Syrian refugees in KRG’s Erbil demand resettlement

ERBIL, KRG, Iraq (North Press) – On Thursday, Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) demanded their rights as refugees, to be resettled, and things related to the sectors of education and health like those of other countries that receive Syrians.  

This took place in a protest organized by Syrian refugees, on Thursday morning, in front of United Nations Office in the KRG capital, Erbil.

Rima Muhammad, an IDP of Syria’s northeast who has been residing in Erbil for three years, said, “Today, I am taking to street demanding the rights of children especially their rights to education and medical care.”

In September, teachers of schools designated for Syrian refugees in the KRG said that they did not comply to the date of the new schooldays due to a draft decision that may end teaching Syrian curriculum and integrate students into the KRG’s schools.

For nine years, As’ad Antar, a Syrian IDP residing in Erbil, have been demanding resettlement and converting the refugees issue from asylum seekers to refugees in order to obtain their rights of citizenship, education and other essential rights of refugees.

“There is no law protecting Syrian refugees which is the task of the UN that should assume to its obligations towards them,” Antar said.

So far Syrians in the KRG have not obtained the right of asylum and the UN Office only granted them a document of asylum seekers.

Meanwhile, refugees complain about the lack of international support related to their issues and rights, especially the right to resettlement and education.