The UN news agency IRIN has a disturbing report about alleged discrimination against Iraqis in Jordan. Here is an excerpt:
AMMAN, 7 December (IRIN) — Reports of discrimination against Iraqis living in Jordan are on the rise following the November bomb attacks in the capital, Amman, which killed 54 and caused public outrage.
"We’ve received hundreds of complaints from Iraqis living in Amman, who say they face discrimination in the streets, in shops and in public places," said Muhammad Obaidi, spokesman for the Iraqi Association for Nationals Living in Jordan.
"They’re accused of being terrorists," he added. According to Obaidi, the tense climate has caused considerable distress among Iraqi expatriates, with many thinking about leaving the Hashemite kingdom. "When a taxi driver recognised my Iraqi accent, he forced me to get out, shouting that I was a terrorist," said Sundus Ahmed, an Iraqi resident of Amman.
This is distributing. I hope Jordanians will not fall into the trap of stereotyping a whole nation due to the evil acts of a small minority. Jordanians have always been hospitable and welcoming. I hate to think that might change.
Onzlo, Khalideh, well said. If I had been in Iraqi refugee, Khalideh, and known such hospitality, I would have emailed you! Often refugees are so ashamed of the time of being so needy they often don’t resume contact.
Perhaps it is because I feel so at home in Jordan that I feel freer to criticize, sorry for being offensive. It’s just what my friends experienced on such a regular basis (more than a nasty look or comment), jailing, unpaid for work, targets for rape, scams to get an Aqaama…it’s good to hear positive.
I actually think everyone should have an experience being an ethnic minority somewhere, so they know the exclusion and consequent humility that comes with it.