Refugee agencies struggle with budget shortfalls

From the New York Times:

"Illinois and nine other states received more than half of all incoming refugees to the United States in 2008, the last year for which data is available. Yet severe cuts in financing —Illinois will receive $2.5 million in 2010 for resettlement services, down from $7.5 million in 2000 — have strained the budgets of local resettlement agencies."

This is coming at a time, as stated in the article, where the influx of refugees is spiraling upwards, due to conflicts such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other things. These agencies are increasingly coming to rely upon private donations to make ends meet, a problem with which they have not had to deal with before.

New York Times: Agencies Are Stretched in Efforts to Aid Refugees

Allawi Promises help for Iraq's Refugees

Fresh off the polls that gave his Iraqiya list a marginal victory and thus the first opportunity to form a majority governing coalition, Iyad Allawi has vowed to work toward bringing Iraqi refugees home. In a recent speech to his followers, Allawi stated that:

“There are millions of Iraqi people inside and outside Iraq who have been turfed out of their homes… and are experiencing injustice. We will work to help them return to their homes”

Although this language is great to hear, there is concern that forming the government may take some time. Because of the close elections, there has been no clear cut winner. Both sides will make their cases and seek to woo those non aligned candidates into their particular blocs. Any delays in this process will obviously hinder the governments progress in relation to Iraq's refugees as well as its IDP population.

Source: IRIN: IRAQ: Leading politician Allawi promises to help refugees, IDPs

Todays Refugee Challenges

The UN's High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, was recently interviewed by Foreign Policy. In the interview Guterres talks about the challenges associated with caring for refugees in todays world. He highlights that the problems that lead to todays refugees are in many cases recent developments, things such as climate change and the resulting depletion of resources which invariably will lead the world into more and more conflict.

About the current crisis facing Iraqis, Guterres talked of the necessity of a stable and functioning Iraqi government to expedite the return of those who have been displaced.

For the Full Interview follow the link: Interview: Antonio Guterres

Iraqis Still Need Our Help

Following their event on Capitol Hill yesterday, Refugees International has released a report stressing that the situation facing Iraq and its citizens, both refugees and internally displaced persons, is still volatile.

Among the most pressing problems that remain for the community of Iraqi refugees and IDP's (Internationally Displaced Persons) is the lack of basic services within Iraq, which has driven as much as 30% of Iraq's IDP population into the slums. Outside the country, Iraq's refugees still languish in dire conditions. The UNHCR, which oversees the refugees and works to help them is at the time extremely undermanned and underfunded. For the refugees themselves, unemployment is rampant, and many families are separated as men are forced to leave to find work in other countries. For many children, school is not an option because of the costs associated with attending. And these are only a few of the issues.

The RI report proposes that the United States and the international community do more to accommodate for those Iraqis in need, even as United States forces move out of Iraq. Indeed, these coming months and years are critical for the Iraqi refugees and the decisions that are made will effect the entire region. They cannot be forgotten.

Check out and download Refugee International's Field Report here: Iraq: Humanitarian Needs Persist

Seven Years in Iraq

Refugees International is holding an event today: Seven Years of War in Iraq, to commemorate 7 years since the beginning of the war in Iraq, which also happens to mark 30 years since the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980.

Several dignitaries will be present to talk about what the future holds for Iraq's refugees. Among them will be HM Queen Noor of Jordan, who is on RI's board and has done landmark work on humanitarian issues, among them raising awareness about the world's refugees. Several members of congress will be present, including Senator Leahy, who within the last few days introduced the Refugee Protection Act of 2010, which will greatly increase the ability of the United States to bring in those who have been violated and dispossessed.

Take a look at Bill S. 3113 Refugee Protection Act of 2010

We will be sure to follow up with info from the event here on TLP.

Amos to speak at Carnegie Council tomorrow night

Deborah Amos, Author of the new book: Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile and Upheaval in the Middle East will speak at the Carnegie Council tomorrow night. If you are in the New York City area you may want to stop by and see what is sure to be an interesting discussion. For those of us who cannot attend there is going to be a live webcast.

Click here for the webcast link as well as additional info about this event.

Green Zone Screening in L.A.

The List Project traveled to L.A. last week to co-host a screening of Green Zone, starring Matt Damon, with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Nearly 500 people attended the screening, which was followed by a discussion with Rajiv Chandrasekaran (author of Imperial Life in the Emerald City), our founder Kirk Johnson, and Paul Rieckhoff (Founder and Executive Director of IAVA).

We would like to extend our thanks to the supporters who joined us, NING, Rajiv and Julie Chandrasekaran, Universal Studios, Book-pal.com, Vintage Books and Tim Moore Photography for their time and generous contributions.

Read Excerpts of Deb Amos's New Book: The Eclipse of the Sunnis

A few days ago we linked to a piece that Deborah Amos did on prostitution among Iraqi refugees in Syria. Deborah has a new book coming out which we also mentioned. Called "Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile and Upheaval in the Middle East," the book looks at Iraq's transition in the wake of the American invasion from Sunni minority dictatorial rule to what is now a government largely powered by the Shiite majority. A large portion of the book will also detail the exodus of the over two million Iraqi refugees who have fled the sectarian conflict that ensued after the war began, and which still, even with the decline in violence, sits simmering under the surface of Iraqi politics and society today.

Here you can look at a few excerpts from the book, both the Introduction, as well as a piece called "The Most Honest Housewife in the World"

From the looks of these excerpts the book looks great, and I cant wait to get my hands on it.

Also as an aside, Ms. Amos is going to be promoting her book at a few upcoming events in New York City, including a fundraiser for the New York Chapter of TLP! I'll post some more details about the opportunity to see Ms. Amos in the coming days, but for now you'll just have to go out and pick up the book!

Iraqi Refugees and Prostitution

Deborah Amos, a veteran correspondent of the Middle East, goes inside the the underworld of prostitution among Iraqi Refugees. These women have been forced into this occupation for a myriad of reasons, chief among them is the fact that some host countries, such as Syria (which is detailed in this piece) bar refugees from employment. Thus refugee women are forced into deplorable situations to support themselves and their families.

Read the Full Article here:

Dancing For their Lives - Deborah Amos - Foreign Policy

And, for a little more info, Deborah Amos, the author of this article (as well as the upcoming book: Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile and Upheaval in the Middle East ) is interviewed by everyone's favorite COIN theorist, Abu Muqawama. In it she talks about her thoughts about the future of Iraqi's Refugees, and on a lighter note, her love affair with Middle Eastern cuisine.

In the News : Deportations

Europe Sends More Iraqi Refugees Home - The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal has a story that tells of European countries' attempts to deport an increasing number of refugees, citing their view that Iraq is safe enough for them to return. Another reason it is thought that these policies are taking effect is the recent rise in the popularity of conservative political parties, which has led to a backlash against immigration.

Iraqi Refugee Saved From Deportation At Last Minute-The Daily Star, Lebanon

An Iraqi was detained and led away to be deported, when the Iraqi Embassy, as well as human rights organizations stepped in at the last minute to prevent the deportation from going forward. Lebanese officials had side-stepped the law and illegally detained the man.

Saad Muhammad Ismail, has been in lebanon since 1980, and at the time of his detention had been seeking to be resettled in another country.