ANN ARBOR — Refugees, or people who flee from their homes in times of crisis, are often treated as political pawns.  Political leaders debate who caused the refugees, what should be done with them, and what their status means politically.   Meanwhile, the refugees are ignored, victimized or treated as a burden.  Humanitarian workers try to care for them against overwhelming odds. 

A panel at the University of Michigan Law School last week discussed the state of Iraqi refugees and relief efforts to help them. 

Held on Thursday, November 29th, “Addressing the Iraqi Refugee Crisis” featured staff members from leading refugee rights organizations, a documentarian and an Iraqi refugee.  Iraqis now make up the fastest growing refugee population in the world. 

There an estimated 2.5 million refugees outside of Iraq.  There are also another 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), or refugees within Iraq, according to the Refugee Council, USA, one of the organizations represented at this event. The speakers discussed different dimensions of an issue long underreported by the mainstream media.  One speaker, noted, however, that there have been changes in the media coverage.  Amelia Templeton, of the group Human Rights First said, there has been “more media coverage in the past eight to nine months.” Much of the more recent coverage is about Iraqi refugees returning to Iraq.  News reports cite figures such as the Iraqi Red Crescent’s report that over 25,000 Iraqi refugees, mostly from Syria, returned between September 15 and November 30. 

Some interpret this as a sign of improvement on the ground in Iraq.  It can say more about their poor conditions in Syria and lack of proper services.  Speakers on the panel pointed out that without work in host countries, many are left with no choice but to risk the return home. 

The Iraqi government has treated the refugees as a political liability.  Rather than helping, it has been irresponsible about this humanitarian issue.  The government has been paying refugees $800 to return to their homes despite the inherent danger.  Some Iraqi officials, including Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, chastised Iraqis who fled elsewhere and called them “cowards.” Templeton explained that, “we don’t feel it’s the right time to go back [to Iraq]. Country conditions have not changed.”  The Amnesty International’s panelist, Sarnata Reynolds, said that under international law, refugees should not return to zones of conflict until there is long-term stability. 

Getting international support for the refugees has not been easy.  Elizabeth Campbell, the Director of Refugee Council USA, described meetings with European delegates in which they got “nothing” from them.  They had looks on their faces that said, “it’s not our problem.  We told you so,”  a reference to European opposition to the 2003 re-invasion. 

She noted that in one category of refugee assistance, asylum granting, the leader has been Sweden, which has re-settled 20,000 Iraqi refugees. 

Campbell also cited the impact on Palestinian refugees from Iraq, many of whom are now double refugees, having faced exile twice.  She said they were an especially vulnerable community with almost no international support.  Brazil, she said, made a kind gesture to accept 100 Palestinian-Iraqi refugees.  She credited one person for paying attention to this population: Adam Shapiro.  He “has done more than all the governments combined.” The U.S. government has not been welcoming to Iraqi refugees, not even those who supported American efforts in Iraq.  One of the panelists, Kirk Johnson of “The List Project,” is trying to help Iraqi refugees who have served the American government in Iraq.  Many of them had to flee for safety after collaborating and have not received any protection from the United States. Granting any Iraqi refugees asylum here would imply that Iraq is not stable enough for them to return.  This would contradict governmental claims about “progress” in Iraq.  Humanitarian organizations have lobbied the government for some, even if minor, provisions.  The State Department announced earlier this year it would allow seven thousand Iraqi refugees to re-settle here. The number actually let in so far is much smaller, however. 

The few Iraqi refugees who get asylum status here face many challenges.  The panel’s Detroit-based refugee — who asked for anonymity in this article — described how hard it is for her to get a work permit without having proper documentation.  She said the state and local governments have not accommodated her special circumstances very well.  She also cited a lack of proper social services to help her survive here. She was joined on the panel by Kalyanee Mam, the director of a documentary, “Between Earth & Sky,” that looks at Iraqi refugees.  Mam, a refugee from Cambodia herself, became involved after working as a lawyer in Baghdad. The speakers ended the session with their thoughts about how students and community members can get involved in this issue.  They stressed the importance of public education about the state of Iraqi refugees.  Also, they said that fundraising for their groups is important to deliver services to the refugees. The audience of 60 included law students, professors, Iraqi-American activists, and community service providers.  One attendee, Ramy Alosachie, a senior studying pre-med, said the panel gave him a “sense of the people working on this… protecting our people.”   His friend Nathan Kalasho, another UofM student, called the refugee issue “the most important moral issue.” 

The panel’s organizers were pleased with the event.  Malak Hamwi of the Middle East Law Students Association said, “Information itself is empowering and learning about their advocacy efforts is useful.”  She stressed that many of the audience members are law students who will pursue the kind of public interest work the panelists are doing. 

If one thing is clear, it’s that the world needs more people doing this kind of work. For more info on the documentary “Between Earth & Sky,” visit www.iraqrefugeedoc.com. For the Refugee Council USA, visit www.rcusa.org. And for The List Project, please visit www.thelistproject.org.