Iraqi diaspora in Europe

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The Iraqi diaspora in Europe, has always been a strong presence particularly in the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway. Of the 2.5 million Iraqis who fled the country since the 2003 invasion, only some 60,000 have deposited asylum claims in the EU.^[1]

Greece, the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden, have received over two-thirds of all claims for asylum made in the EU since 2005 from Iraqis.^[1]

In 2006 the acceptance rate of Iraqi asylum seekers fell under 20,000 which is substantially less than the 2002 equivalent of 50,000.^[1]

For Iraqis, seeking asylum in the EU is a dangerous and expensive luxury. EU member states have effectively closed their borders to Iraqis, and coalition troops and embassies within Iraq do not accept asylum claims. The small-scale resettlement operation run by UNHCR offices in Damascus and Amman remains the only possibility open to Iraqis to seek protection from industrialised countries while remaining in their region of origin.^[1]

In order to stand a chance of being able to enter Europe legally, Iraqis must of course obtain a passport and a valid visa. However, EU countries do not accept the commonly available ‘S’ series passport due to the large number of available forgeries, even this initial procedure can pose great difficulties. They must now obtain the new ‘G’ series document, which is only available from one office in the whole country, situated in dangerous Baghdad. Even if able to obtain this travel document, the next step of actually obtaining a visa from diplomatic representations of EU states in Iraq is virtually impossible, and European governments have imposed strict penalties on airlines if they transport persons without valid papers. Not surprisingly, these obstacles have forced Iraqis to travel with false documents purchased on the black market.

The cost of reaching Europe from Iraq is generally estimated at $10,000. Those able to afford making the journey have either substantial financial resources or receive assistance from relatives in industrialised countries. The poorest are generally left behind.

A large number of European states have failed to provide even a minimum level of protection to Iraqis. Most EU states have demonstrated a general unwillingness to follow UNHCR recommendations to grant protection to all asylum-seekers from Central and Southern Iraq.

Contents 1 Present-day Iraqi diaspora communities in Europe 1.1 Armenia 1.2 Austria 1.3 Bulgaria 1.4 Denmark 1.5 Finland 1.6 France 1.7 In Germany 1.8 In Greece 1.9 Hungary 1.10 Ireland 1.11 Italy 1.12 In Norway 1.13 In the Netherlands 1.14 Romania 1.15 Russia 1.16 Spain 1.17 Sweden 1.18 Switzerland 1.19 Turkey 1.20 United Kingdom 2 References 3 External links

[edit] Present-day Iraqi diaspora communities in Europe

[edit] Armenia

See also: Armenians in Iraq

There has long been a well-established Armenian population in Iraq, due to the Armenian genocide. However, since the United States-led invasion of Iraq, many Iraqis now have sought refuge in Armenia. Some sources claim 460 Iraqi refugees living in Armenia.^[2]

[edit] Austria

The total Austrian population of Iraqi refugees is around 1,200.^[2]

[edit] Bulgaria

The total Bulgarian population of Iraqi refugees is around 1,200.^[2]

[edit] Denmark

Denmark has been a strong host nation to Iraqi refugees, where there are approximately 12,000.^[3] Iraqis are one of the largest Arab ethnic groups living in Denmark. This is partially due to the large number of Kurds who have emigrated from northern Iraq.

[edit] Finland

A recent influx of Iraqi refugees arrived in Finland, numbering at around 1,600.^[2]

[edit] France

The current population of Iraqis in France is estimated at around 8,200. However, it has been reported that since the invasion of Iraq, France has only accepted 13 refugees.^{[4] [5]}

Some reports claim that there are 1,300 Iraqi refugees living in France.^[2]

France is set to host 500 Iraqi Christian refugees.

[edit] In Germany

The number of Iraqis in Germany is estimated at around 150,000 ^[6] In 2006, out of 2,727 asylum applications for Iraqi refugees, only 8.3 percent were accepted. ^[7] Some sources claim there to be just around 40,000 Iraqi refugees residing in Germany. ^[8] In 2006, Germany granted just 8.3 percent of Iraqi asylum demands, according to the ministry.^[9]

In 2006, Germany received 2,117 applications for asylum from Iraqis, which is the third highest number in the EU. The country is already home to a sizeable Iraqi population, many of whom were granted protection by the German authorities after fleeing persecution from Saddam Hussein’s former regime. However, the recognition rate for Iraqis has fallen from an average of 57 per cent between 1997 and 2001, to a mere 11 per cent for the year 2006, which is one of the lowest in the European Union.^[1]

However, Germany has adopted another policy towards Iraqi refugees which has distinguished it from all other EU states, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior has taken the unique step of systematically revoking the refugee status of thousands of Iraqis who were granted protection before 2003. Since the threat of persecution from the Iraqi Ba’ath regime is no longer present, 18,000 Iraqi refugees who entered the country before the 2003 invasion have thus had their refugee status revoked, placing them in a situation of uncertainty and precariousness. In June 2007, the German government asked the asylum authorities to temporarily suspend the revocation of refugee status for certain groups of Iraqis such as those from Baghdad, single women, and members of religious minorities such as Christians.^[1]

It was estimated in April 2007 that 14,000 Iraqis were living with ‘tolerated status’ in Germany, with the threat of possible imminent deportation hanging over them.

[edit] In Greece

Main article: Iraqis in Greece

Greece is the most common entry point into the EU for Iraqis. A large proportion enter the country after a treacherous journey across the quasi-border separating Central and Southern Iraq from the northern KRG (Kurdish Regional Government)-controlled regions, from where they cross the mountains into Turkey. Thereafter, they continue along the same routes as thousands of illegal migrants, arriving at one of the Greek islands by speedboat or crossing the Greco-Turkish land border. From Greece, Iraqis generally travel on before making an asylum claim, either to the northern European countries, or to Madrid from where the USA or Latin America can be reached.^[1]

[edit] Hungary

Approximately 1,200 Iraqi refugees have immigrated to Hungary.^[2]

[edit] Ireland

Sources claim there to be 340 Iraqi refugees living in Ireland.^[2]

[edit] Italy

The current population of Iraqis in Italy stands at around 1,300; however one source claims there to be 1,068, which is approximately 50 families.^[2] Most of these are priests, nuns and seminarians who have come to pursue their studies in Italy. ^[10] The majority are residents of Rome.

There have been recent appeals from the Iraqi community living in Italy to free any Italian and Iraqi Italian residents currently working in Iraq. ^[11]

In November 2007, 800 Iraqi Kurds sought refugee in Italy, of which only 20 of them applied for asylum and the other received 15 day expulsion orders.^[12]

[edit] In Norway

Main article: Iraqis in Norway

[edit] In the Netherlands

Main article: Iraqis in the Netherlands

[edit] Romania

Sources claim there are 450 Iraqi refugees living in Romania.^[2]

[edit] Russia

Significant groups of Iraqis have emigrated to Russia as early as the 1990s.^[13] Iran credits Russia with being one of the first countries to provide concrete assistance in processing Iraqi refugees; Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry began preparing two sites for refugee camps in western Iran in April 2003.^[14] However, Iraqis admitted to Russia often find themselves the targets of racism; as with Afghan refugees, they are mistaken for migrants from the Caucasus, who are stereotyped in Russia as drug dealers and criminals.^[13]

[edit] Spain

The current population of Iraqis in Spain is unknown; however, since the Iraq war, Spain has been host to 45 Iraqi refugees. An additional 42 Iraqis requested asylum in 2006.^[15] There are roughly about 3,700 asylum seekers in Spain, and a further 642 Iraqis hold residency permits.^[16]

Iraqi immigration to Spain accounted for 1706 permanent residents in the year 2006.

[edit] Sweden

Main article: Iraqis in Sweden

[edit] Switzerland

The current population of Iraqis in Switzerland is estimated to be around 5,000. However, the Swiss government is currently closing doors to future Iraqi refugees, and offering to send external aid instead. Christoph Blocher, the Swiss Justice and Police Minister, stated that "We already have 5,000 Iraqis in Switzerland and our country is in second place in Europe in accepting them".^[17][18]

[edit] Turkey

See also: Iraqi Turkmen

Turkish citizens of Iraqi heritage currently number around 60,000-90,000. Turkey currently hosts 600 recognized Iraqi refugees. The Turkish government had approved Iraqi asylum seekers in 2001 by a rate of 78 percent.^[19] In September 2004 only 407 Iraqis applied to the UNHCR for asylum in Turkey.^[20] As of June 2006, UNHCR in Ankara had registered only 2,404 Iraqis as asylum seekers in Turkey.^[21]

Most Iraqi refugees living in Turkey are Christian, mainly Chaldean Catholics, and often face indifference by their Turkish counterparts.^[22]

[edit] United Kingdom

Main article: Iraqis in the United Kingdom

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Italy for Iraq

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