tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81686818093706300992009-10-08T13:21:36.678-04:00Human Rights First Blog | Help Iraqi RefugeesJaVonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11387602378961850564noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-76652446581473834032009-09-14T08:16:00.002-04:002009-09-14T10:06:47.439-04:00

Are we at risk of taking our eyes off the ball? Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) is quoted in this morning's Washington Post on the Iraq war asking just that question. The paper's editorial page urges the Obama administration to continue to focus attention and resources on an Iraq that's far from stable, even as it prioritizes other foreign policy concerns. We'd highlight one important component of the

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-19801284282474037732009-07-16T16:25:00.002-04:002009-07-16T16:28:46.789-04:00

Good news on the resettlement front – the United States resettled 1,900 Iraqis in June, for a fiscal year 2009 total of 13,537. Last September, the government set a goal of bringing 17,000 vulnerable Iraqi refugees to safety in the United States during the course of the year. Nine months into the fiscal year, they’ve met 80 percent of that goal. It’s by far the best U.S. resettlement effort since

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-61417673040374798802009-05-08T12:57:00.002-04:002009-05-08T13:00:54.246-04:00

The UN refugee agency just released a new analysis of the political and security situation in Iraq, and revised its guidelines as to how countries should handle asylum claims from Iraqis fleeing their Iraq. The guidelines essentially form a 250-page encyclopedia of Iraq’s various forms of ongoing violence and conflict. Somebody should put a copy on Ambassador Chris Hill’s desk when he gets back

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-69008456972500262009-03-17T14:03:00.003-04:002009-03-23T10:06:21.835-04:00

The Migration Information Source released a demographic overview of Iraqi immigrants in the United States earlier this month. It looks at pre-2008 date from the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Census Bureau, so it doesn't reflect the presence of refugees who arrived in 2008 or 2009. Rather, it provides insight into the Iraqi communities in the United States that newly arrived

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-30191014635911081812009-02-14T14:09:00.003-05:002009-02-14T14:13:56.188-05:00

U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a very useful fact sheet last week that provides an overview of Iraqi refugee processing, with guidelines for Iraqis who wish to apply for refugee status, for asylum, or for the Special Immigrant Visa program. Check it out here.

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-64557329160686115202009-01-05T13:02:00.007-05:002009-01-05T13:07:18.683-05:00

The new year has finally arrived, and it is a year of many changes. Today, the new U.S. embassy in Baghdad officially opened. On January 1, control of the Green Zone passed to the Iraqis in accordance with the new status of forces agreement. And, of course, in just two weeks we’ll see a changing of the guard in the leadership of the U.S. government when Barack Obama is sworn in as President of

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-9450197693063809832008-08-19T15:30:00.003-04:002008-08-19T15:32:32.508-04:00

Today we remember Arthur C. Helton – a dedicated advocate for refugees and displaced people – who died in the bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad on August 19, 2003.A lawyer and human rights advocate, Mr. Helton worked at Human Rights First, then the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, from 1982 to 1994, where he led the Refugee Protection Program and created the asylum pro bono

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-65374039005088997962008-08-15T10:30:00.003-04:002008-08-15T10:50:28.758-04:00

According to the latest UNHCR numbers, 40,000 to 100,000 Iraqis have fled to Egypt. It's a wide range because it's very difficult to get accurate numbers especially for an urban refugee population. Regardless of the figure, Egypt is clearly a major destination, alongside Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran, for Iraqis who cannot live in safety in their own country.We've been working with a filmmaker

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-81510628701429418432008-07-27T23:14:00.006-04:002008-07-29T00:47:03.806-04:00

We were surprised and pleased to see on Thursday that the U.S. embassy in Baghdad announced the launch of a program that will provide 5,000 special immigrant visas each year for the next five years to Iraqis who worked for the U.S. military or private contractors for at least a year since 2003 and are experiencing or have experienced an ongoing serious threat in Iraq as a result of their

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-56779212870541261222008-07-09T14:20:00.003-04:002008-07-09T14:30:33.832-04:00

For some reason, I stopped reading "Doonesbury" when I stopped reading the comics and moved on to other sections of the newspaper. I'm happy to report that I've just been corrected in my ways - several friends and colleagues pointed out that the comic strip takes on the Iraqi refugee crisis this week. Check it out here. Be sure to click "next" to read each day's comic - it started on Monday.

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-67729817705604890952008-05-23T14:12:00.007-04:002008-05-23T17:10:26.859-04:00

The New York Times had a great feature on May 14 about Iraqi translators who worked for the US military. It focuses on several of their most passionate advocates – veterans and active duty members who say that they owe their lives to their translators. The article highlights two excellent organizations that we regularly work with, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a non-partisan

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-73405320572779061252008-04-22T15:33:00.005-04:002008-04-22T17:15:31.700-04:00

The International Rescue Committee has a great op-ed in the New York Times today. The organization sent a high-level delegation to Syria and Jordan in February to meet with Iraqi refugees, leaders in both nations, and U.S. and UN officials in order to assess the crisis firsthand. The op-ed suggests, and we agree strongly, that a comprehensive plan to deal with this long-term crisis must be a part

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-28689463144666694812008-04-05T21:52:00.004-04:002008-04-05T21:55:22.015-04:00

The next couple of weeks are important ones for advocacy on behalf of Iraq's 4 million-plus refugees. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Gen. David Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker will be testifying before Congress on the state of the war in Iraq. The recent violence in Basra, along with the ongoing U.S. presidential campaign, mean that attention will probably be trained on two central questions: the

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-9536922797607718742008-02-26T10:52:00.005-05:002008-02-26T10:57:43.008-05:00

Last week, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres ended a week-long trip to Syria, Jordan, and Iraq to asses the situation of millions of Iraqi refugees in the region. One of the issues Guterres discussed with the Iraqi government was a proposed joint assessment of conditions required for the voluntary, safe, and sustainable return of refugees. Several days later, the BBC intimated

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-39249818729835514262008-02-12T16:23:00.000-05:002008-02-12T16:28:05.792-05:00

Earlier today the United Nations launched an emergency appeal, on behalf of 14 UN agencies and 10 NGOs, for $265 million to deliver urgent relief to Iraqis. One of the goals of the appeal is to deliver food to internally displaced Iraqis who are having difficulty accessing food rations through the Iraqi government’s public distribution system. Read the UN release here. According to the UN

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-3721897254976594832008-02-04T13:50:00.000-05:002008-02-04T13:54:13.333-05:00

The polls don’t close till 9 pm tomorrow night, so there’s time for New Yorkers to attend an important panel discussion at Fordham University. Human Rights First is co-sponsoring the panel along with Fordham University and the Nailya Alexander Gallery. It’s entitled “Iraqi Citizens: War and Exile.” The panelists will address topics including the consequences of the Iraq war for Iraqis – more than

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-17839213430343643352008-01-31T23:59:00.000-05:002008-02-01T00:05:06.694-05:00

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

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-91388025436649238872008-01-28T22:00:00.000-05:002008-01-28T23:07:24.735-05:00

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

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-376953478646841342008-01-28T21:37:00.000-05:002008-01-28T23:08:31.035-05:00

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

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-27460194820967057692008-01-28T20:54:00.000-05:002008-01-28T21:36:51.104-05:00

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

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-12898970953059799892008-01-28T11:53:00.000-05:002008-01-28T12:28:36.566-05:00

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

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-55613039399785757642008-01-23T18:15:00.000-05:002008-01-23T18:20:18.312-05:00

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

Amelia Templeton, Refugee Protectionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-83575086619577771782008-01-14T17:21:00.000-05:002008-01-14T17:23:04.407-05:00

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

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-52168997926632652952008-01-11T17:26:00.000-05:002008-01-11T17:33:12.158-05:00

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

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8168681809370630099.post-70186699195095872362008-01-10T16:56:00.000-05:002008-01-10T17:08:26.031-05:00

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

Ruthie Epsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11149567578399222841noreply@blogger.com0