Even as India’s evacuation plan gathers momentum in Iraq, the officials there are struggling with a large number of immigration related issues. Official sources said there are several cases relating to overstay in the country, illegal entry and lack of documents showing why, when and how they came to Iraq.
In some cases Indian expatriates are required to pay fees or fines on these counts. The Indian officials are taking up the matter with the Iraqi Government and also using the facilities available through the Indian Community Welfare Fund to pay some of those fines.
But what is more concerning is that many Indians in Iraq are wavering from their decision to return.
“We are noticing on the ground is that many of them are wavering. Some of them at some stage have indicated that they would like to return but at a later stage they seem to change their minds. In such situations it’s normal that people may be caught in two minds. The reverse is also possible, there have been instances where, when we asked some Indian nationals, they indicated that they were not inclined to leave but then subsequently they have come and requested that their bookings be done,” said Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Indian mission in Iraq has provided tickets to about 530 Indians on commercial flights. In addition, documentation of another 850 is being processed.Meanwhile, Amnesty International India has claimed that Indian nurses stranded in Tikrit have said that armed men, suspected to be members of the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) have taken control of a Government hospital where they are employed.“The ground floor rooms are filled with armed men. They told us that they won’t harm us. But they are carrying guns. We are feeling threatened,” a nurse told Amnesty.
The nurses said that the Indian Ambassador to Iraq, Iraqi authorities and members of the International Committee of the Red Cross had been in touch with them on a daily basis since the fighting reached the area. “Our Ambassador talked to them. They remained unharmed and safe,” Akbaruddin added.