Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Syria, Jordan urge UNHCR to create refugee camps for Iraqis
Humanitarian
(AP Worldstream) - Emergency camps to host Iraqis fleeing their country could be built if their numbers increase beyond the point where neighboring nations can cope, the U.N. refugee agency said Monday. Already about two million Iraqis are living under difficult conditions in Syria, Jordan, and other countries in the region, where they are placing a heavy burden on their hosts, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees' director for the Middle East and North Africa said.
"If the situation continues to deteriorate inside Iraq, and if new and major waves of Iraqis start leaving, we might face a situation whereby borders all around Iraq are closed," Radhouane Nouicer told reporters after returning from a visit to the region. To avoid the closing of borders, UNHCR would set up camps in Jordan, Syria, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, effectively separating the refugees from the local population and economy, he said. "The countries neighboring Iraq would prefer that we establish what they call 'safety zones' inside Iraq," he said. "We do not see any area inside Iraq which is completely safe, so we prefer to drop that option."
According to the agency, Syria has taken in some 1.2 million Iraqis, and Jordan his hosting between 500,00 and 750,000. Egypt has 120,000 refugees, and another 200,000 Iraqis have found shelter in the countries of the Persian Gulf. Even Lebanon, which had its own refugee crisis during the conflict with Israel last summer, is home to at least 20,000 Iraqi refugees. Thousands more are leaving Iraq daily.
"If the situation continues to deteriorate inside Iraq, and if new and major waves of Iraqis start leaving, we might face a situation whereby borders all around Iraq are closed," Radhouane Nouicer told reporters after returning from a visit to the region. To avoid the closing of borders, UNHCR would set up camps in Jordan, Syria, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, effectively separating the refugees from the local population and economy, he said. "The countries neighboring Iraq would prefer that we establish what they call 'safety zones' inside Iraq," he said. "We do not see any area inside Iraq which is completely safe, so we prefer to drop that option."
According to the agency, Syria has taken in some 1.2 million Iraqis, and Jordan his hosting between 500,00 and 750,000. Egypt has 120,000 refugees, and another 200,000 Iraqis have found shelter in the countries of the Persian Gulf. Even Lebanon, which had its own refugee crisis during the conflict with Israel last summer, is home to at least 20,000 Iraqi refugees. Thousands more are leaving Iraq daily.
Labels: refugees, region, UNHCR
