Thursday, December 6th, 2007
Center for American Progress, 1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20005
The Iraq War has caused the largest population displacement in the Middle East since 1948. Sectarian fighting, political and criminal violence, lack of basic services, loss of livelihoods, spiraling inflation and uncertainty about the future have pushed more than four million Iraqis from their homes and have made another four million dependent on assistance. Neighboring states, burdened by the influx of refugees and concerned for their own security, have imposed visa restrictions and effectively cut off entry. The Iraqis that have fled to neighboring countries face tremendous uncertainties, including the threat of deportation. Regional governments, coalition forces, and international organizations are grappling with the growing catastrophe and are devising strategies to ameliorate the humanitarian crisis while protecting against security vulnerabilities.
This meeting explored the challenges posed by the crisis and discussed proposed solutions including increasing humanitarian assistance, resettling vulnerable Iraqis and supporting neighboring countries struggling to absorb the refugees. While the humanitarian crisis in Iraq will only be resolved through diplomatic efforts to achieve a sustainable peaceful settlement to Iraq's internal conflicts, a coordinated international response is required to avert further disaster. These presentations led to stimulating discussion with invited guests about how to best respond to the crisis, and ways the international community can support this agenda.
List of Speakers:
Earl Blumenauer, Congressman, U.S House of Representative (D-OR)
Reinhold Brender, Counselor, Political Section, European Commission Delegation to the United States
Bill Frelick, Refugee Policy Director, Human Rights Watch
Said Hakki, President, Iraqi Red Crescent Society
Victor Tanner, Adjunct faculty member, Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University and consultant for the International Rescue Committee
Ahmed Ali, former translator and interpreter for numerous media outlets, the U.S. and Iraqi governments, recently resettled in the United States
Michel Gabaudan, Washington Director, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Elizabeth Ferris, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, and co-director of the Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
John Merrill, Director for Refugees, IDPs, and Parole Programs, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Middle East - Iraq Office
Kristele Younes, Advocate, Refugees International
♦Please click here for the event program and speaker bio.
♦Please click here for event summary and conclusion.
♦The full (32 page) conference summary report can be found here.