Obama and Clinton Acknowledge Refugee Crisis

In last night's Democratic debate, the war in Iraq received some considerable attention. Sen. Obama pointed out that he and Sen. Clinton both believe that addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region is a critical component of any future strategy in Iraq. His exact words:

Both of us have said we would make sure that our embassies and our civilians are protected. Both of us have said that we've got to care for Iraqi civilians, including the 4 million who have been displaced already. We already have a humanitarian crisis and we have not taken those responsibilities seriously.

We're glad to hear the presidential candidates begin to lead a national conversation that acknowledges a refugee crisis whose scale is almost beyond comprehension - and a U.S. obligation to take responsibility for that crisis.

No mention of Iraq's Displacement Crisis

Well, the President has just finished his State of the Union address and stepped off the podium. He highlighted recent security improvements in Iraq and the planned draw down of several U.S. army brigades, but did not make any reference or commitment of assistance to Iraqi refugees.

President Bush did speak briefly about the crisis in Darfur, noting the importance of "changing conditions that breed resentment and despair. " Refugees in Darfur urgently need assistance, and I am grateful the President drew attention to the crisis they face. But our humanitarian obligations extend to Iraqi refugees as well. Asylum for 2.2 million Iraqi refugees in the region is extremely precarious. Many are surviving on remittances sent by family and friends abroad or rapidly depleting savings. It is extreemly difficult for most to access heath care or education.

In Jordan, an Iraqi who had been attacked and lost a brother because he served as a translator for US troops in Anbar province told me this: "For Iraqi refugees like me, yesterday was better than today, and tomorrow will be even worse." It makes no sense to commit to providing security and improvements in daily life for those in Iraq, but to leave Iraqis who have been forced to flee their country living in despair.

State of the Union-- improvements in daily life?

The President just cited the work of provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq and their efforts "to make sure improved security was followed by improvements in daily life."

I want to quickly draw attention to the dire humanitarian situation of 2.4 million internally displaced Iraqis, as laid out in the International Organization for Migration's 2007 Iraq Displacement Year in Review. Only 22 % have access to the public food distribution system and 31 % say that their property is occupied by other citizens. The U.S. can and should be doing much more to ensure that internally displaced Iraqis have access to food, shelter, clean water, and medical care.

State of the Union

The president has yet to mention Iraq, or refugees, in his address tonight, but he has already taken one significant action in relation to Iraqi refugees. Earlier today, President Bush Signs H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 into law.

The Act, now law, contains provisions introduced by Senators Kennedy and Smith which will make it significantly easier for some Iraqis-- in particular those who have close ties to the united states-- to receive protection and asylum here. It creates 5,000 special immigrant visas for Iraqis who have worked with the U.S and makes them eligible for the same benefits as other Iraqi refugees. The bill also establishes requirements for a system that will allow Iraqis to seek admission to the US refugee program without leaving their country first-- a necessity since the states bordering Iraq have closed their borders to refugees. Many thanks to Senators Kennedy, Smith, and the full bipartisan list of co-sponsors. Many thanks to the e-activists, Iraqi and American friends, and RCUSA coalition partners who helped bring this bill to life.

The President is speaking about Iraq now, so I have to sign off and listen!

State of the Union- Live Blog

Tonight, President Bush will deliver his final State of the Union address and U.S. strategy in Iraq is sure to be one main focus of the speech. Sincere thanks to the more than 7200 people who took action this weekend and asked the president to acknowledge our obligation to Iraqi refugees, increase resettlement of the most vulnerable, and provide aid to help those Iraqis who remain displaced in the region.

I'll be watching at 9.00 pm and blogging live during the address to monitor and respond to the President's comments regarding the United States' humanitarian obligation in Iraq.

UNHCR Releases Trauma Study

UNHCR has just released results of a trauma study carried out among Iraqi refugees in Syria. The results speak for themselves. 754 people were interviewed. Every single person interviewed reported experiencing at least one traumatic event before they fled Iraq. UNHCR worked with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and used the Harvard Trauma Survey and the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist to make their assessments.

Seventy-seven percent of the Iraqi refugees who were interviewed reported being
affected by air bombardments and shelling or rocket attacks. Eighty percent
reported witnessing a shooting. Sixty-eight percent said they experienced
interrogation or harassment by militias or other groups, including receiving
death threats, while sixteen percent have been tortured. Seventy-two percent
were eye witnesses to a car bombing and seventy-five percent know someone who
has been killed.

The report highlighted the many forms of torture endured by
Iraqi refugees, including beatings, electric shocks, objects being placed under
fingernails, burns and rape. Most instances of torture were perpetrated by
militias (sixty-nine percent). The survey conclusions call for increased
advocacy among all groups within Iraq to end torture and for programmes to
address mental health issues among Iraqi refugees and displaced persons.

To read the full survey click here. The trauma results appear at the end, pages 12-14.
A UNICEF official I met in Jordan in September described the situation of Iraqi refugees as “a state of prolonged trauma.” Although they have escaped immediate physical danger by fleeing Iraq, the majority of refugee families are unable to resume a normal daily routine of work and school. Without some semblance of normalcy and stability, he said, it is extremely difficult for them to recover from the violence they experience in Iraq.

NYT Cites Iraqi Refugee Crisis on Ed. Page

Quick note that on Sunday the New York Times editorial page named the Iraqi refugee crisis as one of several important issues yet to be addressed in discussions of future U.S. actions in Iraq and the region – specifically about when and how a troop withdrawal will take place, and how U.S. relations with Iraq and the region will take shape in the years to come. The Times highlighted the thousands of Iraqis who have helped the U.S. and its partners in Iraq. To read the editorial, click here.

UNHCR Asks for $261 Million to Help Iraqi Refugees

We’re a few days late on this news, but it’s gotten limited media coverage this week – on January 8, the UNHCR announced an appeal to donors for $261 million for Iraqi refugee programs for 2008. The Iraq Situation Supplementary Appeal covers UNHCR operations and health, education, and direct assistance programs for the 2.2 million Iraqi refugees in the region as well as the 2 million IDPs in Iraq. Last year’s UNHCR appeal garnered $152 million for its programs assisting Iraqi refugees and IDPs – so their need increased more than $100 million for the upcoming year.

Unfortunately, it shouldn’t be a surprise. Amb. James Foley, the State Department’s Senior Coordinator on Iraqi Refugee Issues, said in November, “. . . the needs of [Iraqi] refugees will be increasing substantially in the period to come, as will therefore the requirement for international assistance. The bottom line [is] that this unique urban refugee population, which is quite different from refugee populations elsewhere in the world because it’s urban, will be facing increased hardship as the means and the savings that they brought with them from Iraq are depleted over time.”

The UN refugee agency’s press release notes that of the approximately 21,000 Iraqi refugee resettlement cases it referred for consideration to host countries, only 4,500 Iraqis had actually been resettled as of early December. The number resettled in the U.S. in 2007 was just 2,631.

We hope to see the U.S. government lead the way by contributing generously to this year’s UNHCR appeal. It’s the least we can do to assist the 4 million-plus refugees whose lives have been upended as a result of the war in Iraq.

Arab States League Launches Fundraising Campaign

Tomorrow, the League of Arab States will launch a major 90-day fundraising and public awareness campaign to help Iraqi refugees in the region. They’re working closely with the UNHCR and other organizations – click here for the UNHCR’s press release – and say they hope to raise consciousness and money to contribute to the massive need. It’s good news because the League, with 22 member states, has thus far been MIA on the issue. It also presents a great opportunity for President Bush to address the issue with leaders of member states in the region during his current trip through the Mideast.

A bonus – the League is partnering on this campaign with Arab Iraqi musician Naseer Shamma - one of the world’s most esteemed oud players.

Iraqi Refugees Mentioned in NH Debate

In Saturday night's debate in New Hampshire, Sen. Clinton acknowledged the crucially important issue that’s largely remained unaddressed in discussions over the war in Iraq – what to do about the thousands of Iraqis who are in danger because they've helped U.S. efforts in their country:

We have to figure out what we're going to do with the 100,000-plus American
civilians who are there working at the embassy, working for non-for-profits or
American businesses. We have to figure out what we're going to do about all the
Iraqis who sided with us, you know, like the translators who helped the Marines
in Fallujah, whom I met, who said they wouldn't have survived without them. Are
we going to leave them?

You know, this is a complicated enterprise, so it has to be done right.

As the candidates consider their proposals for dealing with Iraq, they should not forget the millions of vulnerable Iraqi refugees - including Iraqis who've put their lives on the line to support the United States.

(Note that Sen. Clinton’s 100,000 estimate of the number of American civilians working in Iraq is probably high. According to an LA Times examination of reports obtained from the government under the Freedom of Information Act, there are a few thousand American civilians in Iraq working directly for the U.S. government, and an additional 21,000-plus American civilians working under U.S. contracts in Iraq. The article states that 118,000 Iraqis are working under U.S. contracts in Iraq. Those numbers were calculated in February 2007, but it’s still clear today that the Iraqis working for American interests in Iraq vastly outnumber actual American civilians working in Iraq.)

U.S. Admissions Down for the Holidays

Yesterday's State Department daily press briefing ended with a quick note on Iraqi refugee admissions - just 245 Iraqis were resettled in the U.S. in the month of December. That brings us to a total of 1,057 for FY 2008. The U.S. has set a goal of 12,000 Iraqi refugee admissions for the fiscal year. Yet the holidays - when many Americans are able to gather with loved ones and celebrate their own blessings - saw the lowest admissions for Iraqi refugees since last July. State says that their goal remains 12,000 for the year. That will clearly demand dramatic increase in the rate of processing and resettlement by State and DHS in the next few months. You can check out State Department Spokesman's Sean McCormack's discussion yesterday here. And look at the statistics yourself on the website of the Refugee Processing Center (part of the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration).

The Associated Press has done a good analysis of the numbers - Matthew Lee's article hit many press outlets yesterday. Read it here.