SAUDI ARABIA: REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME

(7 Apr 1995) Eng/Arabic/Nat

A U.S. newspaper reports today (Friday) that a programme to resettle Iraqi refugees into the United States has allowed sex offenders into the country.

The Christian Science Monitor said the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia has recommended halting the resettlement programme.

APTV is the first Western television crew to be allowed full access to the Saudi refugee camp where the 17-thousand Iraqis are held while they wait for resettlement in the United States or one of its Gulf War allies.

Rafha, Saudi Arabia. Thousands of refugees who fled Saddam Hussein's regime during the Gulf War crisis are living in a guarded camp 12 kilometres from the Iraqi border.

These people are the forgotten victims of the war. Nearly five years on they remain behind barbed wire hoping for resettlement overseas.

It's one of the largest resettlement projects in the world. There are nearly 17-thousand refugees here - ex prisoners of war who refused to return home to Iraq, and Shiite Muslims, air lifted to safety here by the Allies after the failed uprising in Southern Iraq during the Gulf War.

Rafha is effectively a small Iraqi town. But it is growing - nearly 30 children are born every month.

Living conditions are relatively good. The Saudis have spent (m) millions of dollars on health care and education for the refugees.

But Rafha is a closed camp and the people here are officially in transit.

The Saudi government provides support for the refugees but refuses to let them settle in the country. They will remain inside the fence unless given sanctuary by another country.

Isma'il Al-Taa'i fled Iraq after refusing to paint propaganda art for Saddam Hussein.

He was forced to leave his family behind.

SOUNDBITE:
Who doesn't think of their family, but I can't contact them so I must try not to think about them and try to forget them.
SUPER CAPTION: Ismail Al-Taai

He is one of the lucky ones who have been provisionally accepted by a Western country.

Violence has erupted before - in 1993 at least 13 died in clashes between the inmates and guards.

According to UNHCR there is potential for further violence.

SOUNDBITE:
The situation is calm, the operation going well but what we are afraid is if the operation will slow, nobody knows what will happen.
SUPER CAPTION Abdulmawla Al-Solh, UNHCR representative to Saudi Arabia

In the single men's section, 10-thousand live in crowded makeshift houses.

The anger here is evident.

VOXPOP 1:
We are very, very tired, why photos, why?
VOX POP 2
They don't have any water, any drink, They don't give, the Saudi Arabian government don't give any water.

Iraqi refugees

In all over 12-thousand people have made a new start in other countries since 1991.

But the process is slow and to the people here it appears that Western preoccupation with sanctions against Saddam Hussein means the refugees from the Iraqi regime have been forgotten.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...