Iraqis in Greece
Encyclopedia
The number of Iraqis in Greece is unclear since numbers fluctuate greatly over time. , Greece
hosted 1,400 Iraqi refugees.
Proving helpful, Greece offered one million dollars to Iraq
for humanitarian purposes, this may be because they do not want to take in any refugees, as it was reported that Iraqis trying to enter Greece from Turkey are most definitely likely to be sent back to Iraq. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
has confirmed that a group of 135 Iraqis were arrested while preparing to cross into Greece have been sent back to Iraq. As Greece has the toughest migration policy in Europe
, allowing only less than one percent of applications through.
The UNHCR claims there to be 820 Iraqi refugees living in Greece. A further 1,415 have applied for asylum.
in the number of Iraqis with refugee status, as the largest group of asylum
applicants throughout the past five years were Iraqis. From the year 1997 to 2001, Greece had the sixth highest total of Iraqi applications in EU countries, and continuing from 2000 to 2002, applications submitted by Iraqis doubled, culminating in 45% of all applications in 2002 in Greece. The number was put at 2,300 asylum applicants.
In the first half of 2003, an almost identical trend emerged, whereby Iraqis were accounted for 43 per cent of all asylum seekers. However, these figures do not reflect the exact Iraqi population as there is reluctance among many Iraqis to lodge applications for asylum in Greece, hoping to retain the right to apply for asylum elsewhere in Europe.
The number of Iraqis unregistered is said to be at least the same as the number who are registered, if not more, in which estimates vary from 5,000 up to 40,000 individuals.
1,415 Iraqi asylum-seekers made claims in Greece in 2006, and with the increase in Iraqis heading to Europe, the country has subsequently received a greater number of applications in the first half of 2007 than for the whole of the previous year. Greece’s position as a border state of the EU is vitally important. However, concerns have been raised both about Greece’s ability to identify those in need of protection among migration flows heading towards the country, and about its comparatively under-developed asylum system. The country’s handling of the Iraqis that have fled as part of the displacement crisis would certainly suggest that much must still be done to improve Greece’s ability to provide protection to refugees.
In 2006 alone the Greek Ministry of Public Order (MPO) arrested a total of 8,157 Iraqis as illegal entrants. As for those Iraqi asylum-seekers who were able to deposit an official claim with the Greek authorities, the overwhelming majority of them saw their claims rejected in the first instance, as the acceptance rate in 2006 was 0 per cent. According to Greek law, rejected asylum-seekers have the right to appeal, but in a unique move the Greek authorities decided to freeze decision-making on all appeals from Iraqis who entered the country since 2003. Most Iraqis who reach Greece have therefore chosen to travel north or west to claim asylum elsewhere.
Young single men form the majority of the Iraqi presence in Greece
However there is a substantial population that are married at 65 per cent, most of which leave behind their wive and children behind, wit the intention of bringing them once they have completed any formal documents. In which most of these marriages tend to be mixed, equally between Sunni, Shia, Assyrian/Chaldean, Armenian
, Kurd
and Turkomen.
Only a small percentage are widows and divorcees.
s.
Amongst the Kurds, Sunni Muslims form the majority, however Kurdish Feyli
Shia's are present.
Turkmen are also Sunni Muslims, who speak a dialect of Turkish and only form a small percentage of the Iraqi existence in Greece.
The Iraqi Arabs who arrive in Greece, are Sunni Muslims from central and northern parts of Iraq, as very few Arab Shia's make it to Greece. Sunni Arabs form 17 per cent of the total Iraqi population, which is almost an equal amount if not more than their Turkmen counterparts. Assyrians/Chaldeans have a disproportionately large representation amongst Iraqis in Greece, this could be primarily because Greece has a Christian society, in which Iraqi Christians will find it easy to settle down in. Forming a quarter of the population in Greece, Iraqi Christians make up the majority of Christians from the Middle East
, who arrived in Greece from the early 1990s.
Most immigrants arriving in Greece came from the northern city of Kirkuk
, which stands at around 45 per cent, the other 30 per cent came from Baghdad
, followed by 20 per cent originating from Mosul
.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
hosted 1,400 Iraqi refugees.
Proving helpful, Greece offered one million dollars to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
for humanitarian purposes, this may be because they do not want to take in any refugees, as it was reported that Iraqis trying to enter Greece from Turkey are most definitely likely to be sent back to Iraq. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
has confirmed that a group of 135 Iraqis were arrested while preparing to cross into Greece have been sent back to Iraq. As Greece has the toughest migration policy in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, allowing only less than one percent of applications through.
The UNHCR claims there to be 820 Iraqi refugees living in Greece. A further 1,415 have applied for asylum.
History
In the year 2002, Greece ranked ninth among all the European Union member statesMember State of the European Union
A member state of the European Union is a state that is party to treaties of the European Union and has thereby undertaken the privileges and obligations that EU membership entails. Unlike membership of an international organisation, being an EU member state places a country under binding laws in...
in the number of Iraqis with refugee status, as the largest group of asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
applicants throughout the past five years were Iraqis. From the year 1997 to 2001, Greece had the sixth highest total of Iraqi applications in EU countries, and continuing from 2000 to 2002, applications submitted by Iraqis doubled, culminating in 45% of all applications in 2002 in Greece. The number was put at 2,300 asylum applicants.
In the first half of 2003, an almost identical trend emerged, whereby Iraqis were accounted for 43 per cent of all asylum seekers. However, these figures do not reflect the exact Iraqi population as there is reluctance among many Iraqis to lodge applications for asylum in Greece, hoping to retain the right to apply for asylum elsewhere in Europe.
The number of Iraqis unregistered is said to be at least the same as the number who are registered, if not more, in which estimates vary from 5,000 up to 40,000 individuals.
1,415 Iraqi asylum-seekers made claims in Greece in 2006, and with the increase in Iraqis heading to Europe, the country has subsequently received a greater number of applications in the first half of 2007 than for the whole of the previous year. Greece’s position as a border state of the EU is vitally important. However, concerns have been raised both about Greece’s ability to identify those in need of protection among migration flows heading towards the country, and about its comparatively under-developed asylum system. The country’s handling of the Iraqis that have fled as part of the displacement crisis would certainly suggest that much must still be done to improve Greece’s ability to provide protection to refugees.
In 2006 alone the Greek Ministry of Public Order (MPO) arrested a total of 8,157 Iraqis as illegal entrants. As for those Iraqi asylum-seekers who were able to deposit an official claim with the Greek authorities, the overwhelming majority of them saw their claims rejected in the first instance, as the acceptance rate in 2006 was 0 per cent. According to Greek law, rejected asylum-seekers have the right to appeal, but in a unique move the Greek authorities decided to freeze decision-making on all appeals from Iraqis who entered the country since 2003. Most Iraqis who reach Greece have therefore chosen to travel north or west to claim asylum elsewhere.
Demography
Males dominate the Iraqi population in Greece at 68 per cent, whereas females are only accountable for 32 per cent of the population. Amongst the Iraqi community, 70 per cent are young individuals in their twenties and thirties, with only some 10 per cent being over the age of 50.Young single men form the majority of the Iraqi presence in Greece
However there is a substantial population that are married at 65 per cent, most of which leave behind their wive and children behind, wit the intention of bringing them once they have completed any formal documents. In which most of these marriages tend to be mixed, equally between Sunni, Shia, Assyrian/Chaldean, Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, Kurd
Kürd
Kürd or Kyurd or Kyurt may refer to:*Kürd Eldarbəyli, Azerbaijan*Kürd Mahrızlı, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Goychay, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Jalilabad, Azerbaijan*Kürd, Qabala, Azerbaijan*Qurdbayram, Azerbaijan...
and Turkomen.
Only a small percentage are widows and divorcees.
Ethnic and religious composition
The Iraqi population in Greece varies greatly, reflecting Iraq's diversity. Kurds dominate the Iraqi inhabitants, with a 50 per cent in total, this is then followed by Christians, which are believed to be at around a quarter, the Turkmen's are behind with 15 per cent followed by an equal number of ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s.
Amongst the Kurds, Sunni Muslims form the majority, however Kurdish Feyli
Feyli
Feyli can refer to:*Feyli , a group of Lor tribes located mainly in Lorestan*Feyli , a dialect of Southern Kurdish...
Shia's are present.
Turkmen are also Sunni Muslims, who speak a dialect of Turkish and only form a small percentage of the Iraqi existence in Greece.
The Iraqi Arabs who arrive in Greece, are Sunni Muslims from central and northern parts of Iraq, as very few Arab Shia's make it to Greece. Sunni Arabs form 17 per cent of the total Iraqi population, which is almost an equal amount if not more than their Turkmen counterparts. Assyrians/Chaldeans have a disproportionately large representation amongst Iraqis in Greece, this could be primarily because Greece has a Christian society, in which Iraqi Christians will find it easy to settle down in. Forming a quarter of the population in Greece, Iraqi Christians make up the majority of Christians from the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, who arrived in Greece from the early 1990s.
Most immigrants arriving in Greece came from the northern city of Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, which stands at around 45 per cent, the other 30 per cent came from Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, followed by 20 per cent originating from Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
.