Iraq: Neighbors Stem Flow of Iraqis Fleeing War - HRW

Source: Human Rights Watch

Iraq: Neighbors Stem Flow of Iraqis Fleeing War

US and UK Bear Special Duty to Aid Refugees

(Geneva, April 17, 2007) – Iraq’s neighbors are closing off escape
routes to Iraqi asylum seekers, just as the international community
has begun to respond to the 2 million refugees from the war, Human
Rights Watch said in a briefing paper released today.

As high-level officials, including ministerial-level representatives
for Iraq and all countries in the region, meet in Geneva on April 17,
2007 for a conference to coordinate the international response to
Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people, Iraq’s neighbors are
refusing entry, imposing onerous new passport and visa requirements,
and building barriers to keep refugees out. In cases, they are also
expelling Iraqis back to Iraq, Human Rights Watch said.

“The Conference shouldn’t only focus on assisting Iraqis who’ve
managed to escape, but should seek to uphold the right to flee to
safety of those still trying to get out of Iraq,” said Bill Frelick,
refugee policy director at Human Rights Watch and author of the
paper, “From a Flood to a Trickle: Neighboring States Stop Iraqis
Fleeing War and Persecution.”

The briefing paper focuses on new restrictive measures taken by
Jordan and Egypt to prevent more refugees from coming. Syria,
which is hosting about 1 million Iraqis, denied visas to Human
Rights Watch researchers seeking to document their situation.
Saudi Arabia is building a US$7 billion high-tech barrier on its
border with Iraq to keep Iraqis out, while Kuwait is categorically
rejecting Iraqi asylum seekers.

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Read more: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/04/17/iraq15720.htm