HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.
![handle is hein.immigration/refgrpt0019 and id is 1 raw text is:
Refugee Reports
A NEws SERVICE OF THE U.S. COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES
VOLUME 19, NUMBER 1 JANUARY 31, 1998
U.S. Resettlement Program for Iraqi
Refugees in Saudi Arabia Closes Down
ITedMaly, who worked as the joint Voluntary Agency Representative
(JVAR) from July 1995 until the program closed in December,
contributed to this report.]
The final U.S.-bound Iraqi refugees left Raffia, Saudi Arabia on
December 9, completing a refugee resettlement program that began
in 1992 on behalf of some 33,000 refugees living in camps in
Saudi Arabia.
In the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, more than 90,000 Iraqis
sought temporary asylum with coalition forces in the occupied
zone of southern Iraq. Of these, 60,000 subsequently returned
home under the conditions of the cease-fire; the 33,000 who
remained were settled in two camps in Saudi Arabia, Artawiya (for
single men) and Raffia (primarily for families and women). Artawiya
camp was merged with Raffia camp during the last months of
1992.
After last month's close of the U.S. resettlement program, fewer
than 6,000 Iraqi refugees remain in Raffia. Living conditions within
Raffia camp have remained relatively unchanged since the camp
was established. The camp is closed and refugees are forbidden
from traveling outside its boundaries. Security remains high, and
the Saudi military presence within the camp is permanent and
very visible; armed military vehicles regularly patrol the camp. A
curfew of 12:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. is strictly enforced.
Saudi services to the camp remain solely under the control of
the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defense and Aviation (MODA) through
its military personnel and a Saudi Arabian nongovernmental
organization called the International Islamic Relief Organization
(IIRO).
The Saudi government reduced the level of its services after a
camp riot in March 1993, cutting annual allowances that had totaled
approximately U.S.$933 per refugee. A clothing allowance is still
distributed semi-annually, and nominal salaries are paid to refugees
who work in the school, hospital, or
Every 19 years or so, we at with other camp services.
Refugee Reports decide on Refugee residents have no access
a new look. We hope you to telephones in the camp. Mail is
find the facelift pleasing to received through the Saudi postal
the eye, but that you can
still recognize an old friend.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Lead Story
A four-year resettlement program for Iraqi
refugees in Saudi Arabia ended in Decem-
ber. We look at the last months of the
program and the status of the nearly 6,000
refugees rem aining ........................................ 1
Recent Developments
UNHCR urban refugee policy ................. 4
Algerian violence causes death and
displacem ent ............................................... 6
Chronology of U.S. refugee and
asylum programs and policies ............. 8
Updates
INS issues directives on voluntary
departure .................................................... 10
Kurdish asylum seekers arrive in Italy;
EU and Turkey initiate crackdowns ........... 12
Current Research
Study examines public attitudes
toward refugees ...................................... 12
Resources ......................................... 14
Conferences ..................................... 15
Job Board ..................................... 15
Statistics .............................................. 16](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.immigration/refgrpt0019&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)