Refugees in Jordan wait out violence

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By Ben Lando THE WASHINGTON TIMES

AMMAN, Jordan | Sitting and waiting - not by choice, but by the lack of any alternative - describes the life of Iraqi citizens sheltering here from the daily violence in their war-ravaged country.

"They gave me many warning letters and some bullets in the warning letters," said Mohanad A. Mohamad, referring to armed militias that took over the streets of Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion five years ago.

"Four bullets: One for me, one from my wife, one for my daughter and one for my mother."

A grenade exploding in his kitchen in late 2004 convinced him it was time to go.

"Now, thanks to God, we are living here," he said. He works odd jobs repairing computers, awaiting approval of his asylum application to Europe or Australia, where he has family. He won't go back to Iraq.

More than half a million Iraqis are estimated to have fled to Jordan since post-invasion violence took over their country. Many more sought out the Jordanian capital before 2003 as a temporary home after coup d'etats a half-century ago or a dictator's wrath in the last decade.

Some dream America will eventually become their new home.

But in Amman they wait, part of a global refugee line of millions from the latest Iraqi diaspora.

They're not refugees officially, but "guests," said Nathaniel Hurd of the International Rescue Committee.

Jordan isn't a signatory to the United Nations' 1951 Refugee Convention. It doesn't recognize refugee status, thus putting Iraqis here in "legal limbo," Mr. Hurd said.