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Background and fact sheet on Iraq refugees
[ In October, 2007, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton traveled to Amman, Jordan and Damascus, Syria with Lily Yeh, Philadelphia Artist, and Johanna Berrigan, Physician Assistant, House of Grace Catholic Worker, Philadelphia to learn more about the situation of Iraqi refugees. Hosted by Gabe Huck and Theresa Kubasak of the Iraqi Student Project, we were able to visit with Iraqi families and investigate the possibility of establishing a healing art project for Iraqi families who have been traumatized by war and displacement.]
In the largest refugee crisis in the Middle East since 1948, the International Office of Migration reports that 5.1 million Iraqis have been displaced within their own country or as refugees abroad. More than 2 million Iraqis are living - rather they are eking out an existence - in neighboring Syria and Jordan.
Worse still is the situation for Iraqis displaced inside Iraq. There is no peace, no security, and unending violence. Displaced Iraqis have to pay rent for living in a different part of the country, are not able to work and face limited services from government departments and NGO’s. Internally displaced persons are also subjected and targeted to random bombings and threats.
It is important to note that neither Jordan nor Syria is a signatory of the 1951 UN Convention on refugees which guarantees certain minimal rights. Neither government refers to Iraqis in their country as “refugees,” but as “guests.” Neither Jordan nor Syria issues work permits to refugees. Thus, almost all employment is illegal. Every single family that we met with are becoming desperate because their resources are dwindling. This is particularly tragic for families with members who have chronic illnesses and young children.
Many Iraqi children are not attending school because of lack of financial support by their families. Therefore children end up skipping school in order to financially support the family.Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Syria receive free childhood vaccinations, but obtaining treatment for chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cancer is very costly and difficult for Iraqi refugees.
Most refugees left Iraq because of terrible violence. Family members or friends had been kidnapped, threatened, or killed. Many have been threatened by members of the militia, “ leave or we will kill you.” There is a tremendous need for compassionate trauma healing.
~Johanna Berrigan