Iraqis face discrimination in wake of bombings

Reports of discrimination against Iraqis living in Jordan are on the rise following the November bomb attacks in the capital, Amman, which killed 54 and caused public outrage. “We’ve received hundreds of complaints from Iraqis living in Amman, who say they face discrimination in the streets, in shops and in public places,” said Muhammad Obaidi, spokesman for the Iraqi Association for Nationals Living in Jordan. “They’re accused of being terrorists,” he added. An estimated 400,000 Iraqi nationals live in Jordan, the majority of them in Amman, according to aid agencies. According to Obaidi, the tense climate has caused considerable distress among Iraqi expatriates, with many thinking about leaving the Hashemite kingdom. “When a taxi driver recognised my Iraqi accent, he forced me to get out, shouting that I was a terrorist,” said Sundus Ahmed, an Iraqi resident of Amman. There have been similar reports of discrimination against Iraqi children in schools and institutes. “My friend said that Iraqis should all die because we killed their Jordanian brothers,” said Jamal Salah, an 11-year-old student in a private school in the capital. “I’m just a child, but I’m paying for the acts of bad people.” Fearing that he could be subjected to violence, Salah’s parents decided to keep him at home until the situation improves. Beatings of Iraqis have also been reported on the streets of Amman. “As we were returning home from school, four boys came and beat us up,” said Bassima Sami, 16, as she cried and showed the bruises on her face. “They said that Iraqi women are terrorists, and should leave their country before we kill more people.” According to Obaidi, Sami’s parents refrained from taking the case to the authorities for fear of being deported. Local police, meanwhile, say they have not seen any cases of violence, but add that perpetrators found guilty of harassing Iraqi expatriates would be punished. “We can’t act aggressively against good people who have been living peacefully with Jordanians for years,” Lt. Col. Nameer Hadi, a senior officer in the Jordanian police, said.