Washington, D.C. -  As U.S. troops withdraw from Iraq, Refugees International is calling on the Administration to continue its programs in support of displaced people inside and outside Iraq. During recent missions to Syria and Iraq, RI has learned that displaced people still fear sectarian violence targeted against them and their families. Women who have lost their husbands are particularly vulnerable.

"The security transfer occurring today is important, but it does not mean increased safety for Iraqis," said RI Senior Advocate Kristele Younes. "As the recent upsurge in violence has shown, this is a really delicate time for the future of Iraq. The U.S. must continue to work with the Government of Iraq to establish safe conditions and improve basic services so that millions of Iraqis can return home."

Despite the serious needs of hundreds of thousands of displaced families dependent on government grants to survive, the Government of Iraq has announced an end to the registration of internally displaced people. RI is concerned by what seems to be an effort to make the displacement problem disappear by simply "closing the IDP file" by December of this year rather than helping these people access the assistance they need and reach durable solutions.

RI also spoke to many displaced Iraqi widows who feared returning to their homes where their husbands were killed, and where they would have no means of economic survival, particularly given the reduced space for women's participation in the labor market. Others feared sectarian-motivated kidnapping or murders of their surviving children; some who had refused marriages or divorced after leaving their communities feared so-called "honor" killings from their own family members.

"Ultimately, the best solution for most displaced Iraqis will be to return home someday," added Younes. "However, Iraqis returning home now often return to different, homogenous neighborhoods, and are struggling to find safety, shelter, electricity, water, jobs and access to healthcare. In addition, there is no unified process or programs to deal effectively with returning refugees or internally displaced persons. Property disputes will linger for many years to come and are likely to spark renewed violence. All of these problems will have to be resolved before Iraqis feel truly comfortable rebuilding their lives."

Refugees International is a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates to end refugee crises. In April, the organization released a field report, "Iraq: Preventing the Point of No Return," which highlighted the obstacles facing Iraqis who try to return home. Since November 2006, the organization has conducted ten missions to the Middle East to assess the needs of displaced Iraqis and work with international leaders to develop effective solutions to this crisis. For more information, go to  www.refugeesinternational.org.

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Contact:
Vanessa Parra; +1-202-904-0319
Vanessa@refugeesinternational.org