PDYU: UNRWA scholarships for Nahr al-Barid students are insufficient

The Palestinian Democratic Youth Union has protested the lack of sufficient scholarships from the UNRWA agency to Palestinian students from the Nahr al-Barid refugee camp in Lebanon. UNRWA is paying university fees for 121 students from Nahr al-Barid, but in total there are more than 450 young people from the camp studying at various Lebanese universities. This leaves more than 300 students without financial support. The bulk of students from the camp attend classes at the Beirut Arab University.

Source: al-Hourriah

1948 refugee dies as result of negligence at Iraqi camp

Posted at DFLP website on July 7, 2009:

"An elderly Palestinian died of a heart attack at an Iraqi refugee camp on Sunday, according to the Palestinians of Iraq Association.

The refugee, Shehad Mohammad Issa Abu Hamad, was born in 1948 in the village of Ein Gazala near Haifa, but was expelled with his family the same year by pre-Israel Zionist forces shortly following the UN's partition of Palestine.

Since then, Abu Hamad had resided in the Al-Walid Refugee Camp in the Al-Anbar Al-Iraqia Desert in Iraq's western Anbar province.

In a statement, the Palestinians of Iraq Association warned of the deteriorating humanitarian conditions at the refugee camp, including lack of basic health services and other life necessities, in addition to the refugees' plight as displaced persons for decades.

The association renewed its call for an end to the suffering of more than 1,400 Palestinian refugees at the Al-Walid camp, who the organization said have become totally marginalized from humanitarian resources and institutions.

However, the United Kingdom, United States, Romania and Sudan have recently agreed to host a number of them, the association said."

Tripartite agreement on transfer of Palestinian refugees from Iraq to Sudan

This blog had earlier noted the negotiations on the possibility of a transfer of Palestinian refugees from Iraq to Sudan. The Palestinian weekly al-Hourriah has published the text of the tripartiate agreement between the PLO, the Government of Sudan and UNHCR. The agreement stipulates the setting up of residences, in mobile homes, at a compound in Soba, in the outskirts Khartom. The compound will cover 107389 m2. UNHCR will built an elementary school and a health clinic within the compound. Approximately 2,000 Palestinian refugees, now trapped in camps at the Iraqi-Syrian border and living in dismal conditions, are expected to be included in the transfer. The Sudanese government would give passports without citizenship, and would have working permits, health insurance and free education including university studies.

Lebanese army accused of soiling food rations for Palestinian refugees

Palestinian organizations in nohave accused the Lebanese army of letting dogs soil food rations sent by Iran to the residents of the Nahr al-Barid. 3,000 food rations had been sent from Iran, but the shipment was held up at a Lebanese army camp for three days (supposedly for security reasons). The Lebanese army denies the allegations.

Source: Maan News Agency

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