AMMAN, Dec 28 (KUNA) -- Some 9,000 Iraqis registered as refugees in Jordan are now resident in third countries, out of 17,000 the UN Refugee Agency recommended be repatriated and out of an overall 53,000 refugees.
As reported by Ad-Dustour paper here Monday, the agency said the 2010-2011 plan aims to repatriate more Iraqis, and to help 5,000 of them to return to Iraq voluntarily. The agency has helped with voluntary return of 53,000.
Virtue of the revealed plan, the agency now seeks to repatriate 2,500 families in a third country after completing processing of their files so that the documents may be presented to states receiving Iraqi refugees.
The paperwork for some 1,750 people is now complete and they are now in the process of obtaining immigration permits.
According to a study conducted by the agency, most Iraqis in Jordan do not have the option of going back to Iraq and are not considering a return in the near future.
The paper also quoted the agency saying that though it is helping with repatriation in third countries, it still considers a return to Iraq the best solution for the refugees issue.
And though it is not promoting such return at present, it was indeed helping on case by case basis and has helped many return to Iraq via and from Jordan over the last two years.
The 2010-2011 plan aims to ensure health services to 45,000 Iraqis in Jordan. It also aims to provide basic education to over 90 percent of children of Iraqi refugees, estimating that another 1,000 children are also to benefit from non-state education.
In addition, some 500 employees of different agencies are to receive training on Human Rights and issues related to gender-based violence.
The plan indicates 8,000 families listed for cash aid next year and 200 people listed to receive legal counsel and aid.
Meanwhile, Jordanian official records indicate the number of Iraqis in Jordanian territory who fled from security instability in Iraq is close to 400, 000, whereas non-official data puts the figure higher at some 700,000.(end) ab.wsa KUNA 281045 Dec 09NNNN