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Thousands of Iraqi Refugees Demand Change to Syrian Residency Laws
February 11, 07
Damascus (DPA) -- Thousands of Iraqi refugees gathered from the early hours of Sunday in front of the offices of a United Nations refugee agency in Damascus to demand that the Syrian government revoke new residency requirements.
The refugees voiced a common fear that Syria, despite recent assurances that it would not deport any Iraqi against his or her will, would not allow them to stay in the country following official and unofficial statements that the Iraqis pose an overwhelming burden on Syria.
Late Friday, Syria assured the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres that it would not force any Iraqi refugee staying in Damascus to go back to Iraq despite new measures on their right to stay.
Iraqis in Syria say they now get a 15-day permit to stay after which they have to apply for a three-month permit that can be renewed once. The Iraqis are then required to leave Syria for at least one month.
There are more than 800,000 Iraqi refugees currently living in Syria.
Sarmad Khazem, 36, who fled with his family to Syria from Baghdad two months ago after receiving threats from militants because he was a former army officer, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that he would not go back to Iraq.
'If I was deported, I would stay in a tent on the borders. That would be better than death in Iraq,' Khazem said.
He urged the UNHCR to intervene and ask the Syrian government to go back on the one-month stay outside Syria requirement.
In the past, all Iraqis needed was an exit stamp in their passport. Many of them went to the border and re-entered the same day.
'Where shall I go for one month?' Khazem asked, urging the Syrian government to allow them to stay under similar regulations for Palestinian refugees. Syria has hosted more than 500,000 Palestinians since 1948.
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How to help the Christians of Iraq
Who are the Christians of Iraq?
Eshvad = February
Thousands of Iraqi Refugees Demand Change to Syrian Residency Laws February 11, 07
Rifts aside, Iraq has a timetable February 11, 07
The State Department's Rosy Deception on Iraq Refugees February 9, 07
Iraq Militants Kill Christian Airline Official Feb. 8, 07
Luana, 22 year Old Christian girl Raped by Iraqi soldier Feb. 7, 07
A letter to Sylvester Stallone Feb. 7, 07
The Assyrian Universal Alliance Reacts to Recent Allegations Feb. 6, 07
Syriac Christian cuisine of Mardin Feb. 6, 07
Kurds Displaced in Effort to Preserve Ancient City Feb. 4, 07
Kirkuk bombs kill 2, injure dozens Feb. 3, 07
Iraqi Refugees Feel Hounded By Syria Crackdown Feb. 3, 07
Assyrian Genocide Memorial Wall Feb. 2, 07
Turkey is changing, despite Dink's murder Feb. 2, 07
The irrationality of 'They killed us, that’s why we killed them' Feb. 2, 07
Kurdish Iraq's Ambassador issued 29000 passports for none Iraqis Feb. 2, 07
Kanoon II = January
Chaldean Family Caught Crossing US Border Illegall January 31, 07
Kurds seek US protection guarantees January 31, 07
Iraqi Kurds Betray US January 31, 07
Eastern Church Needs Aid From West to Survive January 31, 07
Turkey; don't Involve Iraqi Kurdish Administration in Oil Trade January 29, 07
About the Representative Ana Eshoo's Resolution to Congress January 29, 07
New Book by Rev. Misick on Assyrian Language & Literature January 28, 07
Mothers' Union Forms New Link with Baghdad January 27, 07
Secretary of State Rice and the Kurds January 27, 07
Presidential Hopefuls Express Support For Assyrian Christians! January 26, 07
Dink murder: Religious authorities remain silent, media withholds condemnation
January 26, 07
School preserves ancient culture January 24, 07
Turkey keeps nervous eye on Kirkuk January 23, 07
Tens of Thousands Mourn Turkish-Armenian Editor January 23, 07
What Iraq's Christians Need January 23, 07
Hrant Dink Killing as if Continuation of Armenian Genocide January 22, 07
Christians, Muslims flee Baghdad for Kurdistan January 22, 07
Remember The Church In Iraq January 21, 07
Iraq's Christians Call for Political Autonomy January 21, 07
Interview with Yonadam Kanna, Assyrian member of Iraqi Parliament.
January 20, 07
Congress, White House Flooded With Calls for 'Operation Assyrian Province'
January 20, 07
American Jewish Committee Speaks Up for Iraqi Religious Minorities
January 19, 07
Suffering Binds Iraq and Darfur January 19, 07
Iraqi Christians Lose All Hope with Violence, Anarchy January 19, 07
Iraqi, Afghani War Refugees Need Our Help January 18, 07
Iraq's Kurds Face Mounting Anger From All Sides January 18, 07
Iraq moving towards division, says bishop of Kirkuk January 16, 07
Genocide Discussions and Freedom of Expression in Turkey January 16, 07
An Assyrian Archaeologist's Journey January 15, 07
US Jewish lobby warns : it may not be able to block the Armenian genocide bill
January 15, 07
T.V. Report about the plight of the Assyrians in Iraq January 14, 07
Mehrdad Izady & the History of Kurdish Christianity; Falsification of Facts
January 13, 07
Murders, Abductions, Threats, Everyday Occurrences for Mosul Christians
January 12, 07
A Biography of Helena Guergis, Canada's Secretary of State January 12, 07
Turkey Shouldnt fear the Assyrian genocide January 11, 07
A Christian Neighborhood in Baghdad January 11, 07
Christians Shut Out Of National Conference In Baghdad January 11, 07
A Christian Exodus From the Arab World January 11, 07
World War One Genocide in Turkey January 10, 07
The Ken Joseph Report “I sat in stunned silence…” January 10, 07
Paris approves Armenian genocide bill January 8, 07
Assyrian Woman Appointed As Secretary of State in Canada January 8, 07
Few Stories of Hope for Iraq's Christians January 7, 07
US must recognize Iraq's humanitarian crisis January 7, 07
Good News For The Christians of Iraq ! January 5, 07
Theological university and seminary moved January 5, 07
If Iraq fragments, what's Plan B? January 4, 07
IRAQ: Minorities tormented under sectarian violence January 4, 07
Christian Assyrians in Iraq January 4, 07
Why Are Iraqi Kurds Furious With the US? January 3, 07
Kholo Malke on the way to Germany January 3, 07
Expansion of The Assyrian Radio program "Qolo" January 3, 07
Assyrians Iraq's Forgotten Minority January 3, 07
Georgia Releases Assyrian General on Bail January 2, 07
Ancient Assyrian Fortress in Iraq to Be Preserved January 2, 07
Kanoon I = December
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Forgive Saddam Hussein ? December 30, 06
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A Tireless Campaigner for the Assyrian Christians of Iraq December 26, 06
Iraq, Christians Come Out to Worship December 26, 06
Christians Celebrate Christmas in Iran December 26, 06
Iraqi Christians Debate Self-Autonomy to Halt Exodus December 26, 06
Iraq's embattled religious minorities December 26, 06
We Must Not Forget the Plight of Middle Eastern Christians December 23, 06
Avoiding the Final Betrayal: Protecting Iraqi Christians December 23, 06
Nina Shea Testifies Before Congress on Behalf of Iraq's Assyrians
and Other Minorities December 23, 06
Conference in Sweden Calls for Assyrian Safe-haven in Iraq December 21, 06
Christians thrown to the lions in Iraq December 21, 06
Iraqi refugees - a tragedy stretching beyond Syria December 19, 06
Iraqi Christians under fire December 19, 06
Fleeing Nineveh: Assyrians of Iraq and Self Governance December 18, 06
No Christmas Celebrations in Iraq, Says Chaldean Patriarch December 18, 06
Groups call for relief for Iraqi Christians December 18, 06
Methodists Highlight the Plight of Indigenous Iraqi Christians December 17, 06
Pontiff Appeals for Aid for Iraqi Refugees in Syria December 17, 06
Christmas in Mosul Under Threat of Sharia December 15, 06
Kurds and the Assyrian Homeland December 15, 06
Assyrian National Party rejects Baker-Hamilton's plans December 15, 06
U.S. Iraqi Christian Community Debates How to Help Relatives December 15, 06
Deviousness of the Kurdish officials December 14, 06
Iraq Insurgents Threaten Attacks Against Christian Women December 14, 06
Gifts for the Children of Nineveh December 13, 06
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Iraq : Another Pries Feared Kidnapped December 10, 06
Iraq shapes the Assyrian cadet's background, future December 10, 06
Jordan, Syria May Close Borders to Iraqi Refugees December 9, 06
Visitors from Iraq December 8, 06
Assyrian Delegation in the European Parliament December 8, 06
Private Saudis Said to Fund Iraq Insurgents December 7, 06
Terrorists Bomb Church in Iraq December 7, 06
Iraq Is the Fastest-Growing Refugee Crisis in the World December 5, 06
Iraqi Christians plead for help, tell of 'ethnic cleansing' December 5, 06
Assyrian Christians 'Most Vulnerable Population' in Iraq December 5, 06
One Priest Killed in Iraq, another abucted December 5, 06
Comparing the Muslim and Christian Conceptions of God December 4, 06
Assyrian Delegation from Georgia Visits North Iraq December 4, 06
Another clergy murdered in Mosul December 4, 06
Dutch EP Member Inquiry Into Assassination of Assyrian Leader December 3, 06
Assyrians: Iraq's Overlooked Victims December 2, 06
Christians for Assyrians of Iraq Plan Demonstration December 2, 06
Iraq's Vatican Ambassador Seeks More Help December 2, 06
Assyrian Delegation At the European Parliament December 1, 06
Relief Agency Sheltering Iraqi Chaldean Refugees in Turkey December 1, 06
The Turkmen: Eerie Silence in Northern Iraq December 1, 06
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