IRAQI RETURNS EXERCISE

 

The IOM and agencies doing voluntary returns have been advising clients that they cannot guarantee their safety after arrival in Iraq i.e. from the airport to their home area. This affects mainly those who are not from the Kurdish autonomous areas (as was) in the North but this is route dependant so some will be affected.

 

Some, such as Refugee Action in Leeds, have been providing letters to this affect and have been prepared to consult with IOM re the route proposed.  If a person has consulted IOM or a partner and upon checking their travel plans is unable to safely return they may either be supported under section 4 NASS support because:

1.      there is no safe route of return or

2.      that because they are at risk upon return, expressing this direct to IND or to NASS constitutes a fresh asylum claim.

 

Refugee Council has said that they will provide some of this material upon which these conclusions are based, to us. 

 

However, I believe that the material is as follows:

 

http://www.unhcr.org/publ/RSDLEGAL/458baf6f4.pdf UNHCR doc on continuing protection needs 18^th December 2006

 

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/45a37c1a4.html - UNHCR request that Iraqis be treated as refugees

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_921.html - US State Dept. Travel Advice

 

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386640 – FCO travel advice

 

http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/571273.htm -Reuters up to date reports on situation in Iraq.

 

http://www.ecre.org/positions/ECRE_Iraq_Mar06.doc - ECRE March 06 position paper on returns

 

http://www.uniraq.org/FileLib/misc/HR%20Report%20Nov%20Dec%202006%20EN.pdf – UNAMI report

 

1.      Cut and paste what you think are the key passages from these reports into a blank document.

2.      Then – time permitting – turn this into a letter supporting an Iraqis new asylum claim on the basis that it is not safe for them upon return.