State of Despair - Jordan

May 2007
The flood of Iraqis to neighbouring countries has provoked the greatest Middle Eastern refugee crisis in 60 years. They live in cramped squalid conditions, in constant fear of being deported.

Abu Maher still struggles to talk about the day he was kidnapped by insurgents. His back is a patchwork of scars and burns. Although now safe in Jordan, Abu Maher's suffering continues. "I am living in sadness and misery". When his children go outside, other children throw stones at them. "They tell us 'Get out of here you Iraqis!'" confides his young son. Many Jordanians blame Iraqi refugees for driving up living costs. "We're the country who hosts the most refugees per capita in the world", explains government spokesman, Nasser Judeh. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are struggling to survive in Amman. But, no country will offer asylum to Palestinian refugees, also fleeing Iraq. These refugees are now stranded and stateless in border camps like Rweished. "Our only fault is that we're Palestinian", despairs Khaled. During summer, temperatures here reach 50ºc. In winter, they fall below freezing. Their tents are regularly ripped to shreds by sandstorms and people have reached breaking point. "Most of us here is sick. Everyone is suffering."

Produced by SBS/Dateline
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

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• Refugees
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• Pictures
• Jordan
• Middle
• East
• stateless
• Injustice
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[kloiep]

Am amazing piece of work and congratulations for showing the humanity of the Iraqis, the insecurity, the horrors of war, the plight of the Palestinians whose only sin is to be born Palestinian. I salute the filmmakers, I salute the Iraqis and Palestinians for their courage, humanity, endurance! Remember there is justice, either on this side or the other.

[sarahroar]

sure, Arabs don't always help each other like they should, but neither do Europeans or Americans or Latinos or Africans. None of us help each other enough like we ought to. Not that we don't ever try.

[somalify]

@terajasoos:I didn't force u take ma opinion so if u believe am wrong do it in a honorable way. Our Prophet said 2 us "Its 1 of da greatest sins that a man should curse his parents." It was asked (by the people), "O Allah's Apostle! How does a man curse his parents?" The Prophet said, "'The man abuses the father of another man and the latter abuses the father of the former and abuses his mother." Am not gonna go down 2 da same level as u but i will say dis, u need 2 know how 2 talk 2 pple.

[terajasoos]

@somalify

fuck u, ur mother,saddam and dubble fuck ur bastard god u sick asshole

[JDrosa1982]

they look like a nice family , to bad they can't come to the U.S..

[julietteanne1964]

@kloiep

[julietteanne1964]

is there an adress so i could send childrens clothes. and womans

[Jiannamarie1]

Extremely sad.......I need to watch this video everyday so I can be thankful instead of complaining over minor problems I have...God watch over them

[MrFlowDrummer]

@sarahroar Ummm... You're comparing demographics and races, sir. A LOT of countries have Latino's and African's, but only America has American's and Europe has Europeans. As a SPECIES, which is what I think you mean, yes we don't help each other enough. We are an ignorant, selfish species and are victims, often enough, of our own stupidity and arrogance. I don't believe in God, I believe one day we will UNITE and fix this world... without God.

[somalify]

That is what happens when you over throw a government. Iam not saying that Saddam was good but at least there was establity and his evil was limited (did not effect everyone). That's what islam tells us, that if you have a evil ruler advice him secretly, make supplications for him that God makes him better and be patient. Because if you overthrow him what happened in Iraq will happen and everyone will get effected.

[HEAVENLYFATHER3000]

Listen @ 24:18 ..It's because of this kind of treatment Iraqis treat each other that A MIGHTY CURSE HAD BEFALLEN IRAQ. how long will this curse last?

AS LONG AS IRAQIS TREAT EACH OTHER LIKE DOGS. IT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY KNOW HOW TO TREAT ONE ANOTHER