Jordanian Government Policy Toward Iraqi Refugees
As the anthropologist Geraldine Chatelard has written, Jordanian officials initially viewed the Iraqis as a security and economic issue and not a humanitarian concern. The officials feared than an emphasis on the crisis narrative would lead to Iraqis becoming like the millions of Palestinian refugees already in Jordan. For this reason, the Government of Jordan argued that the displaced Iraqis were not refugees, but "guests" who would return to Iraq.
Jordan is not a signatory to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and its treatment of Iraqis as "guests" ensures that Iraqis are secured and respected but fails to provide them with clear legal status. Jordanian officials have consistently argued that the only solution for displaced Iraqis were resettlement or repatriation, and the United Nations and donor countries have also adopted this idea.
Jordanian policies came under fire in 2006, when a report by Human Rights Watch charged officials with trying to keep a large number of Iraqi refugees practically invisible. The report stated that wealthy Iraqis were able to buy residency permits, opening the way to better lives, work, and access to Jordanian public services. Poorer Iraqis were unable to afford residency permits, and without legal status have no guarantee of jobs, health care, or education for their children. This sector is especially vulnerable to harassment and deportation.
Read more about this topic: Iraqis In Jordan
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