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US to receive 7,000 Iraqi
refugees
After launching an
alarm over the pending humanitarian crisis, the UN welcomes
the US decision. Hitherto Iraqi refugees had caused
frictions between Washington and Geneva. Since the beginning
of the war the US has only admitted 463 Iraqi refugees.
Geneva (AsiaNews) – The United Nations has welcomed a US
plan to grant up to 7,000 Iraqi refugees asylum over the
next year. Antonio Guterres, head of the UN High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR), said the initiative was “a very good
step in the right direction.” Until recently the issue of
Iraqi refugees had been a bone of contention between the UN
and the US.
The number represents a huge increase over the 463
refugees the US has taken in the past four years. In
addition, the US will offer US$ 18 million to the UNHCR for
the millions of other Iraqis displaced within and without
their country.
In its latest appeal, the UN had called for US$ 60
million from the international community to fund a global
resettlement programme.
The 7,000 refugees would move to the US from countries
they have already reached. Most of them are in hard-pressed
Syria and Jordan.
US immigration officials plan to interview refugees
during the current US fiscal year which ends on 30
September. It is not known when those approved would
actually arrive in the country. Moreover, the State
Department said that the figure was a “target” not a
ceiling.
The change in US policy reflects criticism levelled at
the low number of refugees admitted so far. Last year only
200 applications were accepted and most were filed before
the war against Saddam.
Until a few months ago the tragedy of Iraqi refugees was
a bone of contention between the US and the UN which could
not agree as to how to tackle the issue.
Ellen Sauerbrey, US Assistant Secretary of State for
Population, Refugees, and Migration, had said that the UNHCR
“had to do better,” whilst the UN complained that it needed
more money from the international community.
According to UNHCR figures, 3.8 million Iraqis have had
to flee their homes becoming internal refugees or forced
abroad.
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