Struggling to Survive in Post-American Iraq - Essay Example

Struggling to Survive in Post-American Iraq With the American involvement in Iraq winding down and security remaining uncertain in much of the country, Iraqis who cooperated significantly with the United States during its occupation of the country face uncertain prospects. In the National Public Radio report entitled “Uncertainty for Iraqi translator after withdrawal” by Neal Conan, the profound challenges facing Iraqi society and those who helped the Americans is described. Despite recent gains in security in Iraq, the prolonged difficulties in forming a government is evident that long-term stability in the country remains elusive and many Iraqis remain at risk from ethnic and religious violence. Though the United States has taken steps to provide sanctuary for some Iraqi personnel, they cannot take everyone who might face potential retaliation. Furthermore, Iraqis who flee today join the approximately 200,000 refugees in neighboring countries who are struggling to survive with limited ability to integrate into these host countries (UNHCR, 2010). Therefore, many Iraqi families decide to stay in the country and face the prospect of an uncertain future in their own country. The American government must strive to repair the significant refugee problem while ensuring that those who put their lives at risk for the United States in the war are properly protected in their time of need. From the beginning of the American invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and through the outbreak of sectarian violence in February 2006, more than 2 million Iraqis have been forced to flee their homes. This tremendous number can be broken down into 1.5 million internally displaced individuals and hundreds of thousands of external refugees in surrounding countries. According to the UN Refugee Agency, as of October 2010 there are 195,000 Iraqi refugees in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council States (UNHCR, 2010). These individuals in exile faced extreme vulnerabilities and a lack of access to basic necessities. In light of ongoing insecurity and violence, and highly limited access to basic services, Iraqis continue to flee their country, and the number of Iraqi refugees returning home is low. To provide an example of the refugee repatriation rate, during 2010 over 31,000 Iraqi refugees registered with UN Refugee Agency in the region (UNHCR, 2010). Yet very few Iraqi refugees repatriated voluntarily with UN assistance. During this period only 520 individuals had requested UNHCR support to return due to various reasons. Many more Iraqi refugees—some 22,000 over the same period—returned without UNHCR assistance. Yet even this figure represents a small percentage of the total displaced population. UNHCR has reaffirmed that “the basic conditions necessary to encourage and sustain large scale return to Iraq have not yet been established.” (UNHCR, 2011). Further illustrating the tenuous situations of Iraqi society, a UN report published in October 2010 found that amongst a majority of those Iraqis who had returned there was significant regret for their decision to return due to ongoing violence, economic difficult and a lack of basic services, such as electricity and water (UNHCR, 2010). These major difficulties coupled with the prolonged delays in the formation of a working government are key indicators of the uncertainty about Iraq’s political future and stability. In short, the situation within Iraq remains challenging on the eve of the American withdrawal and significant challenges exist for all refugees, which will only be magnified on those US-affiliated Iraqis who will face reprisals and political violence for their activities during the occupation. Therefore there is considerable concern for those Iraqis who participated in the American occupation and their potential future in the country moving forward (Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, 2010). From the beginning of the war in Iraq, U.S.-affiliated Iraqis found themselves targeted with threats, harassment, kidnapping, violence and murder. Those Iraqis who chose to work for the U.S. government, military, or contractors, or for U.S.-based media groups or NGOs—who were crucially important to provide local expertise and language skills to the Americans—were quickly labeled as traitors by different militia groups inside Iraq. These employees were translators, journalists, researchers, fixers, drivers, members of the provisional reconstruction teams and staff at the U.S. Embassy, and their targeting became an instrument of battle. In 2008, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that there were 142,000 Iraqis who had worked as U.S. government contract employees or on USAID-funded programs. An additional 4,000 Iraqis have worked for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad or for U.S.-based media or NGOs. The threats these Iraqis face—from insurgent groups, militias, and terrorist organizations—have been well documented in the media. In 2007, Ryan Crocker, then the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, reported that Embassy staff were facing direct threats as a result of their work with the United States, and argued that they should receive visas that would allow them to escape to safety. While U.S.-affiliated Iraqis are not targeted today at the levels reported in 2006 and 2007, they remain at significant risk in Iraq, along with many other Iraqis, including various minority groups. Indeed, in July 2010, an Iraqi who reportedly worked for the U.S. military was murdered by his own son, a member of the Sunni insurgency who considered his father a traitor. Despite the creation of special processing mechanisms for Iraqis who face persecution because of their U.S. ties, Iraqis who worked with the U.S. government, military, contractors or other U.S. entities continue to face significant delays in the processing of their resettlement and visa applications due to delays in security checks. Extended waiting periods can leave Iraqi refugees in difficult situations, as they are often not permitted by host states in the region to work legally to support their families, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and without adequate resources to provide for their families. Those who are left stranded inside Iraq can also face the constant threat of potential violence against their families or business. This instability encourages them to flee their homes becoming either internally displaced or to reside in neighboring countries (Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, 2010). When a refugee’s resettlement application to the United States is delayed due to security processing delays, or for other reasons, USCIS sends a letter to the applicant that states that the case has been “deferred” (US GAO, 2012). The USCIS letter is written only in English, and provides minimal information about the reason for the deferral. The “deferral” letter does not include any information on the timeframe for a decision. While some refugees depart within a matter of days or weeks after receiving deferral letters, many do not. The fact that some refugees leave relatively quickly after receipt of deferral letters leads some other refugees to assume that they too will soon depart. Yet this is not the case for all refugee applicants. In fact, Human Rights First interviewed refugees in Jordan who had been waiting up to two years after receiving deferral letters (UNHCR, 2010). Of course, there are various factors that can contribute to refugees’ confusion, including the fact that many refugees are no doubt urgently looking forward to resettlement as a solution to their family’s displacement and some may inadvertently misinterpret the limited written or verbal information that is provided to them. But given the lack of clarity in the deferral letters and the lack of information provided by the U.S. State Department’s, refugees who receive these deferral letters are often left confused and some interpret the letters as acceptances (Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, 2010). In addition to the challenges outlined in prior sections of this report, some Iraqi refugees also face a number of challenges due to the lack of information provided– by both UNHCR and, for those referred for U.S. resettlement, the United States—about the status and timing of their cases, including applications and referrals for potential resettlement. Without regularly updated information on the status of their applications for resettlement, refugees are unable to assess their real options and are uncertain about how to best support themselves and their families. As detailed below, refugees are provided with inadequate information at several stages including: while they are waiting to be potentially referred for resettlement by UNHCR; after they have been referred by UNHCR for potential U.S. resettlement, but while their resettlement applications are still awaiting decisions by the United States; and when their applications for resettlement are denied by the United States. This lack of information and transparency in decision making cause significant frustration for refugees and can further the sense of despair and hopelessness that many of them may have about their futures. In addition, the lack of information can generate distrust among refugees of the various agencies involved in resettlement processing (Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, 2010). In conclusion, this excellent NPR article highlights the significant difficulties facing Iraqi society along with the moral responsibility that America has in protecting those individuals who supported its presence. It is too early to tell if, like the Algerians who emigrated to metropolitan France or those South Vietnamese who backed the American occupation of their country, a significant Iraqi emigration to the United States will occur. What is certain, however, is that these individuals often face significant risks to their safety and livelihood and that the United States has an obligation to ensure their security in the years ahead whether it is through increased material support of the Iraqi government or repatriation to the United States. To abandon this sizable refugee population to reprisals and violence is irresponsible and will hurt America in future efforts abroad. References: Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, U.S. Department of State, “Doing Right by Newly Arrived Refugees,” news release, January 22, 2010, available at http://www.state.gov/g/prm/rls/news/136429.htm (accessed April 8, 2012). UNHCR, “Iraqi refugees regret returning to Iraq, amid insecurity,” October 19, 2010, available athttp://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MDCS8A2DWJ?OpenDocument&rc=3&cc=irq (accessed April 7, 2012). UNHCR, Statistical Report on UNHCR Registered Iraqis, October 31, 2011, available at http://www.iauiraq.org/documents/1148/Monthly%20Statistical%20Report%20on%20UNHC%20Registered%20Iraqis%2031%20Oct%202010.pdf (accessed April 8, 2012). U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Iraqi Refugee Assistance: Improvements Needed in Measuring Progress, Assessing Needs, Tracking Funds, and Developing an International Strategic Plan,” April 2009, available at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09120.pdf (accessed April 7, 2012) Read More