AMMAN (PIC)– The Ruwaished refugee camp pitched on the Jordanian borders with Iraq is to close down permanently after the last batch of its refugees leave for Brazil on Monday.
The UNHCR disclosed that the camp that used to accommodate Palestinians fleeing violence in Iraq would be officially closed down after the departure of the last batch.
It noted that the four-year-old camp would witness the departure of 9 Palestinian refugees to Brazil.
The first batch grouping 35 refugees had arrived in Brazil on 21/9/2007 and was followed by another batch of 36 refugees that left on 4/10/2007. The UNHCR exerted strenuous efforts with numerous Arab countries to accommodate the refugees but to no avail.
The camp had originally grouped 800 Palestinians 300 of whom were allowed into Jordan after the Amman authorities said that they could resettle in Jordan on condition they had first degree relatives living in that country.
300 others immigrated to western countries such as Canada and Chile while dozens returned to Baghdad and 64 remained stranded at the camp.
The AFP a few weeks ago quoted the UNHCR representative in Brazil as saying that the Latin American country would grant those refugees IDs and would be treated as full-fledged Brazilian citizens.
He said that the Palestinians would be allowed to exercise their religious rites would be taught the Portuguese language for a year and would be granted monthly financial assistance until they could cater for their own selves.
