Highlighting the Iraqi Refugee Crisis

Panel on Iraqi Refugee Crisis, March 13

Yesterday (March 13), Intersections hosted a panel discussion entitled, IRAQI REFUGEE CRISIS: VOICES FROM THE FIELD. This panel discussion served as the precursor to other events in our thematic year exploring the ‘Cost of War at Home and Abroad.' Intersections seeks to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Iraq War, in which an estimated 2.4 million people have been internally displaced inside Iraq and another 2 million have fled to neighboring countries, primarily Jordan and Syria. Panelists included Mr. Joseph Donnelly from Caritas Internationalis, Mr. Pierre Bertrand and Ms. Emmy Takahashi from the United Nations-High Commissioner for Refugees Office, and Ms. Sarah Chynoweth the Women's Commission for Refugee Women & Children.

Sixty-five members of the UN, NGO and academic communities gathered to hear the many problems facing displaced Iraqis. Through their three distinct organizational lenses, the panelists outlined the greatest challenges currently facing Iraqi refugees and what they saw as the most pressing need for refugee advocates to focus on.

Pierre Bertrand and his colleague, Emmy Takahashi, spoke about the immense complexities of providing services to the Iraqi refugee's in Jordan, many of whom are spread across vast urban landscapes, already saturated with a large refugee community from earlier conflicts. UNHCR works to provide services to the most vulnerable refugees, to assist with resettlement and to negotiate agreements with effected governments to ensure no forcible return of refugees to areas where their lives are in danger.

Joseph Donnelly spoke about the need to give a human face to the ongoing violence and suffering in Iraq. Earlier that same day, he had received news of the death of one of his colleagues in Iraq, the Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho. Donnelly commented that being personally affected by the tragedy motivates us all to raise a loud cry for peace, and to work hard to bring about an end to the conflict that destroys so many lives and communities.

Sarah Chynoweth described the Women's Commission's recent trip to Jordan where she heard first hand accounts of the increased sexual and physical violence perpetrated against Iraqi women, as well as men, since the conflict began. She also described the lack of reproductive health services available to women living in Jordan and the absence of emergency health services for survivors of rape. She urged all concerned with this issue to write Congress and request funding to meet the humanitarian needs of Iraqi's in 2008.

To view pictures from the event, click here.

For more information about the Iraqi refugee crisis, please visit the websites of these organizations directly at:

http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/iraq
http://www.womenscommission.org/pdf/jo_rh.pdf
http://www.caritas.org