US embassy cable - 04AMMAN4251

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004251 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, PHUM, KPAL, IR, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: UNHCR UPDATE ON JORDAN AND IRAQ 
 
REF: AMMAN 3503 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  The UNHCR missions for Jordan and Iraq updated 
the diplomatic community May 24 on recent refugee 
developments in the two countries.  In Jordan, UNHCR 
acknowledged that return to Iraq is the only option for 314 
Iraqi-Palestinians in UNHCR's Ruweished refugee camp, while 
the 386 Iraqi-Palestinians previously allowed to leave the 
camp and reside indefinitely in Jordan continue to face 
difficult socio-economic conditions.  UNHCR announced that 
268 Iranian Kurds in the no-man's land camp between the Iraqi 
and Jordanian border posts have been accepted for 
resettlement in Sweden, while another 775 individuals still 
await decisions.  In Iraq, UNHCR confirmed that the Iranian 
Kurd population at Al Tash refugee camp dwindled to 4,500. 
1,700 of the camp's original 14,500 residents have 
voluntarily relocated to Sulamaniyah in northern Iraq, where 
they will receive housing assistance from UNHCR and the 
Kurdish Regional Government.  Rumors persist that the 
remainder of the camp population voluntarily returned to 
Iran, but the Iranian Government has not confirmed this. 
Also in Iraq, UNHCR has registered 23,000 Palestinian 
refugees, most of whom seek protection rather than material 
assistance.   End summary. 
 
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IRAQI-PALESTINIANS IN JORDAN 
---------------------------- 
 
2. (U) UNHCR Jordan Representative Sten Bronee reported that 
as of May 23, 
390 people remained at UNHCR's Ruweished refugee camp:  314 
Iraqi-Palestinians, 11 Iranians who are presumed to be 
members of the Mujahadeen e-Khalq (MEK) and 25 rejected 
Somali asylum seekers.  While UNHCR is not promoting a return 
to Iraq for any of these refugees, Bronee acknowledged that 
the only real solution for the Palestinians is an eventual 
return to Iraq.  The Israelis have ruled out the option of 
resettlement in Gaza or the West Bank and Palestinian 
authorities will not consider the option of resettlement in 
third-countries.  Some countries have rejected Palestinian 
resettlement based on family ties even among those holding 
travel documents.  For these reasons, UNHCR is facilitating 
resettlement for Palestinians who want to return Iraq. 
Bronee added that several Palestinians have expressed 
interest in returning to Iraq.  (Comment:  And some already 
have returned to Iraq, as the Iraqi-Palestinian camp 
population has dropped from the previous total of 348 just 
two weeks ago.) 
 
3.  (U) Separately, Bronee reported that the 386 
Iraqi-Palestinians who were allowed to leave the Ruweished 
camp in August 2003 and reside indefinitely in Jordan 
continue to face difficult social and economic conditions due 
to GOJ limitations on their residency permits.  UNHCR and the 
donor community, he said, need to look to other means and 
measures to support this community.  Although UNRWA had 
initially promised to include these Palestinian refugees in 
its special hardship case program, budget shortfalls have 
prevented the agency from assisting this group.  UNHCR seeks 
USD 60,000 to provide limited cash and food assistance to 
this group of Palestinian refugees through the remainder of 
2004.  (Comment:  We recommend PRM consider funding this 
project through a special contribution to UNRWA, which could 
include the 386 Palestinians in its special hardship 
distribution network.  Bronee told refcoord he would welcome 
such a funding mechanism, as UNHCR does not have an 
assistance distribution network in place for its urban 
refugee caseload.) 
 
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PALESTINIANS IN IRAQ 
-------------------- 
 
4. (U) 23,000 Palestinians in Iraq have registered with UNHCR 
since May 2003, the vast majority from Baghdad.  UNHCR said 
that most of the Palestinians registered to obtain protection 
and not material assistance.  Through work with the Iraqi 
Ministry of Displacement and Migration (MDM), there is an 
agreement to move the 35 remaining displaced Palestinian 
families in Baghdad into apartments.  UNHCR discussed the 
construction of a Palestinian complex for reintegration with 
the MDM and Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, but no 
decision will be made until after June 30.  Some NGOs have 
expressed interest in constructing the complex. 
 
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IRANIAN KURDS IN IRAQ AND JORDAN 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) UNHCR Assistant Head of Mission for Iraq Abdi Osman 
confirmed that approximately 4,500 Iranian Kurds (of the 
original population of 14,000) remain at the Al-Tash refugee 
camp outside Ramadi, Iraq.  UNHCR and ICRC are coordinating 
with Italian NGO Inter SOS to provide basic services and 
protection to the refugees remaining in Al Tash camp.  1,700 
Iranian Kurds left the Al-Tash refugee camp during the last 
year and now reside in Sulaymaniyeh. UNHCR and Kurdish 
Regional Government (KRG) authorities have agreed to 
establish housing for these refugees at the Bareeqa complex. 
However, the requisite infrastructure and services are not 
yet in place.  Although rumors persist of Al Tash Kurds 
having repatriated to Iran, the Iranian government has not 
confirmed this to UNHCR. 
 
6.  (U) Separately, 1,043 Iranian Kurds from Al Tash camp 
remain in no-man's land between the Jordanian and Iraqi 
border posts.  UNHCR reported that 286 individuals have been 
accepted for resettlement in Sweden, while another 775 await 
decisions from resettlement countries. 
 
7. (U) Baghdad minimize considered. 
 
Visit Embassy Amman's classified website at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman/ or access the site 
through the State Department's SIPRNET home page. 
GNEHM