More Iraqis go north, fleeing violence
The United Nations begins a conference Tuesday to address the growing number of refugees fleeing Iraq and their homes within the country.
from the April 17, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
Often, those who must make a living are subject to abuse in exchange for low-paying work, including make-or-break demands for sexual favors, she says. Without a steady job, she adds, they may be expelled. "We are Iraqis and yet we need permission to stay.... We are strangers, here in our own country," she says.
Mr. Graber says reports compiled by his organization suggest that Arab Iraqis in general have a "much more difficult time entering and settling [in the north]." He notes that non-Kurds are officially prohibited from purchasing property and go without financial assistance from the KRG, with one exception: Christian families receive a cash grant from the Ministry of Finance, which is headed by a Christian minister.
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Fears Baghdadis will bring violence
Some Kurds say they sympathize with the plight of Arab Iraqis but fear that as more arrive, crime and violence may follow.
"We have no problem with Arabs," says Salar Sabr, a construction contractor who says many Arab emigres on his payroll do good work. But he worries that continued emigration could spell long-term trouble for his people and their relentless hope for an independent state.
Indeed, violence has been moving further north in Iraq. Last week, a suicide bomber detonated a truck full of explosives in a largely Kurdish neighborhood of Kirkuk, killing at least 15 people and wounding at least 200 others, according to Iraqi police. This came after a series of bombings on March 19 claimed 26 lives. The latest attack appeared to be in response to a plan to relocate Arabs from the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. Observers say this may be a sign of worse events to come.
Back in Arbil, Khaledi says she is ready to return home to Baghdad the moment conditions improve. Asked if she might travel to Jordan or Syria as masses of other Arab Iraqis have, she exchanges glances with a friend and the two collectively shake their heads.
Where, then? "Another planet," Khaledi says.
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