Iraq Mission

Over the last two days, Said and I have met with Iraqi refugees, representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

We were told by refugees, the UNHCR, and NGOs that in the last few weeks Iraqi children have been registering for enrollment in public schools throughout Jordan, following the decision of the Jordanian government to allow Iraqis to attend public schools even if Iraqi families do not have residency. This is a very important step for refugee families because the placement of children in school should ensure that they will be allowed to remain in the country throughout the academic school year.

The impossible decisions of an Iraqi refugee
We continue to document refugee testimonies illustrating the extremely high level of violence in Iraq, and the persecution suffered by many Iraqi people. We met one man who fled Iraq after multiple members of his family were targeted and killed due to their religion. Because his life was in great danger, he was forced to leave his pregnant wife and young child in Iraq. The man is Sunni and his wife is Shi'a. Marriage between Sunni and Shi'a was not at all uncommon in the past, but such families are now in danger as neighborhoods are cleared for members of only one religious viewpoint. His wife and child have tried to leave Iraq but they have been denied permission to enter another country. If he leaves Jordan, he may not be able to return.

Iraqi refugees are forced to make these impossible decisions every day in attempting to secure protection from persecution. The international community must do more to ensure:

• that refugees have meaningful access to protection
• that neighboring countries are supported so that their borders remain accessible
• and that families are not forced to separate without any assurance of safety

Sarnata Reynolds
AIUSA Refugee Program Director

We spent the whole of Saturday meeting Iraqi refugees. Some had fled from Iraq as much as two years ago but others as recently as last week. It was quite staggering. Literally everyone that we met had lost at least one family member through "disappearance" or murder. Many of the refugees we interviewed did not know who had taken or killed their family members although, of course, they had their suspicions. There had simply been no one present to witness the abductions or murders, or those responsible had not worn uniforms or anything that could enable them to be readily identified. The thought of not even knowing who is responsible for the murder or abduction of a family member is difficult to contemplate. I can scarcely imagine what it must be like to experience and have to cope with such tragedy.

Gloomy prospects for early return home
Everyone we met had fled after the murder or abduction of a family member. Some had received death threats themselves. Some had learnt that other members of their families had been killed since they left. Most of the refugees did not know what they would do next, how they could start to begin to repair their lives, and they were uncertain as to how long they will be permitted to remain in Jordan. All of them were convinced that the continuing violence in Iraq meant that it was too unsafe for them to have any possibility of returning to Iraq anytime in the near future.

Sarnata Reynolds AIUSA Refugee Program Director

September 2007: Amnesty International's fact finding mission to assess the current situation of Iraqi refugees in Jordan.

Why the mission?

Approximately 2.2 million Iraqis are displaced within their own country and another 2.5 million refugees have fled Iraq. This displacement crisis is continuing to worsen as an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 people reportedly flee violence and persecution in Iraq each month. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 2000 people are fleeing to Syria each day. These refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are targets of persecution due to their political opinions, ethnicities, religious affiliations, and sexual orientations, to name just a few factors. Many of the Iraqi refugees and IDPs fear persecution because they worked closely with and helped the U.S. military, U.S. contractors, media, and humanitarian organizations.

Why now?

In March and July 2007, Amnesty International (AI) sent fact-finding missions to Jordan and Syria. The delegations met with many Iraqi nationals, representatives of national and international NGOs, and government officials, including representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Interior and Education. It was clear that the authorities and many local and international non-governmental groups are making significant efforts to respond to the refugees' needs, but that these are not sufficient due to the massive displacement and the likelihood that this will continue while the security situation in Iraq remains so dire.

What do we want to find out?

From September 7 through 17, our own Refugee Program Director, Sarnata Reynolds, will return with AI to Jordan. The mission will assess the current situation of Iraqi refugees in Jordan, evaluate access to education and healthcare, and explore how other nations are supporting the Jordanian government in its hosting of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees.

How will we help Iraqi refugees with our mission?

Between September 25-28, Sarnata will travel to Geneva with an AI delegation to discuss findings with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Upon her return to the U.S., she will brief the U.S. government, media and the NGO community on mission observations and recommendations.