Statement by Mr. António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to the League of Arab States, Cairo, 4 March 2007

(Check against delivery)

Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,

I am very honoured to have been invited here today, as UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Since the very beginning, Arab tradition, Arab culture and Islamic law have been the solid foundation for the protection and well-being of the people that justify our mandate.

Looking back through history, the most direct lines between tradition and contemporary refugee law is found in Islam. From its very beginnings, from the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet, Islamic law has considered the question of asylum at length and has given the asylum-seeker ("Al mustamin") prominence, dignity and respect. A community's moral duty and behaviour always included how it responded to appeals for asylum. The extradition of "Al mustamin" was explicitly prohibited. Known as non-refoulement, this same principle is today considered the cornerstone of international refugee law.

The institution of "Aman" calls for the protection of those who seek asylum and guarantees it. Asylum for believers and also for non-believers, as clearly stated in the Surat At-Taubah (verse 6): "and if anyone of the disbelievers seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah, and then escort him to where he will be secure, that is because they are men who know not." This is a comprehensive view of asylum - for the refugee, his family and his property.

Protection linked in particular to the most holy places, as clearly stressed in the Surat Al-Baqarah (verse 125): "and (remember) when We made the House a place of resort for mankind a place for safety", as well as in the Hadith of the Prophet: "He who enters the Holy Mosque in Makka shall be secure and he who enters the residence of Abu Sufian shall be secure, and he who is no longer carrying his weapon shall be secure, and he who confined himself indoors shall also be secure."

In the early days of Islam, the Hijra to Abyssinia was undertaken to avoid persecution, as was the Prophet's Hijra with his companions from Makka to Madina.

Asylum as an act of mercy but also, as many scholars point out, as a true contract between the asylum-seeker and the provider of asylum, linking the rights of the first with the duties of the second. This is a remarkably "modern" view.

In fact, Islamic law and tradition includes all the norms codified later and provides an invaluable foundation for the legal framework my Office operates with.

At UNHCR, our actions and our mandate are grounded in international refugee law, particularly the 1951 Refugee Convention. What is really important, however, is not the label given to someone - whether he or she is called a refugee or not - but the tangible protection given to that person.

Because they already espouse these same values, I can say here with confidence that it is very easy for Arab countries to sign the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. Doing so, of course, remains your sovereign right.

The tradition and practice of protection is very much alive in the work of the League of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. UNHCR is working closely with the OIC to organize a conference this November on refugees in its member states, to be held in Pakistan. The relevance of our partnership can be seen in this quote from the Declaration on Human Rights in Islam, adopted in 1990 by the OIC in this same city: "every man ... if persecuted, is entitled to seek asylum in another country. The country of refuge shall ensure his protection until he reaches safety".

Being here with you I feel compelled to issue an appeal. An appeal to the Muslim world, and in particular the Arab world, to play a greater role in the discussion, formulation and implementation of international refugee policy. Today, the majority of refugees worldwide are Muslim, a fact that occurs at a time of rising intolerance. Even in the most developed societies, we see the re-emergence of racism, xenophobia and that brand of populism which always tries to generate confusion in the public opinion between refugees, migrants and even terrorists. Let us be perfectly clear: refugees are not terrorists, they are the first victims of terror.

Let us be perfectly clear: refugees are not terrorists, they are the first victims of terror.

The same attitudes have generated widespread misperceptions about Islam, of which Muslim refugees have so frequently been the victims. This is something that we at UNHCR cannot accept. It is our duty to respond, to fight those attitudes and to bring out the truth. Your presence, your voice, and your influence will be extremely important in making that possible. We would very much welcome governments represented here today to be more involved in UNHCR's governing body.

UNHCR is a multilateral humanitarian organization which prides itself on inclusive policy making, from small operations to those as large and complex as Darfur.

What we seek is the development of a true strategic partnership that is even more important than financial and other forms of support. We cannot overlook, however, that some of our operations in the Muslim world have been systematically underfunded. Our present donor base is, as you know, concentrated in a very small number of countries. I feel deep distress that we have not been able to provide more support to Somalis in Yemen and Sudanese in Egypt, to give just two examples. In these cases as in others, the generosity of host countries has not been matched by that of the international community.

Excellencies,

It is in this context that I want to evoke Iraq.

The eyes of the world have been focused on the military and political dimensions of the crisis, highlighted every single day by the global media. But not enough attention has been given to the humanitarian tragedy that accompanies it.

The biggest displacement crisis in the Middle East since the dramatic events of 1948 has now forced one in eight Iraqis from their homes. Some 1.8 million Iraqis are currently displaced internally and up to 2 million others have fled the country. Last year alone, we estimate that nearly 500,000 Iraqis moved to other areas inside the country. At the current rate of 40,000 to 50,000 a month, up to 2.3 million people might be internally displaced by the end of 2007.

The situation is dire too for non-Iraqi refugees inside the country, especially the Palestinians. While Palestinians are cared for by UNRWA within that agency's mandate area, to whose action and independence I pay tribute here, they come under UNHCR's responsibility in other countries. We will need your help to end their terrible plight.

The impact of the tragedy in Iraq has been felt first of all by the Iraqis themselves. But two neighbouring countries, Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic, have shouldered the heaviest share of the humanitarian burden with more than 1 million Iraqis now in Syria and up to 750,000 in Jordan. It is important to recognize the extreme generosity of Jordan and Syria, to a large extent left to face the crisis on their own owing to the lack of effective support from the international community. And here I have no problem recognizing that UNHCR itself has not done enough.

Refugees have also spilled over to Egypt (over 100,000), Lebanon (40,000), Iran (50,000) and Turkey (over 5,000) and, in varying numbers, to countries everywhere.

The large majority remains though in Jordan and Syria. I fully understand the concern of the two governments for their national security and the fears that sectarian violence could spill across the borders. It is also important to recognize the effect of these arrivals on their economy, society and infrastructure. Medicine is in short supply, the price of basic foodstuffs is climbing, schools are overcrowded and rents have skyrocketed.

It is my duty, as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, to ask those two countries to go on granting protection to those who have sought refuge on their soil. But it is also my duty to ask the international community for more responsibility-sharing with those countries bearing the brunt of the burden and solidarity with the refugees themselves. That means of course financial, economic and technical support, but also opening doors for meaningful numbers of resettlement opportunities for the most vulnerable Iraqis.

For such huge numbers, it is evident that local integration is not an option as a durable solution. Resettlement can provide an answer for the most vulnerable, but it is obvious that the true solution for the overwhelming majority of Iraqi refugees will be their voluntary return - as soon as security conditions permit.

it is obvious that the true solution for the overwhelming majority of Iraqi refugees will be their voluntary return - as soon as security conditions permit.

Excellencies,

UNHCR and the broader humanitarian community only deal with the symptoms, as a nurse deals with the visible signs of an illness. The underlying cause and the cure for that illness are clearly political.

UNHCR and the broader humanitarian community only deal with the symptoms, as a nurse deals with the visible signs of an illness. The underlying cause and the cure for that illness are clearly political.

As humanitarians we must hope all relevant political actors will each do its part to remedy the cause. For the present, we must go on treating the symptoms and advocating for undivided and unstinting support from the international community.

On 17 and 18 April, we will hold a conference on the humanitarian needs of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons. Our plea will not be for ourselves, but for the needs of Iraqis and neighbouring countries. The aim is to sensitize the international community to the humanitarian dimension of the situation and to seek its commitments to address these enormous - and growing - problems.

UNHCR has made a clear commitment to scale up its activities in the region. We have launched our own appeal for funds to be better able to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable Iraqis in neighbouring States and the displaced inside Iraq.

But here the efforts of my Office on its own will be only a drop in the ocean. A clear, global commitment from the international community is needed, and the solution cannot be found without you.

Excellencies,

In the values of Islam and Arab tradition, we recognize one of the most solid foundations for our work.

For UNHCR, a true strategic partnership with the Arab world is necessary. Your engagement represents the engagement of over 14 centuries of history shaped by a continuous tradition of generosity and hospitality. In the values of Islam and Arab tradition, we recognize one of the most solid foundations for our work. We know that refugees worldwide, in their plight, could not find a better ally.

Thank you.