Iraqi refugees

COALITION TO STOP DEPORTATIONS TO IRAQ
PRESS RELEASE Feb 14 2007

Some reports have at last been received about the fate of the asylum seekers forcibly removed to Iraq on February 12 from RAF Brize Norton.
Read more here

Iraqi passports not accepted as documents for travel
2007-02-16
The Swedish Migration Board decided today on a change in the Board’s regulations regarding Iraqi passports. This means that the Board will not accept S series passports as travel documents, as their quality has shown not to be good enough.
Read more here

U.N. Urges EU to Protect Iraqi Refugees
As the bloodshed in Iraq has increased, European governments have come under increasing pressure to open their doors to asylum-seekers. Many are worried that an escalation in violence in 2007 could generate a fresh wave of refugees.

So far, Sweden has received the largest number of fleeing Iraqis, followed by the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Britain and Belgium.

The U.N. appeal came as the EU announced it would contribute $13 million more for Iraqi refugees. About 60 percent will go to help those who have fled to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.

"Focusing on the most vulnerable groups, the aid would consist of basic health care and education as well as targeted distributions of food and essential household items," said the statement.

About 2 million Iraqis have fled the country and an additional 1.8 million are believed to be displaced inside Iraq. The refugee flow increased sharply as sectarian violence intensified over the past year.

UNHCR statistics show that 20,000 Iraqi applied for asylum in the EU last year, but Garlick said fewer than 10 percent of the applications were accepted.

Swedish Migration Minister Tobias Billstrom, speaking at a meeting of EU justice and interior ministers, appealed for greater burden-sharing among nations hosting Iraqi refugees.

More than 9,000 Iraqis were admitted to Sweden last year, and 25,000 are expected to claim asylum this year.

EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini said the large numbers of claimants was "a particular problem now for Sweden. But I don't exclude that in the future it will become a problem for other member states."
Read more here

More Iraqi refugee news here