Documenting Iraq

Last night I watched the excellent documentary Control Room, which follows the work of the Arab news channel Al Jazeera during the early stages of the current war in Iraq. As I watched the footage of the war and the interviews with Al Jazeera and American journalists and US military staff I couldn't help but think about where we now find ourselves almost 4 years later. During several points in the documentary, Al Jazeera journalists predict that the war will go on for several years, while American military officials and footage of President Bush indicate that the US was victorious in Iraq and had liberated the Iraqi people once and for all.

The instability that followed the US-led invasion in Iraq worsened dramatically this year and is leading to a huge outflow of refugees that RI is categorizing as the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. Since our mission in November 2006 to the region, RI has issued several bulletins documenting the humanitarian situation and the needs of the more than 2 million refugees who fled Iraq. Most recently we are calling for the resettlement of the most vulnerable populations, including Palestinians and Iraqis associated with the US government or American organizations. Due to funding constraints and the lack of support from western countries, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) was only able to resettle 1,500 Iraqis in the past 3 years, while the needs of many more displaced Iraqis remain unmet.

In the last three years, the US has resettled a total of 466 Iraqis here, but the US government is finally taking notice that an international response is urgently needed for this growing humanitarian crisis. Wednesday's Senate hearing on Iraqi refugees is one positive step in this direction. RI President Ken Bacon testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on RI's findings and recommendations, specifically calling for increased funding for US Dept of State and UNHCR programs to assist the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees. In addition, several witnesses described the situation of Iraqis who were forced to flee their homes for fear of persecution.

This fall, Al Jazeera launched its first English-language station, which will offer a different perspective on international news reporting, particularly on issues like the Iraqi refugee crisis. So far American audiences can only watch the channel online since almost no cable or satellite networks are carrying it.