Iraqi Refugees: A New Plan

The United Nations refugee agency is clear: the conditions in Iraq are not there for displaced Iraqis to go home. Not only is the security situation not stable enough, as demonstrated by this past week’s bombings in Bagdad and Kirkuk, but other necessary factors are lacking. There is little access to basic services in many parts of the country and no mechanism to obtain restitution or compensation for lost or occupied property. Yet, this past month, the Government of Iraq has stepped up its efforts to get displaced Iraqis to return home. Despite the fact that it spent negligible amounts on humanitarian assistance for the displaced both in and out of the country, the Iraqi Government has shown a surprising willingness to provide financial incentives for returns. In addition to these, it has been asking its neighbors to make life a little harder for Iraqi refugees, so that returning home is no longer a choice but a necessity. This irresponsible behavior could backfire and increase instability inside Iraq, as the few who have returned have ended up displaced in their own country.

The international community must unequivocally condemn these attempts by the Government of Iraq to encourage returns when the country is not ready for it, and when many displaced still have legitimate reasons to fear for their safety. The US government in particular needs to increase its assistance and resettlement efforts to send a clear message to Iraq, its neighbors, the international community and, most importantly, the displaced themselves: millions of displaced Iraqis need urgent, immediate help. They and their host communities are running out of resources. We must step up to the plate. Failure to do so would have dramatic consequences and would force many to return to a dangerous environment.

Since 2006, the US has improved its response to Iraqi displacement, both in terms of financial assistance and resettlement numbers, but much more needs to be done. Last week, 22 NGOs, including Refugees International, endorsed a plan put together with the help of Ambassador Frank Wisner that outlines steps the US government must take to address the Iraqi displacement crisis. These steps include significant increases in the resettlement of Iraqi refugees and financial assistance to the UN and host countries, as well as better coordination with Iraq and the region to ensure assistance to the internally displaced and to those who choose to return in due time.

This plan is not the solution to the problems in the Middle East. It is however part of the solution, and the start of a comprehensive strategy to address the needs of displaced Iraqis and the consequences of the crisis in the region. The US can no longer continue to treat this as it would any other humanitarian crisis. The stakes are much higher here, as the future of Iraq depends on it. This is a bipartisan issue, as all agree for the need for a stable Iraq and a stable Middle East. As such, this plan needs to be supported by all.

We hope this administration will do the right thing before they have to leave. Adopting the plan and starting to enforce it immediately would be a significant step in the right direction.

--Kristele Younes