A Letter to President Obama on Iraq

Excerpted from a March 4 letter on signed by 44 Non-Government Organizations.  See below for a partial list.

 

We, the undersigned U.S. organizations, represent concerned Americans and thousands of individuals who are committed to providing the people of Iraq with effective humanitarian and development assistance. At this critical juncture, the United States must continue to strongly engage Iraqis in the recovery, rebuilding and renewal of their country.

We ask you to ensure that the U.S. government delivers more effectively on its commitment to assist and protect vulnerable Iraqis, and to further the long-term development of Iraq, by mandating civilian agencies to take the lead in formulating and implementing an effective humanitarian and development strategy. …

[W]e urge you to ask Secretary Clinton to lead an inter-agency effort to develop a comprehensive strategy – with clear objectives and measurable indicators of success – for our continued humanitarian, recovery and development response in Iraq and for helping the many Iraqi refugees and their host communities in neighboring countries and to report publicly on progress toward these goals.

 

This strategy must include:

·        Goals that allow for measurement of progress toward humanitarian and development objectives — and should take into account the long-term nature of the development progress. There should be clear plans to transition programs from immediate humanitarian assistance to recovery and then longer term development programs [building local capacity and promoting ownership by Iraqis.]

 

·        Assistance inside Iraq, with an emphasis on creating the type of economic, social, humanitarian and governance conditions that would allow for the safe, voluntary and sustainable return of the displaced. There needs to be robust progress on providing basic services such as water and sanitation, education, and healthcare. Economic recovery is vital for creating jobs and stability. Special attention needs to be paid to especially vulnerable Iraqis including internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, returnees, women, children and youth, people with disabilities, and religious and ethnic minorities. …

 

·        Aid for Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries and for the communities hosting them.

 

·        A commitment to resettlement in the United States for the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees. Refugee resettlement is an essential tool to protect the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees and to share the burden of hosting them. In that regard, we urge you to commit to accepting 50% of the Iraqi refugees who UNHCR identifies as in need of resettlement. We would also recommend that the federal agencies involved in the resettlement process, including the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security and the Office of Refugee Resettlement are well-coordinated and adequately funded to ensure a smooth and efficient resettlement process.

 

·        An adequate budget to support the formulation and implementation of the strategy.
The task of responding to the humanitarian and development challenges in Iraq is daunting. Yet we are confident that strong executive leadership, in partnership with the Congress, can ensure that the U.S. meets its responsibility to Iraq’s civilians, and in doing so ensure a better future for Iraq and the region. As agencies that have been working in and around Iraq for many years, we stand ready to assist you and your administration in developing and implementing a comprehensive response for Iraqi humanitarian relief, recovery and development.

 

Signed by 44 agencies including: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services, Jubilee Campaign USA, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Pax Christi USA: National Catholic Peace Movement, NETWORK - A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Peace Action & Peace Action Education Fund, Church World Service

For the entire letter go to http://www.refintl.org/policy/letter/letter-president-obama

                                                                                          3/29/09 Issue 11