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Iraq

The internally displaced people in Iraq - Update 32

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Background

Two years have passed since the bombing of the Holy Shrines in Samara' (February 2006). This incident ignited sectarian and ethnic conflict throughout Iraq on a scale never seen before. Thousands of families fled from their areas seeking refuge in more secure areas. Over two million people became internally displaced and over two million became externally displaced in neighboring countries. These events fractured the integrity of civil order and society in Iraq.

Recently, Kurdistan- the safe haven for many Iraqis became involved in armed conflict. Both the Iranian and Turkish military bombarded the border villages with artillery shells for weeks. Thousands of villagers migrated inland for fear of their lives thus compounding the displacement problem in Iraq.

Iraq embraced many families from other countries, which underwent difficult situations. These families could not endure the violent situation in Iraq during the past few years. They could not leave Iraq because no other country accepted to receive them and they are living in refugee camps at the Iraqi borders. Many endure difficult living conditions in the desert areas, hoping that some humanitarian organizations will adopt their case and provide them with their human rights and dignity. The Iraqi Red Crescent continues to assess the needs and provide humanitarian assistance to the refugees in the following camps:

- Sudanese camp - located 370 km from the center of Anbar governorate. Forty Sudanese families resided in the camp since three years.

- Ahwasian camp - located at the borders with Jordan (Traibeel area).

- Al-Waleed Palestinian camp, which shelters more than 292 families. The camp is located in Tanaf area 450 km from the center of Anbar governorate at the Iraqi-Syrian borders.

In September 2007, the Syrian authorities started to request all Iraqis to obtain a visa before attempting to travel to Syria. All Iraqis have to pay 50 USD at the borders upon entry, including businessmen and people traveling for humanitarian purposes. Some Iraqi families residing in Syria could not get their residency renewed and others suffered from the high cost of rented apartments and the high cost of living coupled with unemployment. All this had forced many families to return to Iraq. (See Updates on Returnees at http://www.iraqredcrescent.org/reports.html )

The Internally Displaced People (IDP)

Internal displacement became a humanitarian crisis since the attack on the Holy Shrines in Samara'. The highest number of IDP was registered in September 2007- 2,299,425 people. By end of January 2008, a total of 126,768 people were registered as returnees, as many had thought that the security situation in some areas in Iraq had relatively improved. On the other hand, some IDP families were forced to return to their original areas of residence by the high cost of living in their host communities. See chart 2 for cumulative monthly numbers of IDP for 2006 and 2007. For additional information on monthly numbers and other distributions see Annex 1.

As of end of February 2008, the number of IDP was 2,196,763 people. This is an increase by 24,106 people compared to January 2008. The increase in the number of IDP was registered in seven governorates- Kirkuk, Diwaniyah, Anbar, Erbil, Babil, Thi Qar and Diyala. More than 60 percent of the displaced people were in Baghdad governorate. More than 82 percent were women and children under the age of 12. In addition to being displaced, the majority suffer from disease, poverty and malnutrition.

For additional information, please contact:

In Iraq:

1. Iraqi Red Crescent Organization, Secretary General- Mr. Mazin Sallum. email: mazinas2003@yahoo.com

2. International Relation Department manager ircs_int_dep@yahoo.com; Mobile phone: +964 7901669159; Telephone: +964 1 5372925/24/23

In Jordan:

Coordinator for Non-Governmental Organizations- Mr. Ahmad Al-Karboli: ircs_amman_office@yahoo.com;mobile phone: +962 796484058

Also, visit the Iraqi Red Crescent Organization web site: http://www.iraqredcrescent.org/