The Plight of Iraqi and Syrian Refugees: A Looming Threat of Forced Repatriation
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by: William Warda | Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO)
The threat of forced repatriation still looms over Iraqi refugees in European Union countries. Those in Germany, in particular, continue to live in constant terror due to the alarming news, whether confirmed or rumors, suggesting a secret agreement between the German and Iraqi governments to facilitate the return of Iraqi Yazidi refugees from Germany to Iraq, As stated in a report published on the Shafaq News website.
In Iraq, the situation is not much better. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al-Sudani has emphasized that his government will not tolerate any delays in projects initiated by his government, setting a deadline of June 30, 2024, for the closure of camps and the voluntary return of internally displaced persons, According to the news published on the Rudaw News Network website. This has led many Iraqis to criticize the Iraqi government and specifically the Ministry of Migration and Displaced Persons for focusing solely on closing the camps instead of securing an infrastructure for returnees and providing a suitable environment for their return. Many displaced individuals still lack essential services in their original areas of residence, in addition to the ongoing absence of security and safety.
Such news have had a devastating impact on both refugees and displaced persons simultaneously, prompting many of them to risk their lives and consider illegal migration by land and sea. A clear indication of this is a report released by the British newspaper Mirror, which states that Iraqi refugees ranked fifth among the number of refugees who reached the British shores by small boats, with a total of 2,549 Iraqis in 2023.
The situation is also worsening for Syrian refugees in Iraq. Syrian camps now lack essential necessities of life, such as food, electricity, water, and heating. Several humanitarian organizations that used to provide financial and psychological support to them have cut off assistance, claiming that the security situation in Syria has improved due to political developments in 2023. However, these organizations overlook the fact that the infrastructure in many of the areas of origin of refugees is completely lacking, as several homes have been leveled to the ground. The Syrian economy has also become one of the worst in the world due to ongoing American and European sanctions against the Syrian regime.
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The number of Syrians entering Iraq through illegal means is spiraling out of control, and the Iraqi government still does not recognize the asylum application forms carried by most of them, which are granted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in its offices in Baghdad or Erbil upon their arrival in Iraq. The situation worsens when these individuals seek employment, as Iraqi security directorates conduct surprise patrols at workplaces to verify documentation, permits, and work licenses that all workers in Iraq, regardless of their nationality, should possess. If it is discovered that a worker does not have an official residence permit issued by the Directorate of Residence in Iraq, that person is subject to arrest and is placed in detention facilities within the Directorate of Residence building until a suitable method or formula for their forced return to Syria is determined, This came during a phone call between a Syria TV presenter and one of the Syrian refugee detainees present in the Residency Directorate detention center. They find themselves facing a danger that may be greater than the risk of illegal migration by sea on a dilapidated fishing boat to an uncertain destination.
The situation remains bleak, and we no longer need more laws to guarantee the right to asylum or voluntary return. What we need today is for everyone to adhere to these laws.
Contact:
Willam Warda | Hammurabi Human Rights Organization (HHRO) | williamwarda4@gmail.com