BorderWatch:Syria
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RI: World Must Resettle Stateless Refugees from No-Man's-Lands
A delegation of international refugee advocates has returned from a visit to the notorious border camps on the Syrian-Iraqi border where 3,000 stateless Palestinian refugees are trapped, fleeing sectarian violence in Iraq, but unable to enter Syria without legal status.
Refugees International (RI), the Washington-based refugee rights group, participated in the delegation, and has released a two-page statement describing harrowing conditions in the camps and recommending measures to address the plight of the trapped Palestinian refugees:
Having fled killings, kidnappings, torture, and death threats, about 3,000 Palestinian refugees from Iraq are currently stranded in three camps along the border between Syria and Iraq. Denied asylum and refugee rights, they are extremely vulnerable in poorly situated camps. The Syrian...
Fleeing Iraq
Palestinians Endure Harsh Conditions in al-Tanf Camp: Eyewitness
RI.
Iraqi Palestinian children in al-Tanf refugee camp on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
In the no-man's-land on the Iraqi-Syrian border, sandwiched between a heavily traveled highway and a 20-foot-high concrete wall, 780 stateless Palestinians endure harsh conditions in al-Tanf Camp, which Joel Charny of Refugees International calls one of the "top five worst" refugee camps in the world. Returning from an international delegation to al-Tanf, Charny describes what he saw in a post on the Refugees International website, describing the mix of frustration, hope, and even humor expressed in a skit staged by the camp's children. Full text below:
Al Tanf camp for Palestinian refugees from Iraq has to be in the top five of worst situated refugee camps in the world. It violates every principle of proper camp siting. In the no man's land between Syria and Iraq, it is within the border zone itself. It is completely exposed on one side to a...
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Assessing Situation of Displaced in Syria and Lebanon, Recommendations
Below is full text of a statement issued today by the advocacy organization Refugees International, whose staff recently returned from assessing the conditions of Iraqi refugees in Syria and Lebanon. Read a full report below.
Few Iraqi Refugees Willing to Return Home
Refugees International reports that support to Iraqis in neighboring countries must be continued
Washington, D.C. - In a field report released today, Refugees International highlights that millions of Iraqi refugees are unlikely and unwilling to return to Iraq in the foreseeable future. The report noted that members of religious minorities, former members of the Baath party and those who fought in Saddam Hussein's army are unlikely to safely return to Iraq, while the latter groups will not be welcome by...
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Some Class Sizes Reach 55 as Kids, Schools Struggle to Adapt
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RI: Palestinian Refugees Remain Iraq's Most Vulnerable Displaced Population
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Says 1.5 Million Iraqi Refugees in Syria, 1,200 More Arrive Each Day
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Alive in Baghdad's Rare Look at the Struggle to Survive in the Syrian Economy
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Many Reasons for Going Home to Iraq, Most Waiting for Security, Services
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Damascus Getting Positive Nods for Effort, But Will US Budge Stance?
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UNHCR Cites Visa, Money Problems as Main Reasons Iraqis Return Home
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Syria's New Visa Restrictions Hit Displaced Iraqi Families
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Investment Deal Includes Cement, Glass, Rubber, Auto, Food, and Other Sectors
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CBS Scoops: Syrian President Tells Couric "Nobody Can Seal This Border"
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UN Urges Damascus Have "Humantiarian Component" in Assessing Iraqi Entry
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From Exile in Damascus, Sameer Muhammad Paints Scenes of Home
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US Officials Urge Iraqi Prime Minister to Send "Strong Message" to Syrian Leader
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Damascus Strains Under US$60 Million Pricetag for 1.5 Million+ Iraqis
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Ahmed's Voided Passport Creates Anxiety, Redemption
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UN Urges Iraqi Refugees to Enroll Children in Syrian Schools
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Alive in Baghdad Reports from Sayyida Zaynab, Iraqi Expats' Home in Syria
