Running From A War Zone

Mary Madsen, 03.05.2010 06:00

One of the greatest tragedies of the Iraq war is the displacement of more than 5 million Iraqis. Yet this humanitarian crisis is largely ignored by the US government and media. But recently, Collateral Repair Project, locally based in Medford, Oregon and providing assistance to Iraqi refugees in Amman, Jordan, came to the attention a local reporter.

Iraqi refugee child with paint set

Last month Paris Aiken, a reporter from Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, visited CRP in Amman and interviewed co-director Sasha and our Iraqi colleague and translator Ghazwan. She also accompanied them on a home visit to a refugee’s home to hear their story and see first-hand the circumstances under which the vast majority of Iraqi refugees currently survive.
The story is available at  http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100503/NEWS/5030317
(Note:One important correction to the article: UNHCR assistance (which many must rely on as their sole means of support) is not "100JD per month" -- the grant amount varies depending on number of members in the household. A single person receives 75JD (around $100) - a family of six receives 245JD (a little over $300). Even with cost of living being lower in Amman than in the west, Cash Assistance is inadequate to pay for more than the rough basics: rent in what are many times substandard flats; utilities if people are extremely careful in use, and low cost foods.)

We are grateful to the Medford Mail Tribune and to Rogue Valley IMC for acknowledging CRP and for bringing awareness of the refugee crisis to the general public. Much more media attention needs to be paid to this tragic situation which has been so sadly ignored.

CRP IN AMMAN

Meanwhile, CRP is working very hard instituting our new Amman Center. Here are some of things we’re up to:

• We are establishing a lending library of Arabic language books. Even used paperbacks are too costly for most refugees to buy and, lacking citizenship, they do not have access to public libraries. Their only reprieve from the harshness of their lives as refugees is escape into tv - although they most often watch the news, fixated (naturally) on what is happening in Iraq in their concern for loved ones left behind. A library will give them a reprieve from the continual diet of disturbing news and hopelessness.

• We have also instituted English Language social nights for those who want to learn or improve the basics of English. Without the option of ever returning to Iraq and currently living shadow lives with no future for themselves and their children in Jordan, many Iraqi refugees are anxious to resettle in UK, Australia or the US. Knowing the basics of English will give them a foot-up if they are resettled. We’ve been fortunate to have a cadre of young American volunteers who are studying Arabic at the University of Jordan to lend their energy and language skills for the socials. Nineteen men and women attended our first English Language Social event. We hope to continue this on a weekly basis as well as plan other cultural and community gatherings as a means of building bridges of peace and mutual understanding.

• One thing we know is that all kids love to draw and they love art projects. Put a bowl of crayons and a few pieces of blank paper on the coffee table and, without hesitation or coaxing, they immediately begin making pictures. Art is not just a means of creative expression, but is also therapeutic. We want our center to be a place for kids to gather to express themselves through art projects as well as other activities - and hopefully, in the future, we want to include art opportunities for adults too.

• Most of us know how valuable it is to have a photographic memory of our families and our children as they grow. Digital cameras are a luxury far beyond the budget of Iraqi refugees. Many have been here in Amman for several years now, their children are growing with no photographic record of them during these years they've spent in exile. One low cost project CRP plans to initiate in May is visiting families to take family portraits that will be printed and given to them. Feeding the soul can sometimes be as important as feeding the body.

• One room of our center is dedicated to distribution of free, gently used clothing that has been donated to us. We already have many donations of clothing and are in need of racks and shelving to facilitate orderly browsing and selection.

• CRP also facilitates Iraqis accessing vitally needed services from other NGOs - but mainly UNHCR. Because of the scope of UNHCR's caseload of refugees, refugees sometimes become "just numbers" and when UNHCR monthly cash assistance is cut suddenly (by error sometimes) or a family has waited months until they are completely destitute and in deep crisis, CRP can intervene. On their own, Iraqis have a very hard time getting their cases heard by UNHCR (because UNHCR is swamped with such requests). We can directly inform UNHCR about these individuals/families crises and request a reassessment if cash assistance has been stopped or request expediting eligibility assessments to speed up the process for new applicants. We are successful very often in facilitating refugees getting this absolutely vital assistance from UNHCR.

CRP has long dreamed of instituting a center where Iraqi refugees can gather to socialize, make friends, learn together and celebrate shared cultural events. Our dreams depend on our donors. We're grateful to those whose support and donations have made it possible for the dream to come to this point. We need continued support to perpetuate and expand the reality that has evolved. You can read more about us on our website -
 http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/

e-mail:: madsen541@gmail.com
Homepage:: http://www.collateralrepairproject.org/

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Libraries for People 04.05.2010 - 20:12 Several years ago, I recall reading about an Iraqi, in Baghdad I think, who was operating a small public library for people in his neighborhood. This might have been before the Collateral Repair Project but I remember that one of CRPs founders was promoting that Iraqi library and Citizen's for Peace and Justice (Medford) was also. Good to see that CRP is dedicated to providing a library for Iraqi refugees. Open doors for people> Homepage:: http:// Baghdad library 04.05.2010 - 22:44 You're right, the Baghdad library was a local effort initiated by myself and Medford based Citizens for Peace and Justice. That was before Collateral Repair Project was birthed. The "Books for Baghdad" project was successful. I've lost contact with Salaam, the Iraqi man who was co-ordinating from his end but not before he was able to go to Amman, Jordan to purchase books and bring them back to Baghdad. Unfortunately, the worst of the violence in Baghdad has occurred since then and I often wonder what happened to Salaam and the shop owner and his little library. There are all too many tragic stories. Mary> Homepage:: http://