IOM EMERGENCY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS POST FEBRUARY 2006 DISPLACEMENT IN IRAQ 1 JANUARY 2009 MONTHLY REPORT 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 more than 1.6 million individuals1. SUMMARY OF CURRENT IRAQI DISPLACEMENT AND RETURN: Returns While an estimated 1.6 million individuals are displaced in Iraq, returns continue to grow. This is particularly the case in Baghdad. Many returnees are coming back to find destroyed homes and infrastructure in disrepair. Buildings, pipe and electrical networks, and basic public services such as health care centers are all in need of rehabilitation to meet the needs of returning IDP and refugee families. Transportation for families who wish to return also continues to be an issue. Some families wish to return but do not have the financial resources to travel with their belongings to their places of origin. MoDM has offered 500,000 Iraqi Dinar (IQD), or approximately 432 USD to IDP families returning from another governorate, and they have offered 250,000 IQD for families returning within the same governorate. This was offered to returnees between October and December 2008, and it is not yet clear whether this will be continued in 2009. Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) continue to evict squatters from returnee homes on a limited basis with the authority of Prime Minister Order 101. Squatters are given anywhere from 24 hours to several days to vacate the houses, and some receive assistance to return to their places of origin in this process. In Al Zaytoon village of Abu Ghraib, a returnee family was targeted by an improvised explosive device (IED). Returnee families have begun organizing nightly watches and using other measures to protect themselves. According to community leaders in Al Tooaitha Al Gharbia, nearly all families have returned to the village. However, the village lacks health care facilities and any sanitation system, making the living environment difficult for those who have returned. Destroyed returnee homes of Hay Al-Zaytoon in Abu Ghraib district 1 As per figures from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) for the three northern governorates 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 (September 2008) for figures per governorate. International Organization for Migration Displacements Conditions of displacement remain harsh for IDPs across Iraq. Many still do not have access to basic necessities such as potable water, sufficient food, and protection from the elements. Others live precariously under threat of eviction. 23 families displaced to Al Baquer village in Babylon are living in improvised shelters constructed from mud, which are insufficient to protect them from the elements. 10 families living in Al Qebla of Basrah governorate have settled on government land and are under the constant threat of eviction from local authorities. They are living in basic buildings crafted from mud and wood. 19 IDP families living in Kerbala hotel in Kerbala governorate have been given eviction orders with no alternative shelter offered and no financial resources or income. The group is about 80% women, children, and elderly family members. While some wish to return, other IDP families prefer to integrate into their places of displacement. For example, currently many IDPs in Wassit state that they do not wish to return to their places of origin for a variety of reasons. Some do not have property in their places of origin; others have transferred their businesses to Wassit and do not wish to move them again. Still others are fearful of security or local authorities in their places of origin. MoDM authorities continue to offer financial support to those who wish to return. 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. Country-wide Statistics: Statistical information below is based on in-depth assessments of 222,920 families (estimated 1,337,520 individuals) displaced throughout Iraq since 22 February 2006. (Please note that this figure represents the total number that IOM monitors have assessed, not the total number of displaced in Iraq since 22 February 2006.) IDP Places of Origin Baghdad 63.9% Basrah 1.7% Ninewa 5.7% Babylon 0.9% Salah al-Din 3.1% Wassit 0.2% Kirkuk 2.9% Erbil 0.2% Anbar 2.6% Thi-Qar 0.1% Ethnicity/Religion: Arab Shia Muslim 57.7% Turkmen Sunni Muslim 0.9% Arab Sunni Muslim 30.7% Kurd Shia Muslim 0.6% Kurd Sunni Muslim 3.7% Armenian Christian 0.1% Assyrian Christian 2.8% Arab Yazidi 0.1% Chaldean Christian 1.7% Kurd Yazidi 0.1% Turkmen Shia Muslim 1.1% Access to Property Left Behind Yes, property Governorate Do not know No accessible All Iraq 38.7% 41.8% 16.7% Anbar 41.7% 36.8% 20.8% Babylon 48.1% 36.3% 14.6% Baghdad 8.2% 64.4% 26.6% Basrah 46.5% 35.7% 13% Dahuk 8.6% 80% 10.9% Diyala 50.1% 25.3% 20.5% Erbil 77.2% 17.2% 0.1% International Organization for Migration 2 Kerbala 42.5% 16.2% 29.8% Missan 50.7% 40.7% 8.1% Muthanna 40.9% 39.6% 19.5% Najaf 70% 18.1% 9.1% Ninewa 59.2% 28.6% 11.3% Qadissiya 26.9% 63.1% 9.9% Salah al-Din 56% 36.6% 5.8% Sulaymaniyah 9.9% 42.9% 10.7% Kirkuk 75.6% 15.2% 7.3% Thi-Qar 40.3% 53.8% 5.8% Wassit 80.7% 18.2% 1.1% Property Status – If an IDP family cannot access property left behind, what is the main reason? No access for Occupied or Occupied or Currently in Property security claimed by claimed by Governorate military use destroyed reasons government private citizen All Iraq 8.6% 2.5% 22.1% 0.5% 35.4% Anbar 19.0% 1.2% 4.3% 0.2% 17.6% Babylon 3.8% 0.4% 18.6% 0.4% 19.9% Baghdad 1.4% 1.0% 32.2% 0.4% 59.1% Basrah 3.9% 0.1% 12.4% 0.2% 20.1% Dahuk 33.2% 0.1% 14.8% 0.4% 20.2% Diyala 2.4% 3.7% 24.1% 1.7% 16.7% Erbil 0.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0% 0.4% Kerbala 3.7% 0.8% 5.8% 0.1% 11.8% Missan 13.4% 0.1% 20.1% 0.1% 21.4% Muthanna 0.5% 0.0% 11.5% 0.0% 28.1% Najaf 11.9% 0.3% 7.6% 2.7% 16.8% Ninewa 21.3% 0.7% 4.1% 0.4% 6.1% Qadissiya 5.5% 1.4% 54.8% 0.0% 10.7% Salah al-Din 22.7% 0.9% 3.6% 0.0% 15.4% Sulaymaniyah 1.1% 3.8% 11.7% 0.2% 11.1% Kirkuk 2.9% 0.4% 3.4% 0.2% 8.3% Thi-Qar 21.3% 0.2% 8.0% 0.4% 44.5% Wassit 7.2% 0.6% 10.7% 0.0% 1.2% Anbar: Security incidents continue to occur in Anbar, particularly in Falluja and Ramadi. Suicide bombings, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), car bombs, shootings, and arrests happened throughout the governorate, with significant casualties particularly at the beginning of December. Intra-governorate returns also carry on, with a minority of returnees coming back to Anbar from outside the governorate. A group of 50 IDP families (approximately 380 individuals) are currently living in Heet district, after being forced from their homes by armed groups during April 2008. They have not been able to transfer their PDS cards and are in need of food, fuel, blankets, and other household items. International Organization for Migration 3 Assessment based on 9,180 families. Places of Origin: Baghdad 78.2% Diyala 0.7% Anbar 12.6% Salah al-Din 0.3% Basrah 6.3% Babylon 0.2% Ninewa 1.8% Thi-Qar 0.1% Ethnicity/Religion: Arab Shia Muslim 70.2% Chaldean Christian 0.1% Arab Sunni Muslim 29.5% Access to Property Left Behind Yes, Property District No Do not know Accessible Total 20.80% 36.80% 41.70% Al-Ka'im 24.60% 52.20% 22.50% Al-Rutba 28.20% 19.50% 52.30% Ana 12.40% 65% 22.10% Falluja 16.80% 26.60% 56.10% Haditha 0.0% 86.60% 0.0% Heet 37.50% 44.40% 16.40% Ramadi 25.70% 41.10% 32.80% Property Status – If an IDP family cannot access property left behind, what is the main reason? No access for Occupied or Occupied or Currently in Property District security claimed by claimed by military use destroyed reasons government private citizen Total 19.0% 1.2% 4.3% 0.2% 17.6% Al-Ka'im 27.8% 4.9% 15.5% 0.0% 6.0% Al-Rutba 12.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 7.5% Ana 35.9% 3.4% 16.1% 0.0% 13.4% Falluja 15.7% 0.2% 1.9% 0.0% 14.2% Haditha 20.1% 0.0% 24.8% 0.0% 41.6% Heet 4.1% 6.1% 3.9% 0.9% 30.2% Ramadi 22.6% 0.8% 2.7% 0.6% 23.3% IOM emergency distribution assistance in 2007 & 2008: In 2007, IOM completed various distributions of food, water, and non-food items for 961 IDP families in February, 392 IDP families in May, 1,655 IDP families in August, and 1,344 IDP families in November.