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Iraq

Iraq: IOM emergency needs assessments (post Feb 2006 displacement in Iraq) 01 Jul 2008 bi-weekly report

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Following the February 2006 bombing of the Samarra Al-Askari Mosque, escalating sectarian violence in Iraq caused massive displacement, both internal and to locations abroad. In coordination with the Iraqi government's Ministry of Displacement and Migration (MoDM), IOM continues to assess Iraqi displacement through a network of partners and monitors on the ground.

Most displacement over the past five years (since 2003) occurred in 2006 and has since slowed. However, displacement continues to occur in some locations and the humanitarian situation of those already displaced is worsening. Some Iraqis are returning, but their conditions in places of return are extremely difficult.

The estimated number of displaced since February 2006 is almost 1,596,448 individuals(1). This figure, combined with the estimated 1,212,108 individuals(2) who were internally displaced before February 2006, results in a total of more than 2.8 million individuals displaced within Iraq to date.

SUMMARY OF CURRENT IRAQI DISPLACEMENT AND RETURN:

Displacements

Security is gradually improving in the locations of recent military operations. Iraqi Forces (IF) remain in control of most areas in Sadr City and violence has lessened in Ninewa and Salah al-Din. Search-and-arrest campaigns continue in Amara district of Missan governorate.

Eviction from public buildings and lands is currently a common concern for IDP families throughout the country. The Government of Iraq (GoI) has issued eviction orders for all public buildings and properties. Although in early June the Iraqi Parliament voted on a draft resolutions to postpone the eviction order, some local authorities are still pursuing this, such as in Baghdad, Kirkuk, Missan, and Najaf. Some governorates are following up on these orders with threats of force for those who do not comply.

In most cases IDP families living in these locations cannot afford other lodging options and strongly want to stay in place. For example, because their temporary homes are currently squatting on government property, 137 families living in Maryam al-Althra' complex in Al Salam neighbourhood of Karkh district were told to evacuate at the end of May. Some of these families began to dismantle their homes and sell the materials at this time, but then the eviction was stopped after a group protested in front of the International Zone. Now, the families who already sold their housing materials are in immediate need of shelter, and the eviction order could potentially still be enacted at a later date.

A group of families have already been evicted from public lands in Kerbala. There is concern that this trend will continue, and humanitarian organizations are asking authorities to prepare alternative housing for evicted IDPs.

Returns

Monitors have observed that some IDP families intend to return when their children's school exams have been completed in the place of displacement. In addition, GoI officials have recently been working to find solutions for encouraging and expediting the return process in the face of recent security gains.

Returns continue slowly throughout the country, though often newly displaced families arrive as soon as returnees depart for their places of origin. In Erbil IOM monitors observed that during the same reporting period in one village, four families returned to their homes Baghdad, while another 15 families arrived, newly displaced from Anbar.

Many of those families that do return are finding their property destroyed or in use. Some families who return to find property looted or destroyed leave one family member there to prevent further damage, while the rest return to the place of displacement.

Others attempt to receive compensation and resettle in their places of origin. For example, 118 families returned to Diyala to find their homes and orchards destroyed. In this case the city council, awakening council, provincial council, and humanitarian organizations together developed a committee to work with the local police and assess damages. Each family was allotted 7,000 Iraqi Dinars for rebuilding, but this has proven insufficient. Many of these returnees must rent houses in nearby villages and travel each day to reach their lands. Although in this case there was an attempted resolution of returnee property issues by the authorities and other major stakeholders, the number of these types of claims is growing. The majority remain unresolved.

Monitors have observed that some IDP families intend to return when their children's school exams have been completed in the place of displacement.

Returnee reports, along with IOM's regular reporting on displacement, including governorate profiles, biweekly updates, tent camp updates, and yearly and mid-year reviews, are available at http://www.iom-iraq.net/library.html#IDP.

Notes:

(1) As per figures from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for the three northern g overnorates and the Iraqi Ministry of Migration (MoM) for the 15 central and southern governorates. See the IDP Working Group Internally Displaced Persons in Iraq Update (June 2008) for figures per governorate.

(2) As per IOM monitoring for the 15 central and southern governorates and UNOPS/UNHCR for the three northern governorates. See the IDP Working Group Internally Displaced Persons in Iraq Update (June 2008).