The on going war with the Islamic State has created another
humanitarian disaster in Iraq. There are over 3 million displaced with more
leaving their homes as fighting shifts to different parts of the country. The
Iraqi government has been hard pressed to meet the needs of these people, and
the international community has failed to meet several calls for donations by
the United Nations. Even in areas that have been cleared of insurgents there
are disputes over who should be allowed back. To help explain this situation is
Bruno Geddo who is the United Nations High Commission for Refugees’
representative in Iraq.
1. Iraq is facing
another humanitarian crisis with all of the displaced caused by the war with
the Islamic State. The United Nations has put out several calls for
international donors to provide aid. According to one U.N. official the amount
asked for is actually below what is actually needed and yet countries have
still not given enough. Why do you think the world community has not been
stepping up to the plate and providing money for Iraq in this time of need?
Globally, we are witnessing
record numbers of people being forcibly driven from their homes due to war and
conflict. This year, we are predicting that the number of people displaced due
to conflict and persecution will reach more than 60 million for the first time
ever. That means, around the world, one
person in every 122 has been forced to flee their home.
For humanitarian agencies like
UNHCR, there have never been so many demands on us to provide help; yet while
the needs are growing, funding is not keeping pace. And that means we and other
agencies are struggling to meet all the humanitarian needs on the ground.
This has an impact on our work
here in Iraq.
When a displacement situation becomes protracted and there
is no prospect for durable solutions in sight, it is sometimes challenging to
find the right balance between what is needed and what the international community
is willing to contribute. We can call this an “ethical gap”.
In the case of Iraq, the figure for the UN’s 2016
humanitarian response plan tries to strike this balance by setting a total
amount of $860m which falls short of what is actually needed to provide a
comprehensive response to humanitarian needs, but reflects the immediate
lifesaving needs of the 3.2 million displaced Iraqis and 250,000 Syrian
refugees.
2. The Displacement
Ministry has been criticized for a number of reasons. What does this
organization provide Iraq’s internal refugees and have you heard about any
problems with how its operates?
UNHCR has a standing agreement with the Ministry of
Migration and Displacement (MODM) to conduct the registration of Iraqis forced
to leave their homes due to conflict.
This is the condition for them to have access to the public distribution
system, including the smart card allocation of one million Iraqi dinars
(approximate $840).
UNHCR is working very closely with the MoDM to make sure
that enough local capacity is built into Iraqi institutions to register and
assist internally displaced Iraqis and Syrian refugees according to
international standards.
3. As the war has
progressed and some territories have been re-taken the process of returns has
begun. In Salahaddin for example, the provincial capital of Tikrit and the
surrounding towns were liberated, and several thousand people have been able to
go back. What is it like for people in Tikrit and other places in terms of services,
government’s operating, and security and has everyone been able to go back
because there are many reports of vendettas against certain families who are
accused of being IS collaborators?
As a symbol of national reconciliation, the return of
displaced Iraqis is a process of utmost importance to UNHCR. However, it
requires conducive conditions on the ground.
This is why UNHCR insists that the return process has to be carefully
planned and carried out on the basis of the international humanitarian principles
of voluntary, safe and sustainable returns.
On our side, UNHCR is implementing quick impact projects in
selected areas of both Tikrit and Diyala with the aim of bringing people
together and fostering peaceful co-existence. This includes shops and market
repairs, garbage collection, community halls, small-scale shelter and
agricultural projects.
For returns to be safe the government has to conduct
security screening and the job of the international community is to advocate
and make sure that such processes are carried out with the appropriate legal
safeguards and are not arbitrary.
4. There have been
various stories of places like Baghdad, Kurdistan and Kirkuk blocking displaced
from entering, trying to put restrictions on them or even expelling some of
them. Could you provide some details about these cases and why was it
happening?
It is vital to ensure access to safety for people forced to
flee their homes [and that] is of paramount importance in Iraq. While it is legitimate to conduct security
screening of displaced populations prior to admission to safe areas, this
should not be allowed to become an arbitrary or protracted process as many
displaced families find themselves in insecure locations which may be exposed
to indirect fire while they wait at checkpoints. At the same time, UNHCR is tirelessly
advocating that security screening should not be allowed to translate into
collective punishment of an entire group because of their perceived association
with extremists.
UNHCR has opened camps for displaced families in Ameriyat
al-Fallujah (the safest district in Anbar province), just a few kilometres from
Bzeibiz bridge, so that in the case of shifting war fronts threatening the
security of displaced families, they will be able to cross into Baghdad for
their safety.
UNHCR has also opened a new camp in Kirkuk so that newly arrived
displaced Iraqis can have access to safety and registration.
5. Finally, do you
think Iraq has reached the tipping point where there will be no more mass displacement
and the real struggle will be providing aid and helping people return or do you
think major dislocations can still happen in the country?
Unfortunately, the situation is going to get worse before it
gets better. Everyone is waiting for the
day when a massive military offensive will be undertaken by the government to
retake control of Mosul.
Large-scale civilian population movements can be expected in
the wake of such an offensive and UNHCR and other UN agencies and partners have
developed contingency plans and an emergency response capacity (UNHCR, for
example, has 20,000 tents as contingency stocks as well as core relief items).
In 2014, the international community was caught unprepared
for a massive emergency, which was understandable. With an estimated 1.5 million people still
living in Mosul, we will not be forgiven if this were to happen again in 2016
Areas of the country that have come back under government
control need to be made safe; services need to be restored and public buildings
rehabilitated. Unexploded ordnance is
still a big issue. Families will only
return when it is safe for them to do so; when their city’s infrastructure is
restored, when their homes are habitable.
UNHCR and the international community need to ensure that
when returns occur, they are done on a voluntary basis and the minimal
conditions are in place to ensure that people go back safely.
This will take some time.
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