In honor of Mother’s Day and my maternal instincts that extend well beyond my own child, I want to present you with this thought. If we can get ourselves to think about at least one other person in the world outside our immediate circle and do something to more fully understand them and their suffering, their humanity, then we will be taking a significant step towards making the world a better place. For once we make that type of emotional connection to another human being, it’s hard to not consider following up with some action. We just have to take it one step at a time.
It almost doesn’t matter which person or people you choose. There are plenty of options of people in need. Just pick one and go from there. But in case you need an idea, here’s one: Iraqi refugees.
Many of us are living fairly comfortable lives. Even though we all have our share of problems and struggles, in general, the situation here in the US is qualitatively different from that of any people who are living in a war torn region where car bombings and other random attacks are a daily occurrence, and the very fabric of normal existence has been ripped apart by drastic deficits created in the basic infrastructure. Such is the case in Iraq. It has been like this for the vast majority of Iraqi citizens for over 20 years, largely due to the impact of US policy towards that country. The level of suffering of the Iraqi people has been well documented, and it’s pretty damn staggering. Currently there are over 4 million displaced Iraqis, many of whom are now living in a virtual state of limbo in neighboring Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
The Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) organizes law students and attorneys to provide legal representation to Iraqi refugees and helps them navigate the rules and processes of resettlement in the US. Iraq’s 4.7 million displaced form one of the largest refugee crises in history.
As IRAP’s website explains, war and sectarian violence in Iraq have forced thousands to flee for their lives and become stranded in other Middle Eastern countries. These people cannot return to Iraq without risking their lives, so they are forced to seek refuge elsewhere. But the process of gaining admittance to the few western countries that accept them is difficult.
The Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project was started by graduate students at Yale Law School to provide legal representation and policy advocacy on behalf of Iraqi refugees seeking resettlement, and to assist those who have resettled. Eight other law schools and several hundred volunteers including students, lawyers and advocates have joined the effort to deal with this humanitarian crisis.
When was the last time you heard something in the news about Iraqi refugees? Sadly, the ongoing crisis–one of the largest refugee crises in history–has left the media spotlight. Yet millions of Iraqis remain displaced, with no home and an uncertain future.
Consider the following (from the website of The Unreturned):
By 2010, only nine percent of the displaced had returned (Source: Refugees International)
Forty percent of Iraq’s middle class has fled to neighboring Syria and Jordan (Source: UNHCR, San Francisco Chronicle)
The US has committed to admitting a total of 50,000 Iraqi refugees by 2011 (Source: Human Rights First, Reuters)
If this target is met, the United States will have accepted just 1% of the total Iraqi displaced (Source: 50000/4274000=0.0117; 4274000 = 4700000 displaced – 426000 returnees)
Many Americans, including the leading Catholic bishop in the U.S., agree that the U.S. holds at least some degree of responsibility toward Iraqis and Iraq’s future. If you would like to learn more about the Iraqi refugee crisis, here are a few places to check out:
The Unreturned, an award-winning documentary film that follows the lives of five middle-class Iraqi refugee families.
The Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), which organizes law students and attorneys to provide legal representation to Iraqi refugees and helps them navigate the rules and processes of resettlement in the US. IRAP “was started by graduate students at Yale Law School to provide legal representation and policy advocacy on behalf of Iraqi refugees seeking resettlement, and to assist those who have resettled. Eight other law schools and several hundred volunteers including students, lawyers and advocates have joined the effort to deal with this humanitarian crisis.”
The Unreturned follows five Iraqis and their families who are among the 40 percent of the country’s middle class who have fled the country since 2003. Without them, Iraq still lacks reliable electricity, clean water, sanitation, and health-care services. This is an unmitigated disaster for Iraq, a shattered nation that desperately needs its native professional class to return and help itself rebuild.
The UNHCR Refugee Film Festival raises awareness of the world’s 43 million refugees and internally displaced persons who are forced to flee due to persecution and conflict. The 5th edition of the festival will present about 20 films from all over the world, with numerous filmmakers and special guests in attendance.
Please click below to donate to IARP and support Iraqi refugees and the rebuilding of Iraq.
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When was the last time you heard something in the news about Iraqi refugees? Sadly, the ongoing crisis–one of the largest refugee crises in history–has left the media spotlight. Yet millions of Iraqis remain displaced, with no home and an uncertain future.
