UNHCR publishes updateon situation of Camp Liberty residents
Wednesday, 20 July 2016 09:46
NCRI - The United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued an update on the situation of Camp Liberty
residents. The following is the full text of the UN Refugee Agency’s statement:
Update N° 14
Update on the implementation of solutions for
residents of Hurriya Temporary Transit Location (TTL)
• The relocation of residents of the Hurriya
Temporary Transit Location (TTL) out of Iraq continues to maintain momentum,
with more than 1700 residents having now been relocated to a situation of
safety in third countries. This represents a significant milestone: more than
half of the residents registered by UNHCR have now been successfully relocated.
• Prospects for relocating all residents out
of Iraq in 2016 are at their most buoyant since international efforts to find
solutions began in 2011. UNHCR is supporting a steady and growing stream of
movements out of Iraq in coming months. It is hoped that the process will be
completed well before year end.
• This progress has been achieved with the
cooperation of the residents who have proceeded with the relocation process
despite difficult circumstances, including the attack on 4 July 2016, which
fortunately did not result in any casualties.
• Ongoing success in the implementation of
solutions has also been assisted by the residents’ commitment to meeting the
bulk of the associated costs, particularly for long term support of all
residents relocated out of Iraq who have no access to state-sponsored
assistance. This commitment is crucial to the ongoing implementation of
solutions for the group.
• UNHCR deeply appreciates the measures taken
by some countries to relocate residents to situations of safety and security.
Albania’s exceptional contribution to this humanitarian endeavour merits
special note, as Albania has received a significant proportion of the residents
who have been relocated. Likewise, the United States has been actively
supporting the relocations in a number of ways, and without those sustained and
concerted efforts, the progress reported here could not have been achieved.
• Despite noteworthy progress made over the
last two years, UNHCR maintains its call upon States to find ways to offer long
term solutions for the residents in the Hurriya TTL and to do so with urgency.
This appeal should be read in light of the potential for more attacks on the
Hurriya TTL, as has been recently witnessed. This emphasizes the need for quick
and pragmatic action on the part of States to ensure that these people are very
swiftly relocated to a situation of safety and security.
• UNHCR continues to call upon the Government
of Iraq to take all possible measures to ensure the safety and well-being of
residents, including ensuring access to life saving medical treatment and
assistance with the provision of goods and services to enable the residents to
make arrangements for their own protection.
• UNHCR also recalls the Memorandum of
Understanding between the Government of Iraq and the United Nations explicitly
recognizes that residents benefit from the principle of non-refoulement.
UNHCR, Geneva, 19 July 2016
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