Palestinian refugees seek transfer from Iraq to Sudan

Recently a delegation representing Palestinian refugees in Iraq visited Sudan for discussions on the possibility of transfering their community to Sudan reports Paltoday. Negotiations were held between the delegation and a committee formed by the Sudanese government, the PLO and UNHCR. The Sudanese government has stated that they will have full freedom to employment and residence in the country. Most of the refugees are Palestinian citizens. A minority of Iraqi citizens would retain their citizenships, whilst obtaining Sudanese ID cards. The arrangement of residence for the refugees in the Sudanese capital Khartoum would be temporary, until the right to return to Palestine has been obtained.

Thousands of Palestinians are Iraqi residents, and the community has been one of the most victimized targets of the US occupation-sponsored secterian violence in Iraq after 2003. Its estimated that most of the Palestinian refugees have left Iraq, but amongst others there is a group of around 2,500 Palestinians stranded at the Iraqi-Syrian border. Those refugees are currently living in tents, desperately seeking a new above of refugee.

News links on Sudan & Iraq: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9