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Arab League launches Iraqi refugee fund-raising and awareness campaign

Press Releases, 10 January 2008

10 January 2008

CAIRO – The League of Arab States, in partnership with the UN refugee agency and other international organisations, is launching on Friday a major fund-raising and public awareness campaign called 'Arabs Hand-in-Hand with Iraqis' aimed at helping displaced Iraqis in neighbouring countries.

"'Arabs Hand-in-Hand with Iraqis' is first and foremost a show of support and solidarity to displaced Iraqis. But, we certainly hope and count on the generosity of Arabs to lend a supporting hand to the most vulnerable of Iraqis in neighbouring countries," said Amre Moussa, Secretary-General of the Cairo-based League of Arab States.

UNHCR is helping provide protection and assistance for Iraqi refugees including education and health care, food aid and direct financial support to the most vulnerable families. But more needs to be done.

"The Iraqi people have suffered extreme hardship. Women, children, entire families have witnessed terrible violence and despair. They have left behind families, homes, belongings, and memories – their entire lives," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres in a video message to support the campaign.

"I appeal to you to support your Iraqi brothers and sisters.... Your voice and helping hand can make a profound difference," Guterres added.

The campaign will be launched on Friday with major coverage on Arab satellite television channels including Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya and the Egyptian Satellite Channel as well as more than a dozen different channels in the Arab world. The aim is to raise awareness of the refugees' plight through advertising, feature stories, documentaries, refugee testimonials and call for donations.

Arab celebrities, led by popular Arab Iraqi musician Naseer Shamma who is spearheading the campaign, have joined forces and recorded video messages to raise awareness about the crisis facing refugees and to appeal to fellow citizens to donate to the fund-raising campaign.

Shamma approached the League in October offering to help after watching a documentary on Iraqi refugees in neighbouring countries. "Ever since I saw this film, I have not been able to sleep well knowing that many Iraqi families are facing the harsh winter cold, away from home, unable to afford the cost of feeding their children and struggling to make ends need," the musician said.

In September, the League of Arab States in line with a resolution by its member states, established a special account for governments, private sector and individuals to contribute funds in support of displaced Iraqis in neighbouring countries.

In preparation for the campaign, Shamma visited UNHCR's operation in Syria where he met some of the estimated 1.4 million Iraqi refugees in the country.

"I did not know before today that there are many layers [of Iraqi refugees] under the poverty line. UNHCR has done its share but it is time now for the Arab people to do their share and support Iraqi refugees," the virtuoso oud player told a press conference held at the Arab League to announce the beginning of the fund-raising campaign.

The UN refugee agency estimates more than 2.2 million Iraqis are displaced inside Iraq, while over two million refugees have fled to other countries. The majority of the refugees are in Syria and Jordan, living in urban areas such as Damascus and Amman. Many of them are running out of money and finding it increasingly difficult to get by. In addition to direct assistance to some of the most vulnerable refugees, UNHCR is supporting efforts by governments in the region which are struggling to cope with the huge numbers of Iraqis who have strained local resources and infrastructure, including schools and health systems.

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Alerting donors, organizations and individuals to the plight of millions of uprooted people.

Crisis in Iraq: Displacement

UNHCR and its partners estimate that out of a total population of 26 million, some 1.9 million Iraqis are currently displaced internally and more than 2 million others have fled to nearby countries. While many people were displaced before 2003, increasing numbers of Iraqis are now fleeing escalating sectarian, ethnic and general violence. Since January 2006, UNHCR estimates that more than 800,000 Iraqis have been uprooted and that 40,000 to 50,000 continue to flee their homes every month. UNHCR anticipates there will be approximately 2.3 million internally displaced people within Iraq by the end of 2007. The refugee agency and its partners have provided emergency assistance, shelter and legal aid to displaced Iraqis where security has allowed.

In January 2007, UNHCR launched an initial appeal for US$60 million to fund its Iraq programme. Despite security issues for humanitarian workers inside the country, UNHCR and partners hope to continue helping up to 250,000 of the most vulnerable internally displaced Iraqis and their host communities

Posted on 12 June 2007

Crisis in Iraq: Displacement

Non-Iraqi Refugees in Jordan

After Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled in Iraq in 2003, groups of refugees who had lived in the country for many years tried to leave the chaos and lawlessness that soon ensued. Hundreds of people started fleeing to the border with Jordan, including Palestinians in Baghdad and Iranian Kurds from the Al Tash refugee camp in central Iraq.

Aside from a few Palestinians with family connections inside the neighbouring country, the refugees were refused entry and free movement in Jordan. Thousands were soon stranded in the no-man's land between Iraq and Jordan or at the desert camp of Ruweished, located 60 kilometres inside Jordan.

Since 2003, Palestinians, Iranian Kurds, Iranians, Sudanese and Somalis have been living there and suffering the scorching heat and freezing winters of the Jordanian desert. UNHCR and its partners have provided housing and assistance and tried to find solutions – the agency has helped resettle more than 1,000 people in third countries. At the beginning of 2007, a total of 119 people – mostly Palestinians – remained in Ruweished camp without any immediate solution in sight.

Posted on 20 February 2007

Non-Iraqi Refugees in Jordan

Iraqi Refugees in Jordan

The UN refugee agency has launched a US$60 million appeal to fund its work helping hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people. The new appeal concludes that unremitting violence in Iraq will likely mean continued mass internal and external displacement affecting much of the surrounding region. The appeal notes that the current exodus is the largest long-term population movement in the Middle East since the displacement of Palestinians following the creation of Israel in 1948.

UNHCR has warned that the longer this conflict goes on, the more difficult it will become for the hundreds of thousands of displaced and the communities that are trying to help them – both inside and outside Iraq. Because the burden on host communities and governments in the region is enormous, it is essential that the international community support humanitarian efforts.

The US$60 million will cover UNHCR's protection and assistance programmes for Iraqi refugees in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt and Turkey, as well as non-Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people within Iraq itself.

Posted on 10 January 2007

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