Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Study finds 50,000 more Iraqis displaced since July
Humanitarian
(AFP) - The number of people displaced in Iraq has increased by about 50,000 to 2.25 million since July, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday. The IOM's new data for mid-September includes some 1,058,424 people who fled their homes since the bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra in February 2006 sparked the latest upsurge in Iraq's sectarian violence, the IOM noted.
Shiites make up some 65 percent of the displaced, while 31 percent are Sunnis and 4 percent Christian, according to an IOM survey of 114,732 families. "The majority of the displaced assessed are renting substandard shelter or are staying with friends of family, placing new burdens on host communities," the IOM said in its latest "Emergency Needs Assessments" report on Iraq.
The problem is compounded by many provinces now restricting entry and registration of displaced persons, and by the decision of Iraq's neighbors, Syria and Jordan, to impose visa requirements in order to stem the flow of refugees, it added. The organization's latest review did cite some progress in parts of Baghdad and the western province of Anbar but warned that it was by no means uniform or certain to continue.
Increased security, particularly in the capital, is the central aim of US President George W. Bush's "surge" strategy, which has come under heavy attack in recent weeks. "Some areas, such as Anbar and parts of Baghdad, have seen improved security and therefore decreased displacement," the IOM said in the report. However, people do continue to be displaced in the capital and often for a myriad reason of localized political factors, it said.
In Anbar Province, the IOM said there had been a stabilization in the number of displaced people since January, with "waves" of inhabitants returning coming to its capital, Ramadi, due to better security. A coalition of 42 Sunni tribes has joined with US forces in their fight against Al-Qaeda in Iraq since last year under the umbrella heading of the Anbar Rescue Council. The alliance is credited with helping improve security, but it suffered a grave blow last week after insurgents killed key US ally Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha.
Shiites make up some 65 percent of the displaced, while 31 percent are Sunnis and 4 percent Christian, according to an IOM survey of 114,732 families. "The majority of the displaced assessed are renting substandard shelter or are staying with friends of family, placing new burdens on host communities," the IOM said in its latest "Emergency Needs Assessments" report on Iraq.
The problem is compounded by many provinces now restricting entry and registration of displaced persons, and by the decision of Iraq's neighbors, Syria and Jordan, to impose visa requirements in order to stem the flow of refugees, it added. The organization's latest review did cite some progress in parts of Baghdad and the western province of Anbar but warned that it was by no means uniform or certain to continue.
Increased security, particularly in the capital, is the central aim of US President George W. Bush's "surge" strategy, which has come under heavy attack in recent weeks. "Some areas, such as Anbar and parts of Baghdad, have seen improved security and therefore decreased displacement," the IOM said in the report. However, people do continue to be displaced in the capital and often for a myriad reason of localized political factors, it said.
In Anbar Province, the IOM said there had been a stabilization in the number of displaced people since January, with "waves" of inhabitants returning coming to its capital, Ramadi, due to better security. A coalition of 42 Sunni tribes has joined with US forces in their fight against Al-Qaeda in Iraq since last year under the umbrella heading of the Anbar Rescue Council. The alliance is credited with helping improve security, but it suffered a grave blow last week after insurgents killed key US ally Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha.
Labels: IDPs, International Organization for Migration, Iraq
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
1.14 million Iraqis displaced
Humanitarian
(AP) -- The number of Iraqis who have fled their homes under threat of sectarian violence has more than doubled since the start of the year, despite the increase in American troops that began in February, a humanitarian organization said. The number of displaced Iraqis shot upward from 447,337 on Jan. 1 to 1.14 million on July 31, the Iraqi Red Crescent Organization said Saturday.
Though the addition of some 30,000 U.S. troops since February has brought down violence in Baghdad, it also led to increased clashes with militants. "Does this surge have anything to do with it? We don't know," said Saeed Haqi, head of the Iraqi Red Crescent - the local partner organization of the International Committee of the Red Cross. "But they're leaving because of the security situation in general."
In addition to those who have fled their homes but have stayed within the country, some 2 million Iraqis have fled, with many now living as refugees in neighboring Syria and Jordan. In its midyear assessment last month, the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration also reported a spike in internally displaced people, saying the trend started with the February 2006 bombing of a Shiite shrine in the city of Samarra, which sparked fierce sectarian fighting.
It said 63 percent of those assessed reported that they fled direct threats to life, and that more than a quarter had been forcibly displaced from their property. Ninety percent said they were targeted because of their religious identity. Shiites have been the largest group to be displaced, representing 64 percent, with Sunnis making up 32 percent, and Christians 4 percent, the IOM said. Shiites make up about 60 percent of the population; Sunnis are about 20 percent. Most of the people have been forced to flee their homes in Baghdad, though Haqi said all of Iraq's 18 provinces were affected.
The IOM said broad trends suggested the displacements were leading to an even greater religious polarization of Iraq, with Shiites tending to move from the center to the south, and Sunnis tending to move from the south to the upper-center of the country. In large cities like Baghdad and Baqouba, both Sunnis and Shiites were displaced to homogeneous neighborhoods of their own sect, the IOM said. Christians and Kurds, meanwhile, primarily fled to the northern provinces, the agency said.
"These large movements of people will have long-lasting political, social and economic impacts in Iraq and the increasingly protracted nature of displacement in the past 1 1/2 years may well be entrenching communal divisions," the IOM warned. "The stability that was anticipated as a result of various security plans has not materialized, and as the violence continues in Iraq, so will the displacement."
Though the addition of some 30,000 U.S. troops since February has brought down violence in Baghdad, it also led to increased clashes with militants. "Does this surge have anything to do with it? We don't know," said Saeed Haqi, head of the Iraqi Red Crescent - the local partner organization of the International Committee of the Red Cross. "But they're leaving because of the security situation in general."
In addition to those who have fled their homes but have stayed within the country, some 2 million Iraqis have fled, with many now living as refugees in neighboring Syria and Jordan. In its midyear assessment last month, the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration also reported a spike in internally displaced people, saying the trend started with the February 2006 bombing of a Shiite shrine in the city of Samarra, which sparked fierce sectarian fighting.
It said 63 percent of those assessed reported that they fled direct threats to life, and that more than a quarter had been forcibly displaced from their property. Ninety percent said they were targeted because of their religious identity. Shiites have been the largest group to be displaced, representing 64 percent, with Sunnis making up 32 percent, and Christians 4 percent, the IOM said. Shiites make up about 60 percent of the population; Sunnis are about 20 percent. Most of the people have been forced to flee their homes in Baghdad, though Haqi said all of Iraq's 18 provinces were affected.
The IOM said broad trends suggested the displacements were leading to an even greater religious polarization of Iraq, with Shiites tending to move from the center to the south, and Sunnis tending to move from the south to the upper-center of the country. In large cities like Baghdad and Baqouba, both Sunnis and Shiites were displaced to homogeneous neighborhoods of their own sect, the IOM said. Christians and Kurds, meanwhile, primarily fled to the northern provinces, the agency said.
"These large movements of people will have long-lasting political, social and economic impacts in Iraq and the increasingly protracted nature of displacement in the past 1 1/2 years may well be entrenching communal divisions," the IOM warned. "The stability that was anticipated as a result of various security plans has not materialized, and as the violence continues in Iraq, so will the displacement."
Labels: IDPs, International Organization for Migration, Iraqi Red Crescent Organization, Saeed Haqi
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Militants use water to extort 'favours'
Humanitarian
(IRIN) - Many internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps in Iraq are facing shortages of water, especially clean drinking water, and the situation is being exploited by unscrupulous militants, local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) say. Some displaced families have said militants have been delivering clean water to their camps by truck and demanding money, goods or "favours" in return.
"They [militants] sometimes ask for money knowing we don't have any, and then start to search our tents to see if there is something useful, while armed men stay near the truck with their guns aimed at us," said Omar Lattif, 45, an IDP at Rahman camp on the outskirts of Missan in southern Iraq. "Sometimes they even ask for fun with 'nice girls'," he said, adding that two men in the community had been killed for confronting militants demanding sex for water.
Fatah Ahmed, a spokesman for the Iraq Aid Association (IAA), said they had informed the local authorities of such cases but had not received a response. A joint report released on 30 July by UK-based charity Oxfam and the NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq said around eight million Iraqis were in urgent need of water and sanitation. The report said 70 percent of Iraqis do not have adequate water supplies - up from 50 percent in 2003.
Earlier this month, a report by the world's principal intergovernmental body on migration, the International Organization for Migration, warned that the scale of Iraqi displacement was "fast becoming a regional and ultimately international crisis".
"They [militants] sometimes ask for money knowing we don't have any, and then start to search our tents to see if there is something useful, while armed men stay near the truck with their guns aimed at us," said Omar Lattif, 45, an IDP at Rahman camp on the outskirts of Missan in southern Iraq. "Sometimes they even ask for fun with 'nice girls'," he said, adding that two men in the community had been killed for confronting militants demanding sex for water.
Fatah Ahmed, a spokesman for the Iraq Aid Association (IAA), said they had informed the local authorities of such cases but had not received a response. A joint report released on 30 July by UK-based charity Oxfam and the NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq said around eight million Iraqis were in urgent need of water and sanitation. The report said 70 percent of Iraqis do not have adequate water supplies - up from 50 percent in 2003.
Earlier this month, a report by the world's principal intergovernmental body on migration, the International Organization for Migration, warned that the scale of Iraqi displacement was "fast becoming a regional and ultimately international crisis".
Labels: IDPs, International Organization for Migration, Iraq Aid Association, NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq, NGOs, Oxfam, Rahman camp, water
