HAJ OMRAN: At a mountainous border crossing point between Iraq and Iran, Daoud Khuder waits to meet relatives he has not seen for 14 years since they fled the country to escape Saddam Hussein's army.
As the convoy bringing Iraqi Kurd refugees from Iran appears and Daoud catches sight of his brother's family, the emotion of the occasion becomes too much for the 62-year-old former Kurdish militia (peshmerga) fighter.
"My brother swore he wouldn't return until Saddam was finished - I never had the chance to see him again before he died in Iran," said Khuder, tears rolling down his cheeks as he embraced young nephews he had never met.
"I'm so happy they are back, but it also makes me sad because if they don't get money or help there will be problems." For the 32 Kurdish families returning to Iraq in the convoy - the second since the programme was initiated by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) following June's transfer of sovereignty - returning to their homeland brings mixed feelings.
"I wanted to come back because I never felt I could call Iran my home, but I'm apprehensive about our future - we have very little money," said Khuder's eldest nephew Dehil, a 32-year-old labourer.
Saddam is gone, but as Iraq's ethnic and religious communities jostle for power, the issue of Kurdish returnees has become politicised - and the international community does not want to be seen taking sides.
In years gone by, Iraqi Kurd returnees would have received money and other assistance to rebuild their lives. Now each family gets $20, a kerosene stove, two water containers, some blankets, and a tent.
They are provided with transport to the destination of their choice - but only if this is above the so-called "green line" separating Kurdish territory from the rest of Iraq.
Thousands of Iraqi Kurds fled to neighbouring Iran to escape campaigns of persecution by the former government. Many returned during the 1990s but 61,000 are still there, according to Kurdish officials.
The UNHCR does not promote returns to Iraq because of continuing instability and the lack of services in the country. -Reuters
