HIC-HLRN participated in a conference for two days titled “Iraq 10 Years on: Conflicts, Migrations, Future” which was organized by American University in Cairo (AUC) and the Japan Foundation and Chiba University , Japan, from 3-4 June 2013.

This event reviewed many issues in several parallel panels about the war in Iraq and the Arab uprisings, the situation of the internally displaced Iraqis and Iraqi refugees, the situation of Iraqi Palestinians after invasion, humanitarian issues and citizenship in the context of sectarianism and social identity, as well as the Kurdish issues including the problem of Kirkuk.

The session on Iraqi displacement covered the economic and social situation, specifically that 90% of the Iraqi displaced persons are living in informal settlement areas such as Sadar city, Thawra, or Saddam town, and how is the sectarianism controlling these areas that divided for Shi’a and Sunna displaced as result of the gap between rural and urban areas. This new urban lay out, including informal areas and sectarianism deeply affects their chance to return to their homes within the durable solutions program of UNHCR.

The participation of HIC-HLRN focused on the restitution of the property, specifically land tenure and adequate housing in the context of reparations for victims (those who lost homes or were displaced). This is also in line with the evaluation of the Kurdistan experience in transitional justice period and their policy in dealing with the restitution of property for victims of the Saddam regime.

The issue Palestinian refugees was strongly present during the discussion of the Iraqi refugees in the host countries. The question focused on whether or not history will repeat itself in the case of Syrian Palestinians in the light of the experience of Palestinians in Iraq after invasion and what is the strategic design for MENA refugee crisis, if there is even one at all.