Since 9/11, the Middle East has been plagued by numerous military operations led by the United States as an attempt to eliminate all terrorists or insurgents aiming to disrupt peace for their selfish gain. Any nation supporting these terrorists would be included in the assault and its government would be replaced with a more people centered leadership much like in the West. However, the other side would not give in easily, causing many to flee their countries and one of these countries is Iraq. Aside from the civilians who are caught in the cross fire, there are those who seek refuge in other nations as asylum seekers. Iraqi asylum seekers are often those persecuted due to their ethnic or racial groups, and political affiliations.
Iraq’s history has been marred with continous conflict since the 7th century; however, it became the center of controversy in 1990 when it tried to increase its territories by invading Kuwait and test nuclear weapons. The international community – through the United Nations - had managed to liberate Kuwait and ordered Iraq to surrender their weapons. However, the Iraqi government under Saddam Hussein did not comply to the demands of the international community and this noncompliance became one of the reasons it was invaded in 2003 . The conflict had put 1.45 million Iraqis at risk and opted to leave the country. Many of those living in Baghdad are fleeing to Iran while the rest are going to Syria and Jordan. Although it is cited that these three countries will open new camps for refugees and asylum seekers, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated that most of the 1.45 refugees who flee Iraq would not be able to gain asylum in these countries considering the refugees already in these nighboring countries .
Looking at the reason as to why these Iraqis are seeking asylum in other countries, a majority of these Iraqis are asking asylum because of their ethnic backgrounds. Even before the 2003 invasion, Iraq has been unstable because of the ethnic groups conflicting in the region such as the Kurds, Turkmen, Shiites and the Sunnis. Under the Hussein regime, most of the asylum seekers were the Sunni Arabs, which were the minority in the region. When the war ended, a power vacuum grew in the country and further severed the ethnic conflict between these ethnic groups. While the elections would have permitted all groups to have representation in the new government, many Sunnis and Turkment failed to get representation and deprived them of rights to be heard by the government. As a result, some of them opted to leave the country due to the possibility that they would be bullied by the present government . The asylum seekers from these ethnic factions had some reasons to leave because the Kurds, which are the majority in the country, have always been given autonomy by the government alongside the Shiite factions .
Others have sought asylum because of their political affiliations that clashed with the previous government or with the interim government. It is also indicated that upon the reconstruction of the Iraqi government, some of the asylum seekers were the government politicians who were removed from their posts and against the current situation in the country. The political fragmentation in the country had also triggered the growth of Sunni insurgency in the country, as well as nationalist Islamists who were against the occupation in the first place. Although the international community tried to remove these insurgents, many casualties have been recorded around Iraq, especially those who were supporting the insurgency. Further adding to the reason for many to flee the country and ask for asylum was the increase in private contractors who have been given autonomy from the Iraqi government when it comes to enforcing the law . Aside from those affected by the changing political climate in the country, asylum seekers coming from Iraq also indicate their affiliation to the right wing factions. In the analysis done with how Australians saw these asylum seekers, many of them believe that they know most of these asylum seekers belong to the right-wing authoritarian groups in Iraq which have dominated the country .
As the conflict in Iraq continues to escalate even at the present time, the more people are placed at risk and forced to leave the country. While there are still countries open to accepting refugees and asylum seekers to their nations, it is becoming visible that the problem in Iraq is not just because of the invasion but also because of the ethnic and political affiliations conflicting in the country. In terms of the ethnic groups, the minorities were left with no option but to seek protection from other countries in the fear they would be left powerless under the majority rule. The political asylum seekers opted to leave the country due to the political instability in the country, as well as their ideologies which clashed with the current system. If the international community wishes to return these asylum seekers to the country, there is a necessity to reconsider the state of the ethnic and political ideologies running in the country as they may retrigger further conflict in the region and further refugee movements.
Causes of Asylum in Iraq: Annotated Bibliography
Ashraf, Haroon. “Iraq’s refugees and internally displaced people will face hardship
wherever they go.” The Lancet 361.9358 (2003): 630-631. Print. in the article, Ashraf indicated that as the situation in Iraq continues to escalate, the situation of these Iraqi refugees. The article is also insightful and useful to the paper as it indicates which countries are likely to be destinations of asylum seekers from Iraq and what kind of life they would have once they escape the country. The article is also a crucial point to know how much refugees and asylum seekers are affected in Iraq.
Coleman, Denise. Iraq: 2015 Country Review. Texas: CountryWatch, Inc, 2015. Print.
This report highlights the current situation around Iraq in all sectors: from political, economic, social, and environmental aspects. This article is quite useful as it highlights the impact of historical events to the current situation of the country and which events have triggered the country’s instability. This article is good for the paper to indicate the situation in the country, which can determine other factors as to why refugees and asylum seekers flee the country.
Lyali, Heather and Elnar Thorsteinsson. "Attitudes to the Iraq war and mandatory
detention of asylum seekers: Associations with authoritarianism, social dominance and mortality salience." Australian Journal of Psychology 59.2 (2007): 70-77. Print.
The two authors interviewed Australian public servants and highlighted as to what they think is the relationship of these asylum seekers to right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation and mortality salience, as it would influence how the country should see these asylum seekers. This article is useful for the paper, as it would highlight the potential consequences of hosting asylum seekers for nations and indicate other factors as to who are the typical asylum seekers from Iraq.
Perveen, Ali. “’I am Iraq’: Law, life and violence in the formation of the Iraqi state.”
Utrecht Law Review 7.1 (2011): 4-28. Print.
The article gives another perspective as to the political environment of Iraq since 2003 as the invasion had brought immense tension in the country. Some points in the article written by Perveen indicated the groups trying to control the country and how some of them are forced to seek asylum. Another critical part of this article is how the political situation influences social categorization, which also is a reason why refugees and asylum seekers are prominent from Iraq.
Sirkeci, Ibrahim. "War in Iraq: Environment of Insecurity and International Migration."
International Migration 43.4 (2005): 197-214. Print.
The article written by Sirkeci highlights the various causes of migration and asylum seeking in Iraq since the time of Saddam Hussein's rise to power in 1979. Several reasons were cited in the article as a cause of migration and asylum for many Iraqi nationals since 1979, such as ethnic tensions and the ongoing wars in the region. A special part of the article was also dedicated to asylum seeker flows coming from the country.
Works Cited
Ashraf, Haroon. “Iraq’s refugees and internally displaced people will face hardship
wherever they go.” The Lancet 361.9358 (2003): 630-631. Print.
Coleman, Denise. Iraq: 2015 Country Review. Texas: CountryWatch, Inc, 2015. Print.
Lyali, Heather and Elnar Thorsteinsson. "Attitudes to the Iraq war and mandatory
detention of asylum seekers: Associations with authoritarianism, social dominance and mortality salience." Australian Journal of Psychology 59.2 (2007): 70-77. Print.
Perveen, Ali. “’I am Iraq’: Law, life and violence in the formation of the Iraqi state.”
Utrecht Law Review 7.1 (2011): 4-28. Print.
Sirkeci, Ibrahim. "War in Iraq: Environment of Insecurity and International Migration."
International Migration 43.4 (2005): 197-214. Print.
