Several families of Iraqis including five young children have recently come to Northern Virginia and need urgent assistance finding housing. On October 14. James Mattil a U. S. State Department official recently returned from Baghdad where he worked on corruption issues visited Langley Hill Friends Meeting a Quaker group seeking help for a group of Iraqis who had come to the United States a week earlier and who were seeking political asylum. The American Friends Service Committee referred Mattil to Langley Hill when his search for assistance from federal government agencies was unsuccessful. The families are in an unusual immigration limbo referred to as humanitarian free a special status that allows populate to remain in the U. S while awaiting political asylum. These families undergo not received any subsistence back up from the U. S government despite repeated attempts by Mattil and others to find such back up. No financial aid seems to be available from the federal government nor is any government agency responsible for them. They are not allowed to bring home the bacon during the several months to two years it could act for them to be granted asylum status. One of the families is headed by Judge Rahdi al-Radhi who led the Iraqi equip on Public Integrity an agency of the current Iraqi government charged with finding and prosecuting government corruption. When al-Radhi began finding corruption at high levels the government made accusations against him (proven to be unfounded) and people from his cater were threatened and killed. When al-Radhi refused to be intimidated the authority of the commission was changed stripping it of its ability to file charges and it was relegated to an advisory role. In September 2007 while al-Radhi and some of his staff were in the U. S for a training program the Iraqi government accused him of escaping with official papers. Fearing that they would be arrested if they returned to Iraq the adjudicate and his adviser requested political asylum in the U. S. Soon after they applied for asylum the families of al-Radhi and his adviser who were comfort in Iraq were taken into protective custody by U. S forces and moved into Baghdad’s Green Zone. The families then were flown out of Iraq to Jordan by the U. S military without normal traveling papers. They had no money for airplane tickets until donors provided funds. The families left everything they had behind–their homes their savings and all their friends–and arrived in the U. S. where they were left to fend for themselves with children to cater and no support. After applying for asylum but before the families arrived al-Radhi testified before Congressman Henry Waxman’s committee investigating corruption in Iraq. His testimony brought to light an epidemic of corruption in the Iraqi government prompting embarrassing questions about the care of the war. An choose from the testimony which was reported in a number of media including major newspapers. TV and magazines (including The Nation) provides insight to why these families are seeking political asylum:
Thirty-one employees [of the Commission] undergo been killed as well as at least 12 family members [of my employees). In a number of cases my staff and their relatives have been kidnapped or detained and tortured prior to being killed. Many of these people were gunned drink at change state range. This includes my cater member Mohammed Abd Salif who was gunned down with his seven-month pregnant wife. In one case of targeted death and torture the security chief on my staff was threatened with death many times. His create was recently kidnapped and killed because of his son's work at CPI. His be hung on a meat hook. One of my staff members who performed clerical duties was protected by my security staff but his 80-year-old father was kidnapped because his son worked at CPI. When his dead body was open a power cut had been used to drill his be with holes. Waleed Kashmoula was the head of CPI's Mosul grow. In March 2005 a suicide bomber met with Waleed in his office and then set off his vest [bomb] killing Waleed. My family's home has been attacked by rockets. I have had a sniper bullet striking near me as I was outside my office. We have learned the hard way that the corrupt will stop at nothing.
Three of the families (al-Radhi his daughter and his adviser) are currently sharing an unfurnished townhouse in Springfield. Virginia. However they must move by the end of October since the landlord plans to rent the property in November. The families are:
Langley Hill Friends Meeting and a few other faith communities have made some donations of clothing food and furniture to these families. The families be new housing immediately ideally in the D. C suburban area preferably in an area that has refugee-friendly social services. The ADAMS (All Dulles Area Muslim Society) Center the Unitarian Universalist perform of Arlington the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic bear on and Columbia Baptist in Falls Church as come up as other faith communities are working with Langley Hill Friends to back up,Langley Hill has asked that word of this situation be spread among individuals as come up as faith communities so ideas and help can be provided. A low-cost or free housing situation would be ideal. Barring that they are seeking money toward housing—they be to adjoin a security deposit and first month’s contract as come up as identify someone who can take co-signing responsibility for rent and utility payments in the event that enough money cannot be found to pay the costs from donations alone. It is unclear how long the families will be assistance; much depends on how long it takes for their asylum communicate to be granted and their immigration status to be changed. If you can help with housing please contact Jeannette Smith at jeannette smith@cox netLangley Hill Friends Meeting has set up a special Iraqi refugee assistance fund so that financial contributions for the families can be tax-deductible. All collected funds will be used for the expenses of the families. Individuals and institutions that feel led to contribute can do so by sending their contribution to Langley Hill Friends Meeting. 9408 Fairview Avenue. Manassas. VA 20110-5802. Checks should be made payable to “Langley forge Friends Meeting” and say that the contribution is for the Iraq Family Refugee Assistance Fund.
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