Relief drive for Iraqi refugees on Saturday - bahrain tribune 6-9-2007

http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society will launch a relief campaign for Iraqis living in refugee camps in Jordon on Saturday. The campaign will accept food items, clothes and other necessities and not cash. “We expect to send the aid in the first week of Ramadhan. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees :         http://www.unhcr.org   Popular support  from  Kingdom of Bahrain: http://bahrainforums.com/showthread.php?t=200650             http://www.bhnation.net/vb/showthread.php?t=19317

Refugees aid drive

By ANN LANGE-GDN- 8-9-07 A MAJOR aid drive to help thousands of Iraqi refugees in Jordan is being launched today by a Bahraini human rights group. The Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS) is launching the aid drive to help some of the estimated 700,000 Iraqi refugees living in camps there. It is seeking donations of food, clothes and other necessities and hopes to help up to 20,000 refugees through its Care campaign. The drive has been timed to coincide with Ramadan, but the society is also hoping to prepare Iraqi refugees for the Jordanian winter, which it says is particularly cold with freezing winds. The society will visit two Iraqi refugee camps in Jordan next week to assess the needs of people living there. An estimated two million Iraqi refugees have fled sectarian violence in their home country since the war started, according to the United Nations, and have sought shelter in neighbouring countries. BHRWS regional and international director Faisal Fulad is already in talks with institutions in Bahrain and is calling on the country's private sector to contribute. This will be the first time the BHRWS has provided help for needy people outside Bahrain and Mr Fulad said the Iraqi refugees were facing "inhuman" conditions. "The refugees live there in unbearable circumstances," he said. "We want to help them to be able to fast during Ramadan and prepare them for the winter by providing clothes and other necessities. "That is why we will send food items highly demanded during Ramadan and clothes, as well as other basic commodities for the winter, instead of accepting or sending cash." Mr Fulad will visit two refugee camps in Jordan next week, Al Karama and Al Rowayshid, which he said were located in cold areas close to the Iraqi border. He hopes to assess the situation and find out what aid items the refugees need most. "I am very concerned about the children, newborn babies, handicapped, sick and the elderly who face difficulties and inhuman living standards - especially during the winter," he said. "They really deserve help, especially during Ramadan - the time of sharing." The society also intends to send stationery and school equipment to children living in the camps. "We hope to help 10,000 to 20,000 people, depending on the donations," added Mr Fulad. "We appeal to the private sector to support our campaign and show our solidarity with our Iraqi friends. "It is a very hard time for them and we should care for the less fortunate, especially the children, and Ramadan is just the perfect time". Individuals are also invited to contribute and people wishing to donate should telephone the BHRWS on 17536222, 39458605 or e-mail info@bhrws.org. http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=193220&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=30172