Bahmed
09-05-03, 10:51
DUBAI, UAE, May 5 – Several thousand Iraqis, who left Iraq to neighboring Gulf States just before the U.S.-British invasion, have been denied their right to return home due to non-existence of a civil administration.
In Dubai, more than a thousand Iraqis have gathered with their families in UAE Rashid seaport, demanding to embark on ships that would carry them back home.
A thousand Iraqis have protested Monday, May 5, due to the failure of two maritime companies to obtain a permit into Umm Qasr seaport, controlled by the British forces, under the pretext that there has been no administrative and security body to perform the necessary steps for their return to Iraq.
British forces allow ships carrying food and medical supplies into the port, but ban commercial ones.
Thousands of Iraqis have been staying in the seaport for nearly 2 weeks, amidst tragic circumstances that UAE authorities have attempted to alleviate through providing material and in kind assistance and setting up tents for women and children.
A Family Tragedy
Amer Hafez, an Iraqi citizen, told IslamOnline.net that he went with his family to UAE after his brother, who resided there, had obtained for him a visa for visiting the Gulf state. Yet, when he decided to return home, Anglo-American occupation denied him that right.
“I have read an advertisement for a maritime company about organizing a journey to Iraq via Umm Qasr seaport and booked places to return home, particularly that the money I had was about to run out. The expenses in UAE were pretty much high.”
“Ever since that moment, the journey haven’t been operated yet. We refer to the company every single day but they demand us to wait,” he added.
He pointed out that his problem now lies in the fact the lease of the furnished flat they live in is about to expire. “What would I do with a wife and four children?” he wondered.
“My brother’s flat can’t accommodate all of us. We fled war to be rendered homeless and denied to return home by the occupying troops.”
Suliman Rashid Hussein said that he resorted to sleep in the port after staying several nights in mosques of Dubai.
“We don’t need anybody’s help. We only ask to return home. We fled from the attacks, yet the occupation insists to chase us outside Iraq in order to humiliate us all,” he said.
“We thought that once the war ends, we would simply return home. I booked a place in a maritime journey heading towards Iraq, yet here I’m living on the street for more than two weeks, as British troops don’t allow commercial ships to enter Umm Qasr,” He elaborated.
Occupation Refuses
Mohamed Sabah said that he had resorted to both U.S. and British consulates in Dubai to inquire about the delay of such trips heading for Umm Qasr port, and was told by some officials that commercial ships were not allowed to enter Umm Qasr.
“Is this the so-called liberation claimed by Bushand his administration?” Adel Nafie wondered in sadness.
“We departed Iraq during the era of Saddam Hussein, whom they depicted as dictator. They claim to have come to liberate us, yet we aren’t able to return home and we have become homeless,” he added.
“I’ve tried to return home via Jordan but failed to cross the Jordanian borders into Iraq. No hope to return now via UAE. All states currently close their borders in our faces, and nobody dares to confront the occupation.”
Aids, Accommodation Tents
Dubai police, on their part, attempt to help the Iraqis who desire to return home through constant contacts with several bodies, including the U.S. and British consulates in order to allow commercial ships into Umm Qasr.
The crisis is about to be settled, as contacts are being made with UN refugee body in order to allow Iraqis to return home via Saudi borders, an informed source in the Dubai police told IslamOnline.net.
“Residence permits and visas of Iraqis will be renewed till the current crisis is solved,” Major General Sharafel Din Hussein, Dubai deputy police chief for criminal research affairs, said.
Human rights administration has sought to alleviate the suffering of Iraqis and has arranged with the UAE Red Crescent Committee to provide them with the necessary aid.
Three tents have been set up inside Rashid seaport to provide those refugees with a suitable place. The Red Crescent Committee has provided financial aids amounting to about 300 Dollars per person.
It is worth noting that UAE has restored maritime navigation with Iraq since 1998, as number of commercial ships has increased on a large scale.
Another Tragedy in Bahrain
Same chapters of the tragedy occur in Bahrain, as Iraqi families have resorted to the Bahraini Red Crescent Committee as well as human rights organizations and the Bahraini foreign ministry to facilitate their return to Iraq after their savings have run out.
The Bahraini Al-Ayam Daily has quoted on Monday, May 5, an Iraqi visiting Bahrain before the fall of Baghdad as saying that “he left his home with the hope of returning once the crisis is settled. Yet, his crisis has been complicated as he and his family were denied returning to Iraq via Damascus or Amman.”
He contacted two Arab embassies to obtain a visa, yet was asked to wait until things become clear.
The paper quoted Maged Al-Hakim, the Syrian consul in Bahrain, as saying, “Arab citizens don’t need a visa to enter Syria, yet things are different with Iraqis, as Iraq is currently dominated by occupation forces and their permission should be sought.”
He said that he has been given strict instructions by Damascus to the effect that any Iraqi should be given
In Dubai, more than a thousand Iraqis have gathered with their families in UAE Rashid seaport, demanding to embark on ships that would carry them back home.
A thousand Iraqis have protested Monday, May 5, due to the failure of two maritime companies to obtain a permit into Umm Qasr seaport, controlled by the British forces, under the pretext that there has been no administrative and security body to perform the necessary steps for their return to Iraq.
British forces allow ships carrying food and medical supplies into the port, but ban commercial ones.
Thousands of Iraqis have been staying in the seaport for nearly 2 weeks, amidst tragic circumstances that UAE authorities have attempted to alleviate through providing material and in kind assistance and setting up tents for women and children.
A Family Tragedy
Amer Hafez, an Iraqi citizen, told IslamOnline.net that he went with his family to UAE after his brother, who resided there, had obtained for him a visa for visiting the Gulf state. Yet, when he decided to return home, Anglo-American occupation denied him that right.
“I have read an advertisement for a maritime company about organizing a journey to Iraq via Umm Qasr seaport and booked places to return home, particularly that the money I had was about to run out. The expenses in UAE were pretty much high.”
“Ever since that moment, the journey haven’t been operated yet. We refer to the company every single day but they demand us to wait,” he added.
He pointed out that his problem now lies in the fact the lease of the furnished flat they live in is about to expire. “What would I do with a wife and four children?” he wondered.
“My brother’s flat can’t accommodate all of us. We fled war to be rendered homeless and denied to return home by the occupying troops.”
Suliman Rashid Hussein said that he resorted to sleep in the port after staying several nights in mosques of Dubai.
“We don’t need anybody’s help. We only ask to return home. We fled from the attacks, yet the occupation insists to chase us outside Iraq in order to humiliate us all,” he said.
“We thought that once the war ends, we would simply return home. I booked a place in a maritime journey heading towards Iraq, yet here I’m living on the street for more than two weeks, as British troops don’t allow commercial ships to enter Umm Qasr,” He elaborated.
Occupation Refuses
Mohamed Sabah said that he had resorted to both U.S. and British consulates in Dubai to inquire about the delay of such trips heading for Umm Qasr port, and was told by some officials that commercial ships were not allowed to enter Umm Qasr.
“Is this the so-called liberation claimed by Bushand his administration?” Adel Nafie wondered in sadness.
“We departed Iraq during the era of Saddam Hussein, whom they depicted as dictator. They claim to have come to liberate us, yet we aren’t able to return home and we have become homeless,” he added.
“I’ve tried to return home via Jordan but failed to cross the Jordanian borders into Iraq. No hope to return now via UAE. All states currently close their borders in our faces, and nobody dares to confront the occupation.”
Aids, Accommodation Tents
Dubai police, on their part, attempt to help the Iraqis who desire to return home through constant contacts with several bodies, including the U.S. and British consulates in order to allow commercial ships into Umm Qasr.
The crisis is about to be settled, as contacts are being made with UN refugee body in order to allow Iraqis to return home via Saudi borders, an informed source in the Dubai police told IslamOnline.net.
“Residence permits and visas of Iraqis will be renewed till the current crisis is solved,” Major General Sharafel Din Hussein, Dubai deputy police chief for criminal research affairs, said.
Human rights administration has sought to alleviate the suffering of Iraqis and has arranged with the UAE Red Crescent Committee to provide them with the necessary aid.
Three tents have been set up inside Rashid seaport to provide those refugees with a suitable place. The Red Crescent Committee has provided financial aids amounting to about 300 Dollars per person.
It is worth noting that UAE has restored maritime navigation with Iraq since 1998, as number of commercial ships has increased on a large scale.
Another Tragedy in Bahrain
Same chapters of the tragedy occur in Bahrain, as Iraqi families have resorted to the Bahraini Red Crescent Committee as well as human rights organizations and the Bahraini foreign ministry to facilitate their return to Iraq after their savings have run out.
The Bahraini Al-Ayam Daily has quoted on Monday, May 5, an Iraqi visiting Bahrain before the fall of Baghdad as saying that “he left his home with the hope of returning once the crisis is settled. Yet, his crisis has been complicated as he and his family were denied returning to Iraq via Damascus or Amman.”
He contacted two Arab embassies to obtain a visa, yet was asked to wait until things become clear.
The paper quoted Maged Al-Hakim, the Syrian consul in Bahrain, as saying, “Arab citizens don’t need a visa to enter Syria, yet things are different with Iraqis, as Iraq is currently dominated by occupation forces and their permission should be sought.”
He said that he has been given strict instructions by Damascus to the effect that any Iraqi should be given