Region | Iraq
Violence may force a million to flee homes
Unrelenting violence and insecurity in Iraq could cause as many as 1 million Iraqis to flee their homes this year, the world's migration body said yesterday.
- AP
- Published: 00:00 February 17, 2007
Geneva : Unrelenting violence and insecurity in Iraq could cause as many as 1 million Iraqis to flee their homes this year, the world's migration body said yesterday.
"The numbers of people that are being displaced are increasing every day," said Jemini Pandya, spokeswoman for the International Organisation for Migration. "The security situation is not improving. It's not changing."
Pandya said the 120-nation organisation's estimate was made "on the assumption that security conditions will continue much as they are." The possibility of neighbouring countries, such as Syria, closing their borders would mean even more of the displaced would only be able to get as far as other parts of Iraq.
Pandya said the prognosis was "bleak for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have already fled within the war-ravaged country. Malnutrition, disease and infections among children are rising due to a lack of food and the exodus of doctors and nurses, she said.
Crackdowns
According to the United Nations, about 3.8 million Iraqis were forced to flee their homes over the last three decades as the country endured an eight-year war against neighbouring Iran, numerous internal crackdowns by Saddam Hussain's regime, two invasions by US-led forces and the current sectarian violence.
The number includes about 2 million refugees spread out across the world, and about 1.8 million within Iraq separated from their homes and communities. Both tallies are growing.
The UN refugee agency has said as many as 100,000 Iraqis a month have fled to Syria and Jordan and that the total rate of displacement has accelerated dramatically since the bombing of an important Shiite shrine in the city of Samarra a year ago.
At least 640,000 have fled their homes in the last 12 months, Ron Redmond, spokesman for the UNHCR, said yesterday.
Pandya said that "many of the displaced are renting space in dilapidated buildings or are building makeshift houses out of local material, such as reeds and mud bricks. These shelters often lack electricity, insulation or sanitation." Displaced children are often missing school and some as young as 10 had joined insurgent groups "either for money or for revenge for incidents against family members," she said.
On Thursday UNHCR appealed to the European Union to do more to protect refugees fleeing Iraq, saying the war was the cause of the biggest displacement of people in the Middle East in recent history.
Appeal
"The humanitarian situation is grave and deteriorating. States should respond to the protection needs of Iraqi asylum seekers on their territory," said Madeline Garlick, a spokeswoman for the UN refugee agency in Brussels.
That appeal came a day after Washington announced it will allow about 7,000 Iraqis into the United States this year - up from 202 in 2006 - and will pay more to help Iraq's neighbours cope with the surge of refugees.
As the bloodshed in Iraq has increased, European governments have come under increasing pressure to open their doors to asylum-seekers. Many are worried that an escalation in violence in 2007 could generate a new wave of refugees.
The UN appeal came as the EU announced it would contribute $13 million (Dh47,750,300) more for Iraqi refugees. About 60 per cent will go to help those who have fled to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
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