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Health of no-man's-land Kurd refugees on
hunger strike worsens
12.7.2006
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AMMAN, July 12 ,—
The health of three Iranian Kurd refugees on hunger
strike in the no-man’s-land between Jordan and Iraq
has seriously deteriorated, according to a statement
by the United Nations Higher Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) released on Tuesday.
“While UNHCR has done all in its power to send
assistance and medical care, the refugees have
consistently refused any of this help, putting the
life of the most vulnerable among them in serious
danger,” the organisation said in a statement
received by The Jordan Times.
The three refugees began their hunger strike on June
20 vowing to continue until they are resettled in a
third country.
They are part of a group of 200 Iranian Kurds who
fled Iraq after Saddam Hussein’s regime collapsed.
They had spent more than 25 years as refugees in Al
Tash refugee camp in central Iraq, having fled the
Iranian Islamic revolution.
The UN body said it is increasingly concerned about
the health and well-being of the group.
According to the statement, the refugees have
recently become more vocal, holding regular
demonstrations expressing discontent with their
present situation.
They were denied entry into Jordan, however.
Since their arrival in 2005, the group has put
pressure on UNHCR to allow them to enter Jordan as a
first step towards resettlement in a third country.
Earlier this year, Sweden accepted 111 Iranian Kurd
asylum seekers living in Rweished refugee camp, 60km
from Jordan’s Iraqi border.
The camp was set up in 2003 during the buildup to
the American invasion of Iraq to accommodate an
expected influx of refugees.
When the war started, Rweished became home to more
than 1,200 Iraqis, Palestinians, Somalis, Sudanese,
Moroccans and Iranian Kurd refugees.
Over the past three years that number has dwindled
to around 500 as many were resettled in Australia,
Denmark, Finland, Ireland New Zealand, Norway and
the US.
“UNHCR has been trying to find a solution, but we
cannot force the Jordanian authorities to allow
access into their country. Resettlement is
unfortunately also not something UNHCR alone can
provide. It is based upon a demonstrated need in the
absence of a solution in an asylum country, and is
provided at the discretion of resettlement countries
who have limited quotas to resettle refugees,” added
the statement.
UNHCR said it was encouraging the group to go to
Kawa refugee camp in Iraq’s northern Erbil
Governorate, but they remained adamant in their
refusal to go and continue pressing for
resettlement. Some 10,000 Iranian Kurd refugees are
registered and living throughout northern Iraq.
unhcr org | jordantimes com
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