ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report was written by Peter Bouckaert, senior emergencies researcher at Human Rights Watch, Hania Mufti, London director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, Fred Abrahams, consultant to Human Rights Watch, and Alison Parker, acting director of refugee policy at Human Rights Watch. The report is based on field research in Iraq by Hania Mufti from April 27 - 29 and by Fred Abrahams on May 7. It also also based on research conducted by Fred Abrahams and Peter Bouckaert at the refugee camps near al-Ruweished in Jordan from April 26 - 28, and by Patti Gossman in Amman, Jordan from March 21 until April 17.

Alison Parker, acting director of refugee policy, Hanny Megally, Director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, Jim Ross, senior legal advisor, and Iain Levine, program director, edited the report. It was also reviewed and commented on by Clarissa Bencomo, researcher, children's rights division, and Elahé Sharifpour-Hicks, researcher, Middle East and North Africa division. Tirana Hassan, intern to the refugee policy program, Leila Hull, associate to the Middle East and North Africa division, and Solome Lemma, refugee policy associate, provided additional research assistance for this report. Production assistance was provided by Solome Lemma, associate on refugee policy; Fitzoy Hepkins, mail manager; Veronica Matushaj, photo editor; Patrick Minges, publications director; and John Emerson, web advocate.

Human Rights Watch would like to thank the Ford Foundation, the Oak Foundation, and Stichting Vluchteling for their generous support to this project. Human Rights Watch is also indebted to Médecins Sans Frontières, Oxfam, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Joost Hilterman and many individuals who generously assisted us in the course of our field research. Most of all, we would like to thank the many courageous individuals who shared their stories with us for this report.