An Iraqi refugee looks out over Amman, Jordan. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called on the international community to increase aid and assistance to the two countries shouldering the bulk of displaced Iraqis. Syria and Jordan have received the largest number of Iraqi refugees and are having difficulty coping with the numbers. The appeal was made by UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond at a press conference on Friday at the Palais des Nations in Geneva , Switzerland. He criticized governments for earlier expressing concern and pledging support for the refugees but not following through on promises. "Syria and Jordan have still received next to nothing in bilateral help from the world community," said Redmond. The president of Refugees International , Ken Bacon, agrees that a more comprehensive approach to the situation is required and believes that it would be good investment for the United States to increase its aid to the region. "The United States ought to be pumping money into Jordan and Syria," Bacon suggests. He feels that the sheer numbers of refugees can have a destabilizing influence in the Middle East. However, the complicated diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Syria has resulted in slow progress, according to Bacon, as bilateral discussions have not taken place and the UN is forced to mediate. Jordan and Syria impose restrictions on refugees Map of Iraq. Both Jordan and Syria have put in place new entry and residency conditions, which has resulted in thousands of refugees being stranded on Iraq's borders. Families have been separated based on a person's age and type of passport held. Jordan and Syria have not signed on to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees . The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch has been critical of Jordan and Syria on their policy of returning refugees, saying they "are violating on a daily basis the most fundamental principle of refugee protection – nonrefoulement , which prohibits the return of refugees to persecution or serious harm." Nasser Hikmat Jaafar drove 900 km from Baghdad with his family to reach Jordan in mid-June, 2007. Half of his family was refused entry to Jordan. "They allowed entry just for my wife and two daughters and denied me and my three sons. They didn't tell us the reasons, but just said they are fed up with men of such ages [between 20 and 40 years old]," said Jaafar. He changed plans and traveled with all his family to the Syrian border, a distance of approximately 500 km from Iraq's Jordanian border. United States Government resettlement program Paula Dobriansky, U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs. The United States government has a program set up for Iraqi asylum seekers in Jordan who meet specific criteria. If they meet the requirements, listed below, they may be eligible for resettlement under the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Interested asylum seekers are encouraged to apply directly with the U.S. Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) in Amman , Jordan, which is operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Individual Iraqis and their immediate family that meet one of the conditions below may seek access through the direct program: In a February 14, 2007 press briefing, U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky addressed the Iraq refugee crisis. "Our key immediate objectives are to assist internally displaced Iraqis and Iraqi refugees by building up the capacities of UN agencies and NGOs," said Dobriansky. "This includes increasing opportunities for permanent resettlement for the most vulnerable Iraqis, to establish specialized programs to assist Iraqis who are at risk because of their employment or close association with the United States Government, to work diplomatically with regional governments through bilateral and multilateral channels to uphold the principle of first asylum," she continued.
An Iraqi refugee looks out over Amman, Jordan. The (UNHCR) called on the international community to increase aid and assistance to the two countries shouldering the bulk of displaced Iraqis. Syria and Jordan have received the largest number of Iraqi and are having difficulty coping with the numbers. The appeal was made by UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond at a press conference on Friday at the in , Switzerland. He criticized governments for earlier expressing concern and pledging support for the refugees but not following through on promises. "Syria and Jordan have still received next to nothing in bilateral help from the world community," said Redmond. The president of , Ken Bacon, agrees that a more comprehensive approach to the situation is required and believes that it would be good investment for the United States to increase its aid to the region. "The United States ought to be pumping money into Jordan and Syria," Bacon suggests. He feels that the sheer numbers of refugees can have a destabilizing influence in the Middle East. However, the complicated diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Syria has resulted in slow progress, according to Bacon, as bilateral discussions have not taken place and the UN is forced to mediate. Jordan and Syria impose restrictions on refugees Map of Iraq. Both Jordan and Syria have put in place new entry and residency conditions, which has resulted in thousands of refugees being stranded on Iraq's borders. Families have been separated based on a person's age and type of passport held. Jordan and Syria have not signed on to the UN . The non-governmental organization has been critical of Jordan and Syria on their policy of returning refugees, saying they "are violating on a daily basis the most fundamental principle of refugee protection – , which prohibits the return of refugees to persecution or serious harm." Nasser Hikmat Jaafar drove 900 km from with his family to reach Jordan in mid-June, 2007. Half of his family was refused entry to Jordan. "They allowed entry just for my wife and two daughters and denied me and my three sons. They didn't tell us the reasons, but just said they are fed up with men of such ages [between 20 and 40 years old]," said Jaafar. He changed plans and traveled with all his family to the Syrian border, a distance of approximately 500 km from Iraq's Jordanian border. United States Government resettlement program Paula Dobriansky, U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs. The United States government has a program set up for Iraqi asylum seekers in Jordan who meet specific criteria. If they meet the requirements, listed below, they may be eligible for resettlement under the (USRAP). Interested asylum seekers are encouraged to apply directly with the U.S. Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) in , Jordan, which is operated by the (IOM). Individual Iraqis and their immediate family that meet one of the conditions below may seek access through the direct program: In a February 14, 2007 press briefing, U.S. addressed the Iraq refugee crisis. "Our key immediate objectives are to assist internally displaced Iraqis and Iraqi refugees by building up the capacities of UN agencies and NGOs," said Dobriansky. "This includes increasing opportunities for permanent resettlement for the most vulnerable Iraqis, to establish specialized programs to assist Iraqis who are at risk because of their employment or close association with the United States Government, to work diplomatically with regional governments through bilateral and multilateral channels to uphold the principle of first asylum," she continued.
D
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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refugees
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Palais des Nations in Geneva
in
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Refugees International
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Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
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Human Rights Watch
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nonrefoulement
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Baghdad
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United States Refugee Admissions Program
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Amman
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International Organization for Migration
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Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Paula J. Dobriansky