers' Paradise, Refugee Hell
To experts and historians, the Iraq Refugee Crisis is unprecedented. With well over 4 million Iraqis either internally displaced or forced to leave the country, the tales of horror and suffering are countless. As one Iraqi woman put it:
"If someone could describe what it is like to live in hell you would understand, than the world would understand what it is like to live in Baghdad. Every time somebody goes out you wonder if he or she will return. Every time a girl goes out you do not know if she will return or if she will be abducted, raped or murdered. It is like in hell."
For Iraqis, living in hell does not end when some of them seek refugee in neighboring countries. Many of them live in harsh conditions and faced by lack of legal status, work permits, and international support, they are heavily dependent on their own savings for financial support. In order to change this reality, Iraqis seek to relocate to other countries where they could enjoy better lives. One of the most popular destinations is Sweden. Getting to Sweden is not easy and once an Iraqi decides to get out of hell, hell will become paradise. Sadly, it is a paradise for smugglers not the Iraqi refugees. It is a paradise because it is a $300 million dollars industry for the smugglers.
EPIC came across a report that details the difficult journey of vulnerable and desperate Iraqi refugees from Syria to Sweden. The report was produced by the Kaliber radio show, an investigative journalism program on Swedish Radio. According to the report, the cost of smuggling one person is around $12000-15000 and despite this large amount of money, the refugees go through life-threatening experiences to reach their dream destination. Looking back at his experience, one refugee said "If I knew that the way would be so difficult, I would never have had taken this way. I might as well have got killed home in Iraq."
Click here to read entire report.
We find this report appalling and we invite you to join us in calling for increased support for the Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries and inside Iraq as well. The need for supporting these refugees is fiercely urgent as discussed by prominent Iraq scholars and NGO representatives during the Iraq Action Days.
You could help end such horrible stories by calling your Congress members and urging them to provide more support for vulnerable Iraqis and by supporting EPIC’s work.
Together we can make the vulnerable be in paradise before they go through hell.
Photo Caption: An elderly Iraqi refugee sleeps rough on the streets of Amman, Jordan. Even if Iraqis manage to flee the violence in their own country, they often face hardships in neighboring nations. Image Courtesy: © Dana Hazeen/IRIN
Monday, April 14, 2008
FORUM: Stabilize Iraq Through Strong U.S. Response to Humanitarian Crisis
Following the recent Petraeus-Crocker hearings largely ignoring the humanitarian crisis facing millions of Iraqis, leading experts just back from Iraq and the Middle East gathered with hundreds of constituents from across the U.S. on Monday for “Iraq Action Days.” This diverse coalition of leading U.S. non-governmental organizations (see list, below) shared the latest on-the-ground perspectives of the deepening humanitarian disaster, and recommended clear policy options and action to assist and protect millions of vulnerable Iraqis.
“On my recent trip to Iraq, it was completely clear that the country and the region are in the throes of a major humanitarian crisis. Tens of thousands of people -– the UN is estimating over a million –- do not even have access to clean water, food, or shelter, let alone adequate health services or educational opportunities,” said Heather Hanson, Director of Public Relations at Mercy Corps. “U.S. officials need to recognize that real stability in Iraq and the region depends upon our capacity to work together with the international community and Iraqi partners to support programs that provide the required emergency life-saving assistance, lay the groundwork for long-term reconciliation and development, and prevent further displacement.”
Bob Carey, Vice President of Resettlement Programs at the International Rescue Committee and Chair of Refugee Council USA, pointed out that “this is one of the fastest growing humanitarian crises in the world, yet the U.S. response has been largely slow, meager and halfhearted. Displaced Iraqis are growing more traumatized, sick and destitute every day, yet they find unimaginable the prospect of returning home safely any time soon. The scale of the emergency requires a significant global response, but the U.S. has a special responsibility to lead the way in aid and resettlement.”
"The people of Iraq and the United States are interconnected by the events over the past five years, and a growing number of Americans understand the need and obligation to help displaced Iraqis," said Ken Bacon, President of Refugees International. "The U.S. should be the global leader in resettling the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees, but we are lagging behind other countries. Most disturbing, we are failing to help many Iraqis who risked their lives to support U.S. forces and help with American reconstruction plans."
The conference featured consensus that:
• Vulnerable Iraqis who are in Iraq or who have fled to neighboring countries are in immediate and urgent need of the most basic humanitarian assistance.“This forum is only the beginning," said conference organizer Erik Gustafson, a veteran of the 1991 Gulf War and director of the Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC). “After last week’s Petraeus-Crocker hearings, Americans have more questions about the deepening humanitarian crisis facing millions of Iraqis: What is the U.S. doing about it? What should the U.S. be doing about it? If stability in Iraq is so important, why are humanitarian needs still going unmet for many Iraqi families, and why are so many vulnerable Iraqis still largely unprotected?"
• The United States should strengthen support to non-governmental organizations assisting vulnerable Iraqis and should fund at least 50 percent of amounts requested in appeals from international organizations providing humanitarian support to Iraqis.
• Many displaced Iraqis will never be able to return home safely. The United States should expedite the resettlement of vulnerable Iraqis and vastly increase the number admitted.
• The United States should significantly increase humanitarian assistance to countries hosting Iraqi refugees to ease the strain on their national systems, as well as press Iraq and other countries to also respond generously to meet these needs.
"The success of today's Iraq Action Days forum demonstrates that Americans and Iraqis alike are united in wanting to see stronger leadership and cooperation to address the humanitarian consequences of ongoing violence in Iraq," Gustafson concluded.
Photo caption (from left to right): RABIH TORBAY, Vice President of International Operations, International Medical Corps; SAMUEL M. WITTEN, Acting Asst. Sec. of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration; KATHLEEN NEWLAND, Director and co-founder of the Migration Policy Institute; and KEN BACON, President of Refugees International, discuss the U.S. and International Response to the Crisis at the Iraq Policy Forum (George Washington University, April 14, 2008).
Participating organizations: InterAction, Refugee Council USA, Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC), International Rescue Committee, 3D Security Initiative, Amnesty International USA, Chaldean Federation of America, Chaldean Assyrian Syriac Council of America, Church World Service, Center for Victims of Torture, The Episcopal Church, Human Rights First, International Medical Corps, Mandaean Associations Union, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Mercy Corps, NETWORK: a national Catholic Social Justice Lobby, North American Dominican Justice and Peace Promoters, Open Society Policy Center, Oxfam America, Refugees International, Veterans for Common Sense, Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, and World Relief.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Headlines 4/14/08
A selection of articles on Iraq from the past week.
Dreams of freedom bring Iraqi refugees here
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
April 12, 2008
Through tears, Iraqi refugee Nabil Aboosh explained what it meant to be in America with his family. "I just want to live," said Aboosh, 33, who landed Friday at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport with his wife, Sara Maha, 21, and their daughter, Nancy, 2.
Refugees fight forced return to Iraq war zones
Guardian (UK)
April 13, 2008
The United Nations last night accused the government of holding a 'sword of Damocles' over the heads of Iraqi refugees in Britain after it emerged that the Home Office had won a landmark test case giving it the power to return refugees to war-torn parts of their home country, including Basra and Baghdad.
Iraq Veterans Help New Immigrants
New York Times
April 12, 2008
Bullets whizzed past as "Sarah" translated for U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Shrapnel from a roadside blast hit her protective vest. In her off hours, she worried about retribution for helping the Americans. A sign reading "traitor" was posted on her family's door.
Iraq's National Identity Is Alive and Growing
Wall Street Journal
April 10, 2008
Those who see only serious problems within the Iraqi government and society miss the point. Iraqis are the first to admit to their shortcomings. What is important is that they are determined to overcome them. They also know it will be a long and painful process of incremental progress, punctuated by setbacks.
Iraqi Refugees Find Sweden’s Door Closing
Washington Post
April 10, 2008
"Even if they remake Iraq from gold and diamonds, I wouldn't go back," said Merzoian, 31, a computer programmer who said he arrived last year after a 10-day trip hidden in a smuggler's truck with his wife and two young children.
Syrian, Jordanian diplomats urge U.S. to share Iraqi refugee burden
Catholic News Service
April 9, 2008
"The situation is terrible and the burden" on Syria's resources and population is horrendous, said Imad Moustapha, Syrian ambassador to the U.S. The "United States is categorically refusing to help" solve the refugee crisis, "the largest exodus in the Middle East," he said.
Iraq oil production drops slightly as Baghdad criticized for spending oil proceeds
Iraq Oil Report
April 9, 2008
Iraq oil production decreased in March, along with OPEC as a whole, as Baghdad was pressed by Washington to spend more of its revenues, United Press International’s Ben Lando reports.
Iraq's Real Gains
Washington Post
April 9, 2008
Liberation offered us the opportunity to construct a new state, based on the rule of law and democratic principles. Unlike in the past, this Iraq would acknowledge and build upon its diverse ethnic and religious identities. That promise has not yet been fulfilled. Mistakes have been made, and few Iraqis doubt that political and economic reconstruction could have been handled better.
Senators Urge Bush to Appoint Official for Iraq Refugee Policy
Washington Post
April 8, 2008
Two leading Democratic senators have called for the Bush administration to appoint a senior official to coordinate overall U.S. policy for the more than 2 million refugees who have fled Iraq during the war and are now in Jordan, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries.
An advocate for Iraq's displaced Christians
Los Angeles Times
April 4, 2008
Over the last decade, DeKelaita has obtained asylum for hundreds of Iraqi Christians threatened with deportation. He travels the U.S. to counsel distraught, uprooted men and women who have fled religious persecution in Iraq.
Non-ID Palestinians in Lebanon limbo
BBC News
April 2, 2008
They are not even given the status of refugees. Legally, they don't seem to exist at all. They are among about 3,000 so-called "non-ID" Palestinians in Lebanon. Many don't qualify for aid and have been unable to leave the refugee camps, find jobs or even get married.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
The Iraqi Palestinian Crisis
Guest blog by Refugees International Senior Advocate Kristele Younes and Refugee Council USA Director Elizabeth Campbell
With a few notable exceptions, the international community has largely failed to respond to the urgent and particular needs of Palestinian refugees from Iraq. These refugees continue to be systematically targeted inside Iraq, denied asylum and protection by neighboring countries and the larger international community, and confined to inhospitable border camps. Palestinians are living under extremely hostile conditions and are in need of immediate access to asylum and voluntary durable solutions, including repatriation, local integration, and third country resettlement.
Palestinian refugees in Baghdad have little protection from the Iraqi government or the international community. At the time of the 2003 invasion, there were an estimated 34,000 refugees from Palestine who had lived as guests in Baghdad since 1948. These refugees were granted permission to work and access services, but they could not own property or garner citizenship. Since the start of the war, as non-Iraqis and non-citizens, Palestinians have been afforded little protection inside Iraq. In addition, because of their vulnerable circumstances, Palestinians have been especially targeted by a wide variety of armed groups who have threatened, detained, killed, and tortured many of them. Moreover, there has been no targeted aid or other assistance to these people in several years.
Palestinian refugees are among the few groups from Iraq that have been systematically denied asylum. Despite their vulnerability and great need, and unlike hundreds of thousands of other refugees from Iraq, Palestinians attempting to seek asylum in neighboring countries have largely been denied entry, especially to urban centers. They have instead been confined to desert border camps. While the Jordanian camp was recently closed, three such camps remain in and around Syria. One camp, Al-Tanf, is located in the no-man’s land between Iraq and Syria. These refugees are stranded at the border and have been repeatedly denied asylum. Refugees with chronic illnesses, including cancer, have been denied access to treatment. Similarly, over 1,900 Palestinians living in Al-Walid also have little access to services beyond the camp. The 300 Palestinians in Al-Hol can access health care and education but must otherwise live in the camp. This differs radically from the 300,000 other Palestinian refugees who have lived in Syria with full access to jobs and services.
Palestinian refugees are subjected to deportation. A few thousand Palestinians from Iraq were able to enter Syria clandestinely. Of 700 families, one in three households is female-headed. There are also many children. In recent weeks about two hundred of these refugees have been deported to Al-Tanf Camp. Unlike other refugees from Iraq, Palestinians are actively being targeted and deported.
The future of Palestinians from Iraq remains bleak. Though they are refugees from 1948, Palestinians living in border camps are under the UNHCR mandate rather than the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). UNHCR has long advocated that these refugees are the most vulnerable refugees from Iraq and are therefore in need of immediate durable solutions. Until now Israel has not granted safe passage to allow some of them to reunite with family members in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Currently, there are no local integration options available to them, as they remain stranded in confined camps. Moreover, they cannot return safely to Baghdad. Finally, only Brazil and Chile have graciously agreed to protect some of these refugees. While there is some new interest by a few European countries to possibly consider protecting Palestinians, the U.S. should be leading the effort to help facilitate permanent solutions for these refugees—many of whom have been violently uprooted and displaced for the second or third time.
Guest blog by Refugees International Senior Advocate Kristele Younes and Refugee Council USA Director Elizabeth Campbell
