Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
03AMMAN1587 | 2003-03-16 16:17:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Amman |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001587 |
1. AS REQUESTED REF, REGIONAL REFCOORD AND REF ASSISTANT MONITORED PRM-FUNDED ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE IRAQIS IN JORDAN ADMINISTERED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC MIGRATION COMMISSION (ICMC) ON FEBRUARY 19 AND 24. REPORT IS KEYED TO QUESTIONS PROVIDED REF. A. ON FEBRUARY 19, REFCOORD AND REF ASSISTANT MET WITH ICMC/JORDAN COUNTRY DIRECTOR CLIVE CAVANAGH FOR AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND TOUR OF THE ASSISTANCE CENTER. ICMC STAFF INCLUDE PROJECT OFFICER RAMA ISAAQ, SIX CASEWORKERS AND A SECRETARY. ON FEBRUARY 24, REFCOORD ASSISTANT ACCOMPANIED SIPDIS TWO ICMC CASEWORKERS DURING THEIR HOME VISITS TO FIVE BENEFICIARY AND PROSPECTIVE BENEFICIARY FAMILIES IN AMMAN. B. ALTHOUGH THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED TO START-UP PROGRAMMING IN JORDAN DELAYED THE PROJECT BY FOUR MONTHS (SEE PARA D FOR MORE DETAILS), ICMC NOW SEEMS TO BE DOING A SOLID JOB OF PROVIDING SERVICES TO VULNERABLE IRAQIS IN JORDAN. MOST IMPORTANTLY, ICMC HAS IDENTIFIED CAPABLE STAFF AND APPROPRIATE OUTREACH METHODS TO REACH A VULNERABLE POPULATION LIVING IN A QUASI-LEGAL OR ILLEGAL STATUS ON THE FRINGES OF JORDANIAN SOCIETY. IN FOUR WEEKS OF ACTUAL PROGRAMMING (JAN 6-FEB 3, 2003), ICMC HAS REVIEWED 254 CASES, ACCEPTING 87 EXTREMELY VULNERABLE CASES AND REJECTING ANOTHER 87 CASES. 80 CASES STILL ARE PENDING. C. THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THE PROJECT WERE SPENT IDENTIFYING AND TRAINING STAFF AND PHYSICALLY SETTING UP THE PROJECT, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING AND EQUIPPING OFFICE SPACE. ICMC CASEWORKERS ACCEPT MEDICAL REFERRALS FROM UNHCR AND ALSO ACCEPT WALK-INS. GIVEN POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES IN JORDAN CONCERNING THIS MOSTLY ILLEGAL IRAQI POPULATION, ICMC HAS MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO THE IRAQI COMMUNITY DISCREETLY, SENDING CASEWORKERS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO SPREAD WORD OF THE PROJECT THROUGH INFORMAL NETWORKS. ONCE PROSPECTIVE BENEFICIARIES CONTACT ICMC, CASEWORKERS USE INTERVIEWS, ASSESSMENT FORMS AND HOME VISITS TO POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES TO DETERMINE THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE. ACCORDING TO THE PROJECT PROPOSAL, ICMC PLANS TO PROVIDE HEALTH ASSISTANCE TO 2,500- 3,000 VULNERABLE IRAQIS AND EDUCATION TO 600 VULNERABLE IRAQI CHILDREN DURING THE 12-MONTH PROJECT, MEANING A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF 250 PATIENTS AND 50 CHILDREN. ICMC'S RELATIVELY SLOW START (254 CASES REVIEWED IN THE FIRST MONTH OF OPERATIONS) LIKELY IS DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WORD OUT WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE OFFICIAL MEDIA; WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE PROJECT CASELOAD WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS WOULD OF THE PROJECT SPREADS. D. ICMC DID NOT BEGIN THE PROJECT UNTIL NOVEMBER 5, AS IT SPENT THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE GRANT IDENTIFYING AND HIRING A QUALIFIED COUNTRY DIRECTOR. THE COUNTRY DIRECTOR THEN SPENT THE NEXT TWO MONTHS OF THE PROJECT ACQUIRING OFFICE SPACE AND RECRUITING AND TRAINING SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS. BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMMING IN JORDAN, ICMC DID NOT BEGIN PROVIDING SERVICES TO VULNERABLE IRAQIS UNTIL JANUARY 6, A FULL FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE START OF THE GRANT. JORDANIAN SENSITIVITIES CONCERNING THE MOSTLY ILLEGAL IRAQI POPULATION IN JORDAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR ICMC TO CONDUCT OUTREACH THROUGH MEDIA AND OTHER OFFICIAL MEANS. MOREOVER, THE POLITICAL SENSITIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH ANY STRUCTURE OR ORGANIZATION AMONG THE IRAQI COMMUNITY MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ICMC TO ESTABLISH AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE PROJECT AS OUTLINED IN THE PROPOSAL. ICMC COMPENSATED FOR THESE DIFFICULTIES BY FOCUSING ITS EFFORTS ON GETTING WORD OUT DIRECTLY TO THE IRAQI COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS SOCIAL WORKERS. ICMC HAS ALSO DONE A GOOD JOB OF REACHING INTO ALL ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES, SOMETHING OTHER FAITH-BASED RELIEF PROGRAMS IN JORDAN HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. AS REPORTED BY ICMC, ITS CLIENTELE IS 67.54 PERCENT MUSLIM (MOSTLY SHI'A), 28.94 PERCENT CHRISTIAN AND 3.50 PERCENT SABI'A. E. THE ICMC STAFF SEEMS TO BE FULLY AND GAINFULLY EMPLOYED. THE SIX CASEWORKERS CONSTITUTE THE CORE OF THE PROGRAM AND APPEAR TO DIVIDE THEIR TIME EQUALLY BETWEEN THE OFFICE AND THE FIELD. DURING REFCOORD'S FEBRUARY 19 VISIT, FOR EXAMPLE, THREE CASEWORKERS WERE MEETING NEW APPLICANTS IN THE OFFICE WHILE THE OTHER THREE WERE CONDUCTING HOME VISITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROJECT'S PLANNED SCHEDULE. ON FEBRUARY 24, REFCOORD ASSISTANT ACCOMPANIED TWO CASEWORKERS ON THEIR HOME VISITS TO FIVE BENEFICIARY FAMILIES. THE CASEWORKERS WORK IN PAIRS, WHICH ALWAYS ARE COMPRISED OF A MALE AND A FEMALE TO RESPOND TO CULTURAL SENSITIVITIES. THE CASEWORKERS SHOWED UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONSIVENESS TO THEIR CLIENTS AND SEEMED TO BE TRUSTED BY THE BENEFICIARIES -- AN IMPORTANT QUALITY WHEN DEALING WITH A MOSTLY ILLEGAL AND VERY FEARFUL COMMUNITY. ICMC MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES INCLUDE A DAILY PLANNING MEETING. THE ICMC DIRECTOR ALSO CONDUCTS WEEKLY SOCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE STAFF TO COUNTERACT THE TENSION AND DEPRESSION ASSOCIATED WITH WORKING WITH SUCH A VULNERABLE COMMUNITY. F. THE ICMC OFFICE IS SPACIOUS AND WELL-EQUIPPED. EQUIPMENT APPEARED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER AND USED ON A REGULAR BASIS. ALL EQUIPMENT FOR THE PROJECT, EXCEPT THE COUNTRY DIRECTOR'S LAPTOP COMPUTER, WAS PURCHASED WITH USG FUNDS AND A LIST OF EQUIPMENT INVENTORY WAS RECEIVED. AN APPROPRIATE INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM IS IN PLACE. G. N/A H. FROM OUR OBSERVATIONS OF THE IRAQI COMMUNITY (REFCOORD ASSISTANT'S VISIT WITH ICMC CASEWORKERS TO BE REPORTED SEPTEL), ELEMENTS OF THIS GROUP ARE INDEED EXTREMELY VULNERABLE. HOWEVER, PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO A GROUP WITHOUT REFUGEE STATUS DURING A TIME OF EXTREME POLITICAL SENSITIVITY HAS PROVEN TO BE A VERY DELICATE UNDERTAKING HERE IN JORDAN. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ICMC INTENDS TO SEEK FUNDING FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THIS PROJECT AND RECOMMEND THAT ANY FUNDING DECISIONS BE POSTPONED UNTIL THE OVERALL REGIONAL SITUATION IS MORE CLEAR. GNEHM |