CFA BEGINS CAMPAIGN TO SECURE U.S. GOVERNMENTAL SUPPORT
FOR IDENTIFICATION AND RESETTLEMENT OF IRAQI REFUGEES

September 15th, 2006

The Chaldean Federation of America (CFA) reports yet another step forward in its efforts to protect and resettle Iraqi religious minorities fleeing escalating persecution and chaos in their homeland. At this writing, the beginnings of a positive “domino-effect” have been set into motion. The CFA has received authorization from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.S. Department of State to identify the most critical cases (e.g., unaccompanied/abandoned children, individuals with serious medical conditions, vulnerable females and elderly, displaced/separated family members, etc.) for consideration of “refugee” status. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State indicated that they would signal the UNHCR to begin processing Iraqi refugees based on the CFA’s referrals so that either resettlement or repatriation could begin by month’s end.

The CFA considers this a modest victory, as they regard the actions of U.S. officials – including the President, State Department, and Congress – as an official recognition of the plight and religious persecution of Iraqi Christians worldwide.

The CFA is now charged with conveying both the complicated UNHCR processes/procedures as well as the rigorous criteria for achieving refugee status to those who are to be considered for resettlement. The CFA will also need to recruit people from our own communities – especially those individuals/families who have been affected by persecution – to assist with relief efforts, mainly through translation and interpretation of ancient Aramaic (Surroth) in the countries of refuge.

“This is the first glimmer of hope for Iraqi Christians on both the national and international scenes, thanks to the vigilance and initiative of the CFA and its leadership,” said Michael George, Chaldean Federation of America.

Since May 2006, the Michigan-based CFA has focused its efforts on identifying, locating, and assisting displaced refugees throughout the world in order to reunite them with relatives already residing in the United States. The CFA quickly revised its initial projections of several thousand potential newcomers to now well over tens of thousands, as Iraqi-Americans began identifying and pledging to sponsor thousands of their own relatives who had fled certain death and violence to 31 countries worldwide.

Specifically, the first wave of respondents to CFA inquiries identified over 4,000 Christian refugees across the regions of the Middle East, Central Asia, the Far East, Europe, Africa, and South America. Within the four transit countries of the highest concentrations of Iraqi Christian refugees (Greece, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey), 85% of the potential beneficiaries reported religious persecution as uppermost among those factors contributing to the flight from their ancestral homeland. Nearly 70% of the sample reported multiple precipitating factors for their flight, including experiencing torture or violence to themselves or among family members (directly attributable to their religious minority status), the loss of their homes and/or businesses to destruction, looting, or confiscation by criminals, militia, or insurgents (37%).

On August 23, within days of completing a tally of the first month of applications, CFA Executive Director Joseph T. Kassab led a delegation, which included Dr. Noori Baraka of the Chaldean-American Foundation from California, Nevada, and Arizona, as well as Salem Poles of Detroit’s Arab-American and Chaldean Council (ACC), to begin a “face-to-face” campaign to secure Congressional support and U.S. Department of State guidance in expediting relief, family reunification, and resettlement efforts to refugees. The CFA “mission” included meetings with Mr. Vincent Cochetel, Chief of Resettlement Services for the UNHCR, and with senior staff of the U.S. Department of State and the Refugee Council USA, as well as other humanitarian relief organizations.

In order to accomplish its long-term goal of helping Iraqi religious minorities relocate to countries of permanent residency, the CFA must rely on private funding support. Now, more than ever, they especially need the financial support from members of our own communities.

As Iraqi-Americans, we are all either directly or indirectly affected by widespread hatred and persecution that our people have endured. And, as Iraqi-Americans, we can enjoy the communities and freedoms that generations of our friends and relatives have worked hard to establish. Now it is your turn to help … your generosity can help displaced Iraqi refugees worldwide reunite with their friends and families and pursue their own dream of freedom.

On December 1, 2006, the CFA will hold a fund-raiser for the Iraqi Chaldean Refugee Initiative at the Shenandoah Country Club, located at 5600 Walnut Lake Road, in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Tickets are $250 per person (tax-deductible) and may be purchased online through the CFA website (www.chaldeanfederation.org) or by calling 248-851-3023