iom #iraq southern governorates snapshot: basrah, missan, thi-qar (september 2014)

OVERVIEW OF DISPLACEMENT IN SOUTHERN IRAQ

1All information, unless otherwise speci�ed, in this report is from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) from 14 September 2014 and from �eld reports of the Rapid Assessment and Response Teams. For more information on the DTM, visit: http://iomiraq.net/dtm-page

2Figures for number of individual IDPs have been calculated by multiplying the number of families by 6, the average size of an Iraqi family.3 As a single location may host groups of IDPs from di�erent waves of displacement, this �gure represents the number of distinct locations in the

governorate hosting new IDP populations for 2014, regardless of date of displacement. 1

OVERVIEW1

The southern governorates of Basrah, Missan, and Thi-Qar have enjoyed considerably more stability than other parts of Iraq which has made them a destination for families fleeing unstable areas and seeking safer environments despite the long journey to reach these governorates. Field reports indicate that families displace to these governorates due to similar ethnic and religious backgrounds, the presence of family and friends, and the general stable security situation in the South. Accordingly, more than 80% of the families that displaced to this predominately Shia region are Shia (Arab, Turkmen, and Shabak). The Anbar crisis earlier in 2014 only pushed a small number of Arab families, Sunni and Shia, to reach these governorates, but as clashes between government forces and Armed Groups (AGs) spread and intensified, the number of IDPs reaching these governorates drastically increased. As of September 14, IOM identified 295 locations in Basrah, Missan, and Thi-Qar, together hosting 3,125 IDP families. Thi-Qar received the highest number of families, with over 1,200 , while both Basrah and Missan received more than 900 families each.

The journey for many of the families from Anbar and Ninewa usually includes an initial displacement to Erbil, taking a flight to airports in Basrah or Najaf, then a bus trip to reach their locations. Other families from Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and Diyala travel by bus directly to their locations, passing through Baghdad and Najaf.

Although security has been mostly stable in these governorates, police and military presence has increased and tightened security measures, including a curfew in Missan, have been put in place to maintain security levels and prevent any infiltration from AGs.

IOM IRAQ SEPTEMBER 2014

Earlier in 2014, only 128 families were identified by IOM in 39 locations across these governorates, all of which displaced from Anbar. Since the start of June, the displacement movement has been overwhelmingly from Ninewa with close to 2,000 families arriving in the South, the majority of which being Shia (Arab, Turkmen, and Shabak). Three quarters of arrivals since the beginning of August have been from Ninewa. Smaller numbers of families also arrived from Kirkuk, Salah al-din, Baghdad, Anbar, Babylon, and Diyala. 40% of IDP families in these governorates are currently being hosted by relatives in the region, and more than 500 families are being hosted by non-relative families. Close to 350 families are currently seeking shelter in school buildings, mainly in Missan. Religious buildings are hosting 183 families exclusively in Thi-Qar and 13 families are in informal settlements, also exclusively in Thi-Qar. Basrah hosts all 142 families that are renting hotels rooms, and these families are reportedly facing challenges to register with the local authorities.

DISPLACEMENT TRENDS AND SHELTER

AUGUST 2014 TOTAL1,709 IDP families

10,254 IDP individuals

219 locations

3,125 IDP families

18,750 IDP individuals2

295 locations3

PRE-JUNE 2014

1,288 IDP families


105 locations

128 IDP families

768 IDP individuals

39 locations

JUNE-JULY 2014

Basrah

Missan

Thi-Qar

Amara

Al-Zubair

Nassriya

Al-Rifa'i

Fao

Ali Al-Gharbi

Al-Maimouna

Al-Qurna

Al-Shatra

Basrah

Al-Chibayish

Al-Midaina

Al-Kahla

Suq Al-ShoyokhShatt Al-Arab

Qal'at Saleh

Abu Al-Khaseeb

Al-Mejar Al-Kabi

SOUTHERN GOVERNORATES OF IRAQ

BASRAH

THI-QAR

MISSAN

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: BASRAH




IDP MOVEMENT IN 2014

OVERVIEWBasrah is Iraq’s southernmost governorate, bordering Kuwait and Iran and located on the Persian Gulf. In addition to hosting the second most populous city in Iraq after Baghdad, the governorate also contains a large portion of Iraq’s oil reserves.

The early months of 2014 saw increasing numbers of IDPs arriving in Basrah as the clashes intensified between government forces and Armed Groups (AGs), as well as the return of many Iraqis who were refugees in Syria.

The security situation in Basrah seemed to improve overall since 2013, although there are still occasional incidents such as assassinations, tribal tensions, and targeted attacks. However, as the security situation deteriorated in other Iraqi governorates, security measures have been tightened at the governorate borders and the military presence within the governorate increased. Many families displaced multiple times looking for cheaper rent prices and many reportedly moved in with relatives as a result of being unable to afford rent.


IDENTIFIED IDP FAMILIESLEGENDPrimary Movements

Identified IDP Families20,001 - 40,000

10,001 - 20,000

5,001 - 10,000

1,501 - 5,000

0 - 1,500

6,776 0 6,776 0

20,001-40,00010,001-20,0005,001-10,000

1,501-5,0000-1,500

0 FLED BASRAH

0 WITHIN BASRAH

978 TO BASRAH

978 TOTAL

Al-Qurna

Al-Midaina

Basrah

Al-Zubair

Shatt Al-Arab

FaoAbu Al-Khaseeb

AUGUST 2014 TOTAL903 IDP families


139 locations

978 IDP families


147 locations6

PRE-JUNE 2014

9 IDP families

54 IDP individuals

3 locations

66 IDP families

396 IDP individuals

27 locations

JUNE-JULY 2014

of IDP families reported insufficient access to potable water

92% of IDP families noted their need for CRIs

22 % of IDP families reported insufficient access to sanitation facilities

13%

of IDP families reported insufficient access to food20%

PROFILE OF DISPLACEMENT4

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: BASRAH

3


IOM assesses a family staying with relatives in Basrah. September 2014.

In the early months of 2014, Basrah received small numbers of IDP families who fled violence in Anbar. Since the start of June, particularly during June and July, Basrah received more than 900 families from Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Anbar, Diyala, Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Babylon. As of September 14, Basrah hosted close to 1,000 families with more than 90% of these families arriving after the start of June. Two thirds of these families are Arab Shia Muslims and the remaining third are Arab Sunni Muslims. More than 45% of post-June displacement originated from Ninewa as AGs claimed control of many areas there. The travel from Anbar and Ninewa to Basrah is a long and difficult journey, yet many families continue to make it in search for a safe environment.

Within the governorate, Basrah district hosts the highest number of IDPs with over 700 families, Al-Zubair hosts around a 100 families, with the other districts hosting small numbers. Fao district only received 6 families from Ninewa and Salah al-Din, and are all Shia families currently staying with relatives.

DISPLACEMENT TRENDS

70% of families in Basrah are currently being hosted by relatives, whereas around 5% of families are being hosted by non-relatives families. About 15% are renting hotels exclusively in the Basrah district; these 142 families, the vast majority Shia, are facing difficulties registering as IDPs with the local authorities because their shelter suggests a tourism intent rather than displacement. However, almost 90% of the families living in hotels noted not having sufficient access to water, food, sanitation facilities, or functioning health facilities and they all noted shelter and financial assistance as their priority need. These families are using what is left of their savings to secure housing, but are looking for more sustainable shelter options as their savings diminish.

Families that are staying with relatives generally reported better access to food, water, sanitation facilities, and functioning health facilities, yet they are still in need of shelter and financial assistance.

SHELTER

IDP FAMILIES BY GOVERNORATE OF ORIGIN

Anbar Salah al-DinNinewaKirkukDiyalaBaghdad Babylon

Post-August

June-July

Pre-June

66

128

418

2256 58 56

3

6

165

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: MISSAN





OVERVIEWMissan is one of Iraq’s southern western governorates bordering Iran from the west and Basrah from the south. The governorate saw little fighting during the 2003 and 2006 conflicts and the security situation continued to be stable with no recorded security breaches throughout 2014. In recent months, government security forces imposed a 1 AM curfew in Missan to prevent any future security issues. The current security crisis in governorates such as Anbar, Ninewa, and Salah al-Din caused more families to displace to Missan than before. As of 14 September, IOM had identified 917 families living in Missan, over three quarters of which are living in the Amara district. All but three IDP families who arrived from Anbar prior to June displaced throughout June, July, and August. The vast majority of these displacements are either members of the Shabak and Turkmen minorities or Arab Shia.


IDENTIFIED IDP FAMILIESLEGEND

Primary Movements


10,001 - 20,000

5,001 - 10,000

1,501 - 5,000

0 - 1,500

6,776 0 6,776 0

20,001-40,00010,001-20,0005,001-10,000

1,501-5,0000-1,500

0 FLED MISSAN

0 WITHIN MISSAN

917 TO MISSAN

917 TOTAL

Ali Al-Gharbi

Amara

Al KahlaQala’t Saleh

Al Mejar Al Kabir

Al-Maimouna



55 locations

917 IDP families


102 locations9

PRE-JUNE 2014

481 IDP families


75 locations

3 IDP families

18 IDP individuals

2 locations

JUNE-JULY 2014

of IDP families are members of minority groups


37 % of IDP families were living in schools

59%


of IDP families originated from Ninewa and arrived since June

68%

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: MISSAN

5


As of September 14, IOM has identified 917 families in 102 locations throughout Missan. Within the governorate, Amara district hosts a 78% majority of IDPs, over 700 families. Districts of Al-Mejar al-Kabir, Ali Al-Gharbi, Qal’at Saleh, Al-Kahla, Al-Maimouna host small numbers of families, overwhelmingly Arab Shia. All but three of the 43 Arab Sunni families who displaced to Missan are also in Amara. The growing numbers of IDPs pushed the local authorities to consider establishing an IDP camp in Amara district. Local authorities and relief services continue to coordinate in Missan to provide the shelter and necessary needs such as water, food, health services, and sanitation to these IDP families to set up and begin receiving displaced families by the end of September. The majority of IDPs originated from Ninewa since the start of June following the attacks targeting of minorities by AGs have been mostly Shia Arabs, Turkmen, and Shabak; the vast majority of them are currently in school buildings. Missan is the only one of the southern governorates that received displaced minority populations. Many of the displaced families came to Missan seeking a place with similar ethnic and religious communities with better security, and some due to presence of family members. Over 120 families displaced from Kirkuk and smaller numbers came from Salah al-Din, Diyala, Baghdad, and Babylon.

DISPLACEMENT TRENDS ETHNICITY OF IDP FAMILIESBY GOVERNORATE OF ORIGIN

SHELTER, NEEDS AND VULNERABLE GROUPSAbout a third of families in Missan, most Shia Turkmen and Shabak, are currently seeking shelter in school buildings in 15 locations, mainly in Amara district. This represents about 45% of all IDPs in the district (325 families). Understandably, all of these families noted shelter as their main priority need. The majority of IDPs that originated from Anbar is seeking shelter with relatives in Amara district. Although Al-Kahla and Al- Maimouna districts together host only 16 families, almost all are staying with relatives in these districts. The number one priority need noted by all IDP families in Missan is shelter.

Anba

r

Baby

lon

Bagh

dad

Diya

la

Kirk

uk

Nin

ewa

Sala

h al

-Din

Arab Shia

Arab Sunni

Turkmen

Shabak

Sala

h al

-Din

Anba

r

Baby

lon

Bagh

dad

Diya

la

Kirk

uk

Nin

ewa

IOM assesses IDPs living in the Al-Ghazali school in Missan.

OF IDP FAMILIES IN AMARA DISTRICT ARE LIVING IN SCHOOLS

45%

88

213

1536

128

623

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: THI-QAR


11Vulnerable housing includes schools, religious buildings, and informal settlements.12Figures for number of individual IDPs have been calculated by multiplying the number of families by 6, the average size of an Iraqi family.

13As a single location may host groups of IDPs from di�erent waves of displacement, this �gure represents the number of distinct locations in the governorate hosting new IDP populations for 2014, regardless of date of displacement.

6


OVERVIEWOne of Iraq’s southernmost governorates, Thi-Qar is a predominately agricultural governorate that saw a substantial wave of Iraqi returnees from Syria earlier in 2014. It received larger numbers of IDPs than Basrah and Missan. The governorate also received a small number of IDPs from Anbar in the early months of 2014 after the security in the governorate deteriorated. Additionally, a new and growing number of IDPs arrived in Thi-Qar from other governorates that experienced clashes and fighting between government forces and Armed Groups (AGs) such as Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, and Diyala. Similar to Basrah and Missan, IDPs identified in Thi-Qar before June were all from Anbar. Displacement from Ninewa, all of which occurred during June, July and August, accounts for over 60% of the displaced population, with almost 600 families arriving since the start of August alone. As of September 14, IOM had identified 1,230 IDP families in 46 locations, all except for 59 of these families arrived since the start of June


IDENTIFIED IDP FAMILIESLEGENDPrimary Movements


10,001 - 20,000

5,001 - 10,000

1,501 - 5,000

0 - 1,500

6,776 0 6,776 0

20,001-40,00010,001-20,0005,001-10,000

1,501-5,0000-1,500

0 FLED THI-QAR

0 WITHIN THI-QAR

1,230 TO THI-QAR

1,230 TOTAL

Al-Rifai’

Al-Shatra

Al-ChibayishSuq Al-Shoyoukh

Nassriya



25 locations

1,230 IDP families


46 locations13

PRE-JUNE 2014

798 IDP families


27 locations

59 IDP families

354 IDP individuals

10 locations

JUNE-JULY 2014

of IDP families are being hosted by non-relatives


16% of IDP families were living in vulnerable housing11

36%


of IDP families originated from Ninewa and arrived since June

65%

DISPLACEMENT SNAPSHOT: THI-QAR

This governorate pro�le was developed under the framework of the Community Revitalization Programme III (CRPIII), funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).

15 Other includes 1 family living in a school in Nassriya, 13 living in informal settlements in Al-Shatra, and 70 families in Al-Chibayish district whose shelter types IOM was unable to con�rm.

7


Compared to the number of IDPs Thi-Qar has received in the past, the governorate witnessed a significant increase. Though only 59 families were identified prior to June, 2014, the start of June marked the arrival of over 1,100 families as a result of the security crises in the northwestern region of Iraq.

Displacement movement has been primarily towards Nassriya and Al-Shatra districts, which host 51% and 22% of IDPs respectively. Notably, Al-Chibayish and Al Rifa’i districts, where IOM had identified no IDP families earlier in 2014, saw the arrival of 229 families since the start of June. As the security crisis intensifies and is prolonged, it appears that the displacement is reaching new locations. The overwhelming majority of families is Arab Shia who sought refuge in Shia areas, with about 200 Arab Sunni families.

Security in Thi-Qar has been reportedly stable since the beginning of the year, apart from a few incidents in public spaces. Military and police presence increased to prevent any future attacks from AGs. Reportedly, the economic situation worsened in the governorate and commodity prices continue to rise.

DISPLACEMENT TRENDS

SHELTER TYPE BY DISTRICT SHELTER, NEEDS AND VULNERABLE GROUPSIn Thi-Qar, over a third of families are currently being hosted by non-relatives, mainly in Nassriya and Al-Shatra districts. Over 200 families are being hosted by their relatives across the governorate. As the returnee and IDP population continues to grow, so does the unemployment rate. The growing number of overcrowded informal settlements continues to be an issue and, as they lack proper sanitation facilities and access to health facilities, often cause the spread of diseases.

Close to 300 families are renting houses, 88% of which have expressed a need for CRIs. Mosques, holy shrines, and sites have opened their doors to 183 families in many locations throughout Thi-Qar. In one location in Al-Shatra district, 13 Arab Sunni families from Ninewa are seeking shelter in an informal settlement. These families expressed their need for CRIs and noted shelter as their main priority need.

Sum of With Relative / أقارب(مع عائلة مضيفة )

Sum of With HC - non-Relative / مع عائلة مضيفةغير أقارب( )

Sum of Rented House / سكن مؤجر

Sum of Mosques/ Holly Shrines / المراقد / المساجدالدينية

Sum of Unknown or other / أخرى/ غير معروف

10%1%

5%1%

13%

65%

5%

Anbar

Babylon

Baghdad

Diyala

Kirkuk

Ninewa

Salah al-Din

AREA OF ORIGIN FOR IDPS IN THI-QAR

Anbar

Salah al-Din

Ninewa

Kirkuk

Diyala

Baghdad

Babylon

Relatives

Unknown/other15

Religious buildings

Rented housing

Non-relatives

Suq Al-Shuyukh

Al-Chibayish

Al-Rifai’

Al-Shatra

Nassriya

107

627

267

152

77

iom #iraq southern governorates snapshot: basrah, missan, thi-qar (september 2014)

Documents

idp families

relative families

highest number of families

small number of arab

smaller numbers of families

families eeing unstable

number of idps

number of distinct locations