Refugees trickle out of Iraq; flood expected as war goes on
March 21, 2003
World Vision supports food program at border camp
- The United Nations expects some 600,000 refugees to flee Iraq in a prolonged conflict, 10,000 of them to Jordan.
- Relief organizations, including the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision, are prepared to respond to a variety of refugee scenarios.
- On Thursday, the first day of fighting, hundreds of third-country nationals arrived in Jordanian transit camps en route to their home countries. Some 60,000 nationals from Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sri Lanka are expected to transit through Jordan.
The food program begins Saturday at a refugee camp in Ar-Ruwayshid, near the Jordan-Iraq border. JECRaD, an alliance of Jordanian churches and aid agencies, will provide three meals a day of soup, bread and hummus.
“Over the past four months, World Vision and other aid groups have been praying for peace, but preparing to respond in the event of war,” said Steve Matthews, World Vision relief communications manager. “While no one knows how many refugees will arrive in which of the countries bordering Iraq, we are ready for a variety of relief scenarios.”
Who: Steve Matthews, World Vision relief communication manager
What: World Vision’s response to refugees fleeing Iraq
Where: Via phone from Amman, Jordan
When: March 21, 2003
CONTACTS: mediainfo@worldvision.org
Iraq Press Kit Press Releases: July 30, 2003 June 3, 2003 April 30, 2003 April 18, 2003 April 10, 2003 March 31, 2003 March 28, 2003 March 26, 2003 March 21, 2003 March 17, 2003 March 12, 2003 March 11, 2003 February 13, 2003 February 5, 2003 January 28, 2003
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