THI-QAR POST-FEBRUARY 22 EMERGENCY IDP MONITORING AND ASSESSMENTS MAY 15 – SEPTEMBER 15, 2006
Governorate number: 33 Capital: Nassiriyah Districts: Al-Chibayish, Al-Rifa’i, Al-Shatra, Nassriya, Suq Al-Shoyokh Total post-Feb. 22 IDPs as of reporting date: 1377 families Total IDP and IDP returnee pre-Feb. 22: 7042 families
POST-FEBRUARY 22 EMERGENCY IDP MONITORI NG AND NEEDS ASSESSMENTS: BACKGROUND
An alarming increase in displacement due to heightened tensions after the bombing of the Askariya shrine in Samarra on February 22, 2006 brought to light the need for comprehensive, thorough monitoring and assessments of recently-displaced populations. IOM has been assessing IDPs displaced since February 22 in the central and lower 15 governorates in Iraq.
The monitors use IDP Rapid Assessment Templates for both IDP groups and individual IDP families. The IDP Rapid Assessment Template addresses a number of issues and needs, including food, health care, water and sanitation, documentation, and property, and the templates outline the IDPs’ future intentions. Monitors visit IDP tribal and community leaders, local NGOs, local government bodies, and individual IDP families to gather information and complete the templates. Once the information is gathered, it is then entered into a database for analyzing.
After the information from the templates is collected and analyzed, IOM returns to the governorates to gather additional information from the field. This additional information provides a more in-depth look at the situation and issues surrounding displacement in each governorate.
With this information, IOM is developing Governorate Needs Assessments for the 15 central and lower governorates in Iraq. These Governorate Needs Assessments will assist IOM and other agencies to prioritize areas of operation, plan emergency responses, and design long-term, durable solutions.
POST-FEBRUARY 22 IDP OVERVIEW
Background
The governorate of Thi-Qar is located in Iraq’s southern region, bordered in the south by the governorates of Basrah and Muthanna and in the north by the governorates of Qadissiya, Missan and Wassit. An estimated population of 1,520,000 people is distributed throughout the districts.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION Nasiriyah, the capital city, lies along the Euphrates River about 400 km south of Baghdad. With the exception of Nasiriyah, a dynamic trade and economic center, the rest of the districts in Thi- Qar rely on agricultural activities. A vital component of these industries was represented by the marshlands covering the south-eastern part of Iraq and flowing over part of Thi-Qar governorate.
Thi-Qar Governorate is one of the safest in southern Iraq as a result of good tribal relations and religiously homogenous communities. Cooperation between political parties and authorities is usually strong in this governorate. Thi-Qar’s relative stability has made it an attractive destination for displaced people, especially the recently-displaced.
The following information provides an overview of the current situation, highlights needs, and suggested areas of intervention relating to recently-displaced IDPs in Thi-Qar. Information was gathered from a variety of sources: IDP representatives, the IDP host community, local authorities, MoDM Branch Offices, religious leaders, partner NGOs and other NGOs working in these areas.
Despite increasing insecurity and instability throughout Iraq, IOM strives to stay abreast with updated and accurate information. Displacement is ongoing, however, and displacement information changes on a daily basis.
Total displaced:
During the reporting period (May 15 to September 15), 1,377 families were identified and assessed. Their current districts of displacement within Thi-Qar are Al-Chibayish (60 families), Al-Rafa’I (314 families), Al-Shantra (268 families), Nasiriyah (with 373 families, this district has the most families), and Suq Al-Shoyokh (362 families).
Ethnicity:
All IDPs being displaced to Thi-Qar are of Arab ethnicity and all are Shia Muslim except one family, who is Sunni Muslim. This follows a trend occurring throughout Iraq; IDPs are moving from religiously mixed areas to homogenous areas. Thi-Qar’s population is primarily Shia Muslim, so IDPs of this sect tend to be moving to Thi-Qar and other religious homogenous southern regions.
Places of Origin: Their places of origin are as follows:
Bagdad: 66% Salah al-Din: 11% Anbar: 10% Tameem: 6% Diyala: 4% Babylon: 2% Ninewa: less than 1% Wassit: less than 1%
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION IDPs' Place of Origin (Thi-Qar) Babylon 2.69%
Anbar 9.73% Baghdad 66.38% Wassit 0.36%
Tameem 5.52%
Salah al-Din 11.04%
Ninewa 0.15% Diyala 4.14%
Reasons for Displacement:
IDPs left their places of origin for multiple reasons, but all factors revolve around a heightened concern for safety. Threats, assignations, kidnappings, and generalized violence all contribute to instability and subsequent displacement.
The interview forms used during the rapid assessment allowed IDPs to list their various reasons for displacement. 643 families said forced displacement from their property was a reason for leaving, 123 gave armed conflict as a reason, 888 gave generalized violence as a reason, 1,336 listed direct threats to their lives as a reason, 1,088 reported that they left out of fear, 12 claimed “other reasons” for leaving, and 11 did not provide an answer.
1,374 families thought they were targeted due to belonging to a certain religion or sect, 15 families believed they were targeted due to being a certain ethnic group, and 28 families for holding a certain political opinion (this response was multiple-choice).
The majority of families (662, or 48%), were displaced in March. 4% were displaced in February, 8% in April, 3% in May, 3% in June and 34% in July. 99% of families were displaced only once since February 22, and 1% of families did not provide an answer.
Overview of IDP camps:
Two camps were established in Thi-Qar, in Nasiriyah City and in Al-Fajer, 90 km north of Nasiriyah.
Nasiriyah City camp originally hosted 19 families who were displaced from Baghdad/Abu-Ghraib district due to direct threats to their lives. This camp was established through the cooperation of MoDM and IRC. It consisted of 35 tents (enough to temporarily house 67 persons). Food assistance was temporarily supplied through MoDM, IRC, and religious entities. Water tanks and latrines were set up in the camp. There was no electricity available, and only a few families who lived in the camp had a generator.
Due to a lack of resources, the 19 families quickly abandoned the camp, therefore local authorities and MoDM decided to close it and they will not establish a new one unless necessary.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION The second camp, established by the Iranian Red Crescent, was located in Al-Fajer sub-district. In the beginning, 75 families arrived at the camp, but the population left shortly afterwards due to a lack of services. Most of these families were displaced from Abu-Ghraib, and Tarmiya, with two families from Gazalia. Only one family stayed in the camp (from Gazalia).
Assistance, mainly food items, was provided by the IRC, as well as some political and religious organizations and foundations.
Outline of Already-Existing IDP Population (pre-February 22, 2006)
Before February 22, Thi-Qar already hosted a total estimated 7,042 IDP families (pre-2003, post- 2003, and IDP returnee). Of those, the greatest numbers of IDPs were displaced after the 2003 conflict.
Movement to Thi-Qar since 2003 was due to the proliferation of armed militias, criminal and terrorist organizations, especially in the center of Iraq, and due to religious discrimination.
Many IDPs who had left Thi-Qar Governorate during the 1990s to escape the repercussions of Saddam’s regime following the failed Shia uprising in 1991 tried to move back to their original homes after the overthrow of Saddam’s government in 2003. They returned from their place of usual residence in Kerbala, Baghdad, Babylon, Diyala, Kirkuk and Basrah. Many IDP Returnees do not have their own land and are coming back to the southern areas where they have previously lived in villages as sharecropping farmers. IDP Returnee families were living in public buildings; schools, police and military compounds; and some were living with their relatives in the cities.
IDP Population’s relationship with the Host Community
The IDPs fleeing to Thi-Qar appear to have a good relationship with the host community. All but 20 families (2%) said that they were received well by the host community. This is most likely due to the fact that the host community’s religious orientation is similar to that of the arriving IDPs. In addition, many people were displaced from Thi-Qar to escape the repercussions of Saddam’s regime following the failed Shia uprising and have since returned, as mentioned above. Therefore, some members of the host community had either directly experienced displacement themselves or had friends and family who were displaced.
However, a continued decrease in security throughout Iraq and a subsequent increase in IDPs to Thi-Qar will put a strain on tolerant host communities. In addition, increased competition for scarce resources and an inflation in costs could create additional tension between IDPs and the host community.
Intentions of post-February 22 IDPs:
A small majority of IDPs who have been displaced to Thi-Qar since February 22, 2006 plan on staying in their current location, which implies that humanitarian response to these IDP populations, especially in terms of long-term, durable solutions, will need to take into consideration their desire to live in Thi-Qar. However, almost an equal percentage wishes to return to their place of origin and see their displacement as temporary.
The breakdown for intentions is as follows:
Locally integrate in the current location: 37% Return to their place of origin: 36% Resettle in a third location: 24% Waiting on one or several factors to make a decision: 2%
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION IDPs' Intentions (Thi-Qar)
40.0% 37% 36%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0% 24%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0% 2%
0.0% Locally integrate in the Return to their place of Resettle in a third Waiting on one or several current location origin location factors to make a decision
Fifty four percent of those interviewed said they would implement the aforementioned intentions when the security situation improves, and 35% said they plan on realizing their intentions within the next six months (20% did not respond). Those who have not yet made a decision are waiting for the security situation to improve before they make their decision. However, due to the lack of services and infrastructure in Thi-Qar, those IDPs who are planning to integrate into their current location have indicated that they might change their mind and resettle in a third location.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND NEEDS
Security:
Thi-Qar is one of the safest southern governorates, and the assessment results reflected this. All IDPs interviewed reported that they feel relatively safe in their current location. None of the groups reported needing authorization for movement or that they had restrictions on their movements, and less than 2% reported needing to pass through a checkpoint for daily movement.
Since the families have been displaced, 84% report no serious deaths or injuries in the family, but over 16% claim that members have been killed by militants, Multi-National Forces in Iraq, or Iraqi forces and four families said that a member had been killed by another citizen. 21% of families interviewed said that a family member has been detained since they were displaced. In addition, almost 27% (374 families) said that there were family members unaccounted for.
Shelter:
Shelter was ranked as the number one priority for IDPs in Thi-Qar. Finding appropriate housing for IDPs displaced to Thi-Qar is a challenging task. Competition for limited resources is leading to a rise in the housing prices, prices in land, and material to construct shelter.
The majority of families (60%) are living in rented housing, while 3% are living in tents (informal tents, not those in governorate-run camps), 4% in public buildings, and 30% are living in the house of a host family or relative. Almost all (97%) report no pressure to leave or threat of
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION eviction. Less than 1% face pressure from relatives to leave, and 2% face “other threat or pressure”. A few families face the threat of a court order.
Property Issues in Place of Origin:
When IDPs flee, they often leave behind a home, a business, land, and other items. Once they depart, their property is subject to vandalism, damage, or occupation. 93% do not know if they can access their property. The remaining claim that their property was destroyed or damaged so as to be unusable; is occupied, controlled or claimed by private citizens or the governorate; or is currently in military use.
Of those 40 individual families interviewed, 36 had a house in their place of origin, 2 families had land for agriculture and 2 families had a shop or small business.
Some people were able to take resources with them when they fled. Following are the percentages of total IDPs who brought items with them when they left their homes:
Winter clothing: 100% Tools: 92% Food: 57% Car/transportation: 43% Livestock: 22%
Vulnerabilities:
IDPs, who must often leave behind their possessions, their source of income, and their social safety net, are especially vulnerable. Add to this the fact that some of these families experience additional hardships such as being single parents, serious health issues, mental and physical disabilities, and their challenging situation seems insurmountable. Of those IDP groups and families interviewed, 357 individuals are a female head-of-household, 456 individuals are considered elderly, 214 women are pregnant, 16 families reported a member with a mental disability and 11 individuals with serious illnesses.
Food:
The IDPs interviewed in Thi-Qar cited food as the third of their top three priorities. 948 families, or 69% of IDPs interviewed, said that they do not have any access to PDS food rations, while 418 families, or 30%, reported that they only have access some of the time. (3 families, or less than 0.2%, did not provide an answer.) Of those that receive PDS food rations, 28% said the ration was missing food items.
When asked why they did not receive a PDS ration if eligible, the majority stated that they thought it was because food transportation routes were insecure, while 24% are not sure why they are not receiving regular PDS rations, and 4% attributed it to a lack of documentation.
57% of families do not receive any food assistance from other sources besides PDS rations. For those who do receive food assistance, religious charities are reported to provide the most assistance, and regional authorities and humanitarian organizations also provide food assistance. These entities are providing dried, fresh, and canned food. A few families receive fresh foods. No IDP claimed to have received assistance from national authorities.
Water/Sanitation:
95% of recently-displaced IDPs have some level of access to water. This usually takes the from of municipal water (underground pipes), with second and third most frequent being from water tanks or trucks or rivers, streams, or lakes, and 98% can access these water sources within 500 meters of where they live. 8% of the IDPs do not have access to toilets.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION However, some IDPs expressed a need for clean drinking water, especially in rural areas. They recommended water purification projects for rural communities.
Fuel and Electricity:
Only 1% does not have access to any electricity; 42% has access 1-3 hours per day, and 56% has electricity more than four hours a day. All families have access to fuel, mostly to benzene or propane, and some also have access to diesel and kerosene.
Health Care:
There is a high demand for health services due to the high rates of communicable diseases, which are reported to be common among the population. The hospitals face a lack of equipment such as surgical tools, ambulances and laboratory equipment.
Almost all families (99.7%) have access to health care services; however, 21% said that family members have suffered from infectious diseases in the last 45 days, and 19% do not have access to most of the medications they require. 35% have been visited by a health worker within the last 30 days. Of those that have been visited, almost all were provided with vaccinations and a small percentage (2%) was provided with health consultations or examinations.
Twenty-one percent of families had been involved in a vaccination campaign within the last 1-3 months, and 17% were involved in a vaccination campaign within the past month. Vaccination campaigns for IDPs appear to be strong in Thi-Qar.
Documentation:
Almost all IDPs (95%) who are eligible have nationality certifications and marriage documents. Many also have their ID cards, vaccination records and birth certificates. About half of families interviewed hold passports or death certificates.
Employment:
Access was the second most listed priority by IDPs recently arrived to Thi-Qar. As IDPs leave their places of origin, they leave behind sources of income and employment opportunities. Many IDPs who arrive in Thi-Qar do not have skills transferable to employment in Thi-Qar, which is generally agriculture-based, nor do they have property to start their own farm or business. In addition, many need a source of income to pay for rent, food, and other basic necessities.
IDPs had several suggestions for income-generation projects. They recommended making jobs available in the local governmental sector, while others suggested establishing a brick factory to employ the unemployed, especially those who worked in the brick factories in Baghdad suburbs.
Another project recommended by IDPs was road paving. Paving roads would improve the access to remote villages in order to connect their villages, improve transportation of items from rural areas to cities, and increase job opportunities for both IDPs and the host community. (See additional suggestions in Conclusion section below.)
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE RECEIVED
Of those IDPs interviewed, 83% said that they have already received some sort of humanitarian assistance. Relatives have provided assistance to 960 (70%) families, religious groups have provided assistance to 50% of families, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement has provided assistance to 25% of families, the Iraqi Red Crescent has assisted 14% of families, and 214 families (16%) reported that they have received assistance from “other” entities. Despite the large number of families who have received some sort of humanitarian assistance, many priority needs remain unmet.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION The majority (84%) has received food items, (72%) received non-food items from the aforementioned entities, about 11% of families have also received health assistance, and a few have received assistance with sanitation issues.
Due to Thi-Qar’s relative security and stability, access to IDP beneficiaries is good.
AREAS IN NEED OF SPECIAL ASSISTANCE
As of this writing, in the Al-Islah sub-district, the increase of IDPs is leading to a great increase in the population in general, which is affecting the services the local provincial health center is able to provide. The center could not meet the needs of the host community, and now the extra strain of arriving IDPs is causing the community to suffer from a lack of services and medication.
CONCLUSIONS
Information gathered from the emergency monitoring and needs assessments can provide an excellent base on which to develop assistance responses, establish locations of intervention, identify the most vulnerable populations, and provide responses that meet the IDPs’ identified needs.
In the case of Thi-Qar, the IDPs listed their priority needs as 1) shelter, 2) access to work, and 3) food.
Shelter: Many displaced persons live in inadequate shelter, cannot meet their monthly rental expenses, or are facing pressure and tension due to overcrowded conditions with family or friends.
One option for intervention is to expand host communities’ homes where IDPs are present, since this is a more cost-effective measure than building completely new homes, and this method will support both IDPs and host families.
Another option is to support the purchase of land and/or the construction of small cement homes. This would need to be closely coordinated with the relevant Iraqi Ministries in regards to land tenure and legal implications so that no future problems would arise from the purchase of land.
In severe cases where immediate, short-term shelter is needed, another intervention is to purchase tents for temporary residence. This will be a provisional solution, as the use of tents can result in the creation of informal camps, which can cause numerous problems, including the extremely high costs they entail, the security issues they pose and the dependence they create.
Access to Work: Whether the IDPs plan on settling in Thi-Qar or elsewhere or eventually plan to return to their place of origin, access to employment is a priority. As mentioned above, IDPs in Thi-Qar requested assistance gaining employment in brick-making, road building, and government jobs.
Thi-Qar has more rural areas and offers more opportuntities for agricultural employment and income-generation, so providing the means, such as tools and equipment or loans to purchase land and seeds, could provide income-generating activities to IDPs in Thi-Qar.
In addition, IDPs who have skills in or experience owning a business could benefit from loans that allow them to open a small business in Thi-Qar. Other ideas to improve IDPs’ access to work could be vocational training in areas such as carpentry, masonry, metalwork, tailoring and the auto mechanic trade; and on-the-job training that allows IDPs to learn a new skill while being paid a stipend.
Food: Some organizations have provided food in Thi-Qar since February 22, but clearly it is not sufficient. Many IDPs do not have access to the PDS rations, so facilitating the transfer of
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION documentations so that the IDPs are registered in their place of displacement is one possible intervention. In addition, organizations can provide food baskets, especially those that target the nutritional needs of women and children.
Intentions: In addition to taking into consideration the IDPs’ priority needs, the IDPs’ intentions also need to be taken into consideration. In the case of Thi-Qar, 37% plan to locally integrate in the current location, 24% plan to resettle in a third location, and 36% plan to return to their place of origin. Therefore, durable solutions in their current place of displacement should focus on those IDPs who plan to locally integrate. Assistance should be provided to facilitate return for those who eventually wish to return to their homes.
As the situation unfolds, the characteristics and dynamics of the displacement will change. With collaboration and quick responses, the negative impact of displacement can be minimized with hope for a brighter future for the displaced.
For further information on IDP displacement in Iraq, please contact Martin Ocaga, IOM Iraq IDP Program Manager at [email protected] (+962 79 64 00581) or Dana Graber, IDP Monitoring and Reintegration Officer, at [email protected] (+962 79 611 1759)
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION