Iraqi Refugees
Displacement in Iraq, Where Are We Now?
By: Gonzalo Pena
The Al-Askari mosque in Samarra, Iraq was re-opened not too long ago, its reconstruction still underway. Its golden tiles shine in the desert again, while massive and obtrusive scaffolding surrounds the dome, along with the rest of the mosque. The mosque’s image reflects a dual message of hope and weariness for those whose lives have been transformed by the conflict in Iraq. On February 22, 2006, the mosque suffered its first bombing, unleashing a wave of sectarian conflict in a country already embedded in a bloody war, one that would leave a trail of death and massive displacement that would turn Iraq into the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world.
The Conditions for Return
Today the country is still trying to recuperate from the devastating years of 2006 and 2007 but signs of improvement are beginning to show. In a recent report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 81,000 internally displaced Iraqi have returned as of May of 2009. This news however, is far from true progress, as these returns have not always been sustainable…Continue Reading.
A Looming Iraqi Refugee Crisis
American policy makers start taking notes. C.Eduardo Vargas, a specialist in the Iraqi refugee crisis who has traveled the region, speaks about the developing crisis involving over 5,000,000 Iraqi refugees and internally displaced people. He presents American foreign policy makers with clear and strong actions to address this humanitarian and political challenge.
Download Podcast – Iraqi Refugees 01.24.09
C. Eduardo Vargas is currently a project manager for conflict issues and political advocacy at Intersections International. Prior to this position, he worked on a variety of refugee issues with the Office of Caritas Internationalis at the United Nations. He holds an MA from The Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University.
