Jordan Times
Friday, March 24, 2006
Jordan-Iraq border
reopens
By Sheila M. Dabu
AMMAN — The Jordan-Iraq border reopened early
Thursday morning, according to Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh.
The official told The Jordan Times that the border was reopened because the
issue of 88 Palestinian refugees, who attempted to enter Jordan illegally on
Sunday, was resolved as Iraqi authorities took them back.
The border was closed on Monday after the refugees, including about 40 children,
were refused entry into Jordan from Iraq over the weekend.
Judeh said entry for the group into Jordan was impossible because they only
carried Iraqi travel documents and no passports.
Ehab Taym, one of the Palestinian refugees who was turned away at the border,
told The Jordan Times during a phone interview from Baghdad the group fled Iraq
to escape "explosions, killings and horrible conditions" in Baghdad.
"We ask everyone in the international community to help us... We ask for the
Kingdom to help us, to let us cross the Jordanian border and reach the Rweished
camp," he said.
The Rweished camp, established after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, is scheduled
to close in September.
Taym said the refugees want a permanent solution and are seeking help from the
UN to be eventually resettled in another country.
Mohammad Abu Baker, director general of the refugee department at the
Palestinian embassy in Amman, said the Palestinian Authority was trying to find
a solution for the refugees and seeking assistance from NGOs.
UNHCR Amman did not comment on the situation of the refugees. However, Astrid
Van Gendrenstort from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, told The Jordan Times that
the organisation was not aware of the border reopening and will issue a
statement on Saturday about developments regarding the refugees.