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 15 December 2009
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Appeal for funds for migrants in Iraq

15/12/2009

The International Organization for Migration is urgently appealing for funds to help as many as seven hundred migrants in Iraq to return home in the next two years.

Iraqi refugees

Iraqi refugees

Despite instability and insecurity in Iraq, the country is nevertheless a destination country for migrants, mainly from Asia and Africa, says IOM spokesperson Jemini Pandya.

"Many are lured by the possibility of making easy money in various sectors such as construction and carpentry and even domestic labor and have paid often exorbitant recruitment fees which have put them and their families into incredible amounts of debt."

Pandya says the agency is unsure of the true scale of the problem since many migrants are afraid to come forward. The agency this year has been able so far to help only 32 migrants through a special emergency fund.

Diane Bailey, United Nations
(duration: 53")

Sound bites

Jemini Pandya, IOM Spokesperson in Geneva

"Many are lured by the possibility of making easy money in various sectors such as construction and carpentry and even domestic labor and have paid often exorbitant recruitment fees which have put them and their families into incredible amounts of debt."
Duration: 15 secs

Jemini Pandya, IOM Spokesperson in Geneva

"There are also migrants, including many Sudanese, who have lived in Iraq for many years but the deteriorating employment conditions have actually left them penniless and in an extremely vulnerable situation. You can imagine that life, and we've spoken about this to you before, that life in Iraq is already difficult for Iraqis, it's very hard for Iraqis themselves to find employment. So, you can imagine what it's like for the immigrants there."
Duration: 23 secs

Jemini Pandya, IOM Spokesperson in Geneva

"We know that the number of stranded migrants is actually increasing but we actually don't have an idea of the true scale of the problem simply because many migrants are too scared to come forward because of fear of what repercussions there might be for them if they speak about what is actually happening to them. So we're urgently appealing for funds. It's extremely difficult this year for us to know that people are actually approaching us for help, and for the first time in Iraq, we're unable to give it and having to turn people away."
Duration: 31 secs