Govt allows entry to stranded Palestinians, says UN agency

The Syrian government has agreed to accept a group of 181 Palestinian refugees, which had been stranded for a month on the Iraq-Jordan border, into the country, according to officials at UN refugee agency UNHCR. “We’re grateful that the Syrian government is offering a solution to the group which has been camping since 19 March at Trebil border point, just inside Iraq,” said UNHCR Media Relations and Public Information Officer William Spindler. “The group had left Baghdad out of fear for their security.” UNHCR officials added they were in contact with its sister agency, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, to ensure the group’s smooth transfer into Syria. News of Syria’s acceptance of the refugees encouraged other Palestinians in Iraq, also reportedly facing persecution, to move to the border area, although it remains uncertain whether they would also be allowed entry. “We have not been informed that other Palestinians will be accepted into the country,” said Spindler. The UNHCR has continued to express concern over reports from Iraq of frequent attacks against the Palestinian community, which enjoyed certain privileges – such as generous housing subsidies –under the former Saddam Hussein regime. “Late Saturday night [22 April], our staff in Jordan was informed of the arrival of a bus from Baghdad with an additional group of 50 Palestinians,” said Spindler. “But the group was stopped on the Iraqi side and the passengers weren’t allowed to join the 181 persons already camped in the Border Administrative Area.” While UNHCR staff in Jordan tried to contact border officials the new arrivals were told to remain in the bus, according to the refugee agency. However, in the face of deteriorating weather conditions, 34 women and children were given unofficial permission to find temporarily shelter in the administrative area. The remaining men were eventually moved to another site in the border area and provided with food and water by border authorities. “Over the past two days, our staff in Jordan and Iraq have made every effort to allow the new arrivals to officially join the other group, but have been unsuccessful so far,” Spindler explained. “We’ve been told by border officials that they had not received any official information regarding the admission of additional people into Syria.” Meanwhile, weather conditions at the Trebil border camp have continued to worsen, said aid officials, with strong winds and dust storms blowing away tents and makeshift infrastructure.