Jordan Times
Friday, January 16, 2004
Continuous contacts ongoing to resettle Ruweished refugees
By Dalya Dajani
AMMAN — Although some progress has been made, the UNHCR continues to be hard-pressed to find solutions for the fate of hundreds of refugees still stranded in Ruweished camp and the no-man's land between the Jordanian and Iraqi borders.Currently just over 400 Palestinian refugees remain in the Ruweished camp, 70 kilometres from the Iraqi border, along with several Sudanese and Somali nationals.
Another 1,200 refugees, mostly Iranian-Kurds, are stranded on a strip of land they fled to during the Iraq crisis.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative Sten Brunee told The Jordan Times the agency was continuously looking at options to deal with the refugee situation, examining prospects of returning them to their respective countries, back to Iraq or resettling them in a third country.
“We're still looking for solutions in terms of solidarity from countries such as Jordan and others in the Middle East, who would consider accepting refugees who have relatives there, or those who hold relevant travel documents issued by them,” said Brunee.
The UNHCR official added the agency was working closely with the Jordanian government to ensure the safe return of the refugees and their settlement in their home country, or in third countries.
“The government has assumed responsibility in the right manner to try and find a solution for the refugees, but this may take time,” said Brunee.
“We're doing our best to maintain progress, but from experience, the challenges show that solutions don't come overnight,” he added.
The government was set on closing down Ruweished camp in September but extended the deadline to the end of the year until a solution could be found to ensure safe return of all refugees to a place of resettlement.
AFP quoted Khader earlier this month as saying the Jan. 1 deadline would be further extended for “one month or two at the most,” to give the UNHCR time to make necessary arrangements to transfer the refugees to other destinations.
The Kingdom allowed around 356 Jordanian women married to non-Jordanians, who were residing in the camp, to enter the Kingdom with their husbands and children last August.
According to Brunee, some Somali and Sudanese refugees had been repatriated to their countries of origin while others returned to Iraq.
Around 18 Sudanese returned to their homes in Iraq, while 30 Somalis headed back to their own country. Currently, 18 other Somalis remain in Ruweished.
Many of the refugees, particularly of Somali and Sudanese descent, have refused to return to their countries on the basis of being political refugees.
Government Spokeperson Asma Khader said earlier that Sudanese and Somali refugees who are not on the wanted lists in their countries for political and criminal charges have to return home as soon as possible.
The UNHCR recently granted refugee status to some 90 Sudanese and Somali nationals.
Brunee said some of them would be resettled in the United States sometime in April or May.
Around 16 Palestinians holding Egyptian documents were repatriated to Egypt last month, with discussions still ongoing with Cairo and Beirut to take in others.
Brunee said the possibility of helping those who asked to go to the West Bank and Gaza was also being studied.
However, Israel has already rejected the plan.
Meanwhile, the biting cold desert winds and an unclear fate are just some of the realities facing hundreds of refuges in Ruweished.
“Conditions may not be optimal, but we've provided clothing and heaters for children and adults, and there's no shortage of basic necessities at the camps,” said Brunee.