Appeal to humanitarian organizations to aid the thousands of Iranian Kurdish refugees stationed in Altash camp in Iraq

Paris - 22 April 2003 

Close to thirteen thousands of Iranian Kurds who have taking refuge in Iraq for more than 20 years, escaping the regime of Islamic Republic of Iran’s suppression, have faced difficult conditions with the start of the war in Iraq.  These refugees were placed in Altash camp by the Iraqi government near the city of Romadieh in Alanbar province.  These refugees who prior to the start of the recent war in Iraq received a trivial aid from the Iraqi institutions, and in this way lived a deprived life, with the start of the war, and especially with the collapse of the regime and the breakdown of government institutions, they have faced a dreadful condition:  electricity and water are completely cut off; food is either unattainable or is enormously short.  There is no presence of medicine or Doctors.  All these deficiencies plus the hot weather has resulted in various diseases that almost every day takes the lives of several people; furthermore, lack of security must also be added to these horrible conditions, because the armed mobs created following the disintegration of government institutions storm the camps of these refugees almost every day and loot their basic belongings.

It should also be noted that about one thousand of these refugees, tolerating long and severe destitution, have been fortunate enough to reach the Jordanian border.  Unfortunately, so far the Jordanian officials have allowed very few of these desperate refugees to enter their country, and relocate them in camps designated for the possible influx of refugees of the war in Iraq.  The rest are still awaiting the Jordanian permission to enter the country.

Considering the dreadful and miserable conditions that thousands of these remained refugees in Altash camp face, we call upon the international community and humanitarian organizations, particularly the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and Red Cross to reach out to these refugees and relieve them from these inhumane and unbearable conditions.

Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan

The Bureau of International Relations

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