As winter approaches, warnings of deepening crisis for hundreds of thousands who have fled their homes
Statement, ICRC, Nov 11, 2007The humanitarian crisis in Iraq is worsening. Security in recent months has considerably deteriorated: thousands of families face the daily threat of bombings, shootings and military operations. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes after seeing relatives and neighbors being killed, or because they were under threat themselves.
Those who cannot find refuge with relatives or friends are forced to live in temporary camps which have sprung up across the country. Accurate figures are extremely difficult to come by, but according to the Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS), two million people are now displaced within Iraq, while UNHCR indicates that another two million are refugees outside the country. Neighboring countries are increasingly closing their borders to Iraqis, suggesting that the number of displaced seeking shelter within the country is unlikely to fall in the weeks to come.Gardasin is one of several camps for the displaced in northern Iraq.
It was set up in June 2007 to house Kurdish families fleeing sectarian violence and threats in the town of Mosul, 50 kilometers away. Nearly 1,000 people live in the camp, three-quarters of them women and children. It is set on a desolate plain, burning hot in summer, and with sub-zero temperatures in mid-winter. Several humanitarian agencies are providing tents, water and food. The ICRC has provided the water supply for the camp, installing pipes, taps and latrines.
The families here do not have access to the monthly food distributions by local authorities and depend mainly on assistance from humanitarian organizations. The ICRC and the IRCS have handed out food, blankets and other basic supplies on two occasions. In this isolated location, few people have access to jobs, health care or schools for their children. As winter approaches, the ICRC is concerned that conditions in Gardasin are likely to get even worse. Solid floors and extra protection for the tents will be essential to withstand the cold.Khalid Faqui Katto lives at Gardasin with his family of 17. He abandoned his house and job in Mosul when he was accused of spying for the Americans and threatened with violence. He is concerned about how his children will cope with winter but says he can never go back to Mosul.Mrs Jouia Mohammed fled from Mosul just 20 days after moving into the house she had managed to build for herself and her family. She too is afraid to return having seen her neighbor murdered. The plight of these two Kurdish families is typical of people stranded in Gardasin.While some help is reaching Gardasin, the rampant insecurity is preventing the ICRC from helping the displaced in many other parts of Iraq. Because of the risks, the organization cannot deploy international staff in much of the country.
The ICRC relies heavily on the IRCS to carry out assistance work.Beatrice Megevand Roggo, the ICRC's Head of Operations for the Middle East compares carrying out humanitarian work in Iraq to sticking a small plaster on a gaping wound, "Our dearest wish is that the security situation can improve, because this is the key to solving all the humanitarian problems in Iraq."
Aid agencies struggle to support over two million displaced Iraqis (Nov 12, 2007)
