IRAQI ARMENIANS AFTER THE TOPPLING OF SADDAM HUSSEIN: EMIGRATION OR REPATRIATION?
Ara S. Ashjian

KarabakhOpen
13-11-2007 14:14:03

An Iraqi Armenian settled in
Yerevan, Armenia

This is the title of the MA dissertation presented by Anush Bezhanyan
to the Graduate School of Political Science and International Affairs
of the American University of Armenia (AUA). It is based on sources,
observations and interviews with 30 Iraqi Armenian households settled
in Armenia.

The study is aimed at aiding Armenian Government, Nongovernmental
Organizations as well as private people and donors in directing their
resources to fulfill the gaps existing in the policy towards Iraqi
Armenians in their homeland. The faculty advisor is the political
scientist Dr. Armen Ayvazyan.

The study finds that fear of war, lack of security and the current
political situation of Iraq are the overriding reasons for Iraqi
Armenians to leave Iraq and settle permanently in Armenia. It also
finds that some Iraqi Armenians leave Armenia to another country for
several motives: in the West they are provided with housing, monthly
grant and pension for elderly and they benefit from free medical
treatment. The reason that Armenia is their homeland dominates the
motives of Iraqi Armenians to come to Armenia. Iraqi Armenians are
restricted in moving to other countries than Syria, Jordan, Egypt
and Armenia.

The study also states the influx of Iraqi Armenians to Armenia started
in 2003, but took larger dimension in 2006 and 2007. According to
the Migration Agency of the Ministry of Territorial Administration
of Armenia 804 Iraqi Armenians were registered as temporary asylum
seekers. Others (357 people) did not apply for temporary asylum
seeker status and have gained special residency card between 2003
and 2007. A significant part of Iraqi Armenians want to gain dual
citizenship. Almost all Iraqi Armenians reported that they were safe
and secure in Armenia from the perspective of physical protection.

Regarding problems facing Iraqi Armenians in Armenia the study finds
out that Iraqi Armenians reported problems at secondary schools
and higher education establishments. Lack of jobs as well as normal
working conditions and decent employment opportunities are the main
source of disillusionment and frustration.

77 percent of the respondents claimed that Armenia has not any
particular policy or comprehensive government program towards Iraqi
Armenians, and does not take measures to satisfy their basic needs . As
for the repatriation of Iraqi Armenians to Armenia 70 percent of the
respondents expressed a thought that Armenian Government should make of
it a priority issue to be solved. It was found that 97 percent of the
respondents thought that the Armenian Government should encourage the
full integration of Iraqi Armenians into Armenian society. The study
offers several solutions that would contribute to ameliorate Iraqi
Armenians life in Armenia. The respondents ordered these solutions
as follows: Pension to elderly and handicapped, tax cut for small
and medium businesses, Armenian language courses, trainings and
degree programs, free land near Yerevan, houses for needy people,
fine businesses for discrimination, free housing in other cities
and towns of Armenia, free land for housing and agriculture in rural
areas and free livelihood opportunities in Artsakh.

In short-run, the study recommends to provide Iraqi Armenians with
the refugee status that would enable them to benefit from houses
and pensions.

It also recommends to raise the self-organization of Iraqi Armenians
through creating effective advocacy body in the form of an NGO which
would present their interests locally and internationally.

In long-run, the study recommends to promote the repatriation of
Iraqi Armenians in collaboration with Armenian Central National
Authority in Iraq and Diaspora, provide mechanisms easing to gain
double citizenship, design and carry out satisfactory housing and
employment policies. It also recommends to grant Iraqi Armenian
students the same educational rights granted to local Armenians,
organize Armenian language free courses, as well as extracurricular
classes easing education and integration. Also, it recommends to
provide counseling on legal, business and healthcare issues, raise
public awareness in Armenia about Iraqi Armenians within the context
of Iraq s political developments, and create a positive understanding
of repatriation through mass media.

The academic staff and the audience appreciated the study regarding
it as the first of its kind conducted in Armenia.